Illinois workers will work on nearly 2,800 miles of roads and 7.9 million square feet of bridge deck as part of a new multi-year infrastructure plan announced Wednesday by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).
Pritzker joined with legislative leaders on the Senate Transportation Committee and IDOT Acting Secretary Omer Osman to present the program in Springfield. Osman praised the work that IDOT was able to accomplish throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while Pritzker said the upcoming investments in infrastructure will play a role in leading the state out of it.
“At the very start of the pandemic, for us in the transportation and essential services [sector], we worked tirelessly to maintain safe, reliable infrastructure. I consider the work we did to keep Illinois moving, helping with the movement of medical supplies and other critical resources … I consider that work to be heroic,” Osman said.
“This past year truly has brought home how important transportation systems are connecting the lives of our residents and our communities, delivering food products to grocery stores, getting essential workers to their jobs, and transporting patients to the hospital. That's equally true when it comes to setting forth a robust recovery from this pandemic: getting remote workers back to the office; expanding job opportunities for our hotel, hospitality, and recreation workers; encouraging businesses to invest here in Illinois; and, of course, attracting visitors to hit the road for a great American road trip,” Pritzker said.
The plan includes $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 and land acquisition, and $1.21 billion for safety and system modernizations. Approximately $3.32 billion of this plan is planned for use in the upcoming fiscal year.
Pritzker also announced that full Amtrak Service will begin in Illinois on July 19. Four state-sponsored lines will also resume service, between Chicago and Milