Blagojevich announces $8.3 billion multi-year road program

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today announced the state's highway improvement program, for Fiscal Years 2005 to 2011. The $8.3 billion comprehensive Multi-Year Program (MYP) focuses on preserving and modernizing existing roads, as well as reducing congestion. Governor Blagojevich's aggressive plan to create jobs in Illinois, Opportunity Returns, will mean at least an additional $1 billion in highway improvements during the Multi-Year Program.

 

"We have been conservative with our estimates in putting together this Multi-Year Program. I wanted a realistic look at what we can expect, even with the uncertainty we face with our federal funding," Governor Blagojevich said. "We can't wait on Washington to act, we must spur our own economic recovery, and that is what we are doing with Opportunity Returns. We are putting men and women to work now, making improvements to our transportation system, and because Opportunity Returns projects are targeted toward economic development, we are creating jobs in the future."

 

The FY05 - FY11 MYP is estimated to be $8.3 billion and will allow the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to improve more than 2,180 miles of roads and replace or rehabilitate more than 620 bridges. The MYP will also support almost 200,000 jobs during the life of the program.

 

Separate from the $8.3 billion FY 05-FY 11 MYP is Opportunity Returns, Governor Blagojevich's innovative economic recovery plan that calls for more than $1 billion in road improvements over the next three years. To create new, much-needed jobs, Governor Blagojevich is accelerating $200 million from Opportunity Returns to be used this Summer for system preservation and maintenance projects. IDOT estimates the $200 million accelerated investment will generate 4,800 jobs in FY05, providing a boost to local economies.

 

"We are going to make needed improvements this summer to our highway system that will provide jobs to the hard working men and women of Illinois," said the Governor.  "Highway projects are a major component of Opportunity Returns, when businesses look to expand or relocate one of their major concerns is transportation, that's why it's essential we continue to invest in our highway system now, to improve Illinois' economy down the road."

 

The $8.3 billion MYP includes $3.2 billion in state funds, $4.8 billion in federal funds and $322 million in local funding. The federal portion of the MYP is based on funding estimates that assume the current level of federal funding. The previous federal transportation funding authorization expired last fall, and as yet no new transportation funding package has been formalized, this uncertainty led IDOT to change from a five-year MYP to a seven-year MYP. This will allow more flexibility in dealing with the unknown future levels of return.  As the President and Congress work to pass a new federal funding authorization, Governor Blagojevich is hopeful Illinois will improve on its federal funding return.

 

"We are a donor state, only getting 92 cents back for every dollar we send to Washington for transportation. That is simply unacceptable," Governor Blagojevich said. "I want to commend the House of Representatives, Speaker Hastert, Congressman Lipinski and all of our state's congressional delegation for moving a bill forward. My hope is that we can finally get a bill to the President to sign and end the uncertainty of our future funding from the federal government."

 

"We have built this program based on no revenue increases from the federal government, if Congress passes a highway bill this year that increases Illinois' share, we won't see the effects of that until at least the FY 06- FY 12 MYP," IDOT Secretary Tim Martin said. "We are also holding off determining the future funding of several major projects until we have a new federal bill in place, such as the New Mississippi River Bridge, Wacker Drive, Prairie Access, the widening and reconstruction of I-55 from Weber to I-80 and the CREATE program. These are projects that are of national importance, with price tags to match, and we need to see the final program that Congress comes up with before we can move forward on these."

 

The MYP provides $5.9 billion for state projects and $2.4 billion for local projects. The state multi-year program can be summarized in three main categories:

 

• System Preservation--$2.5 billion is scheduled for resurfacing/widening projects and bridge improvements, including $557 million for interstate resurfacing and bridge projects.
• System Modernization--$1.9 billion is scheduled to upgrade existing facilities with safety and traffic flow improvements. Included in this category are the reconstruction of the Dan Ryan Expressway and Interstate 74 through Peoria.
• Congestion Reduction--$1.5 billion is scheduled to address traffic congestion and build new main routes, including $382 million for new roads.

