SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois Gov. Jay Robert Pritzker and Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) on May 19 announced the release of a $20.7 billion multiyear plan to improve the state’s roads and bridges over the next six years. This commitment, fueled by the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan will reinforce the state’s transportation industry and create thousands of jobs as the state seeks to spur economic growth following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The latest multiyear plan builds on an infrastructure investment made over the past two years, with more than 2,700 miles of state and local roadways and 290 bridges already improved through the Rebuild Illinois program.
“Rebuild Illinois is about investing for the future — supporting this generation and the next, making sure we have good jobs and the roads to get there, and building a state where opportunity is just around the corner for everyone, no matter where you’re standing,” Pritzker said.
Passed in 2019, the Rebuild Illinois plan promotes economic growth by investing a total of $33.2 billion into the state’s aging transportation system. Rebuild Illinois is not only the largest capital program in state history, but also the first one that touches all modes of Illinois transportation — roads and bridges, transit, waterways, freight and passenger rail, aviation, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.
Based on current funding levels, the state’s fiscal year 2022-27 Proposed Highway Improvement Program aims to improve 2,779 miles of roads and 7.9 million square feet of bridge deck. Of the $20.7 billion planned over the six years of the program, $3.32 billion has been set aside for the upcoming fiscal year.
Included in the program are a variety of projects that will create economic opportunity, enhance quality of life and improve safety on both the IDOT and local transportation systems, according to a prepared statement from Pritzker’s office.
Project selection was based on objective criteria, such as pavement conditions, traffic volumes and crash history. Of the major elements in the plan for IDOT roads and bridges, investments include
- $5.79 billion for highway reconstruction and preservation;
- $4.82 billion for bridge improvements;
- $2.59 billion for strategic expansion;
- $1.43 billion for system support such as engineering and land acquisition; and
- $1.21 billion for safety and system modernizations.
“Under the governor’s leadership, we are continuing to build and sustain infrastructure that gives Illinois its competitive edge and strengthens our status as the transportation hub of North America,” said Omer Osman, acting Illinois transportation secretary. “This latest multiyear program means we will keep making historic improvements in our transportation system, just as we have throughout the pandemic.”
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