The following major projects are tentatively scheduled during FY 2005- FY 2011.

 

• Interstate 55/70 Poplar Street Complex in East St. Louis.  Bridge repair, bridge deck overlay and seismic retrofit of the Tudor/Piggot Ramps are programmed during FY 2006-2011 at a cost of $26.3 million.  In addition, bridge painting and new deck are programmed during FY 2005-2011 at a cost of $7.3 million for the Poplar Street Bridge.  Of this total, $3.3 million is programmed in FY 2005 for bridge painting.
• Interstate 64/55/70 Interchange (Tri-Level) in East St. Louis.  Reconstruction of the interchange at the three interstate routes is necessary to improve traffic operational conditions and provide access to the local street system.  Construction and associated work are programmed during FY 2005-2011 at a cost of $109.5 million, including $9.4 million of improvements on the Interstate 64 Connector.  Of this total, engineering for contract plans is programmed in FY 2005 at a cost of $115,000.
• Interstate 74 from Sterling Avenue in Peoria to Washington Street in East Peoria.  Interstate 74 through Peoria was constructed in the late 1950s to early 1960s and does not meet current interstate standards.  Reconstruction and modernization of 8.3 miles are estimated to cost $477 million, the largest downstate interstate modernization project ever undertaken by Illinois.  Approximately $196 million of work has been completed or is under way.  An additional $43 million of work remains in the FY 2004 program.  Projects to finish the reconstruction and modernization are programmed during FY 2005-2011 at a cost of $237.7 million.  Of this total, preliminary work and reconstruction are programmed in FY 2005 at a cost of $158.5 million, including 3.6 miles of reconstruction, bridge replacements, interchange reconstruction, retaining wall and construction engineering from Gale Avenue to the Illinois River in Peoria for $115.4 million.  Also in FY 2005, there are 1.3 miles of reconstruction, bridge replacement, interchange reconstruction, retaining wall and construction engineering eastbound from the TP&W Railroad to east of Washington Street in East Peoria for $29.8 million.
• US 20 from Galena to Freeport.  The final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is being reviewed.  Design approval will follow publication of the EIS.  ISTEA in 1991 provided $2 million in federal demonstration funds for this study.  In addition, the FY 1992 federal appropriation bill provided $2.1 million in other demonstration funds.
• US 20 from Illinois 84 (NW) to southeast of Galena (Galena Bypass).  Engineering for contract plans is anticipated to begin summer 2004.  Land acquisition for the 6.5‑mile bypass corridor is programmed during FY 2005‑2011at a cost of $2 million.  Of this total, land acquisition is programmed in FY 2005 at a cost of $1 million.  Additional engineering and construction are not currently funded.
• US 20 - Freeport Bypass.  Additional lanes for 6.1 miles and interchange reconstruction are programmed during FY 2006-2011 at a cost of $12 million.
• US 51 - Decatur to Pana.  Since 1990, the department has invested $43.9 million on upgrading US 51 to four lanes south of Decatur, including the completed construction for 9.2 miles from north of Elwin to north of the Macon/Shelby County line.  Land acquisition, archaeological surveys and utility adjustments from 0.9 mile south of the Shelby County line south of Moweaqua to 0.1 mile north of Township Road 306 are programmed during FY 2006-2011 at a cost of $930,000.  Engineering for contract plans from 2.9 miles north of Illinois 16 to the Shelby County line south of Pana is programmed in FY 2005 at a cost of $1.8 million.  The remaining work to complete the 12.1-mile section from 0.9 mile south of Moweaqua to 2.9 miles north of Illinois 16 north of Pana is not currently funded.
• US 67 Corridor.  The US 67 corridor extends nearly 229 miles from Alton north to Rock Island.  The two and four lane corridor improvement costs awarded total more than $705 million and $150 million in projects are programmed during FY 2005-2011.  The estimated unfunded cost to complete the four-lane sections in the US 67 corridor from Macomb southward to the Alton Bypass exceeds $1.3 billion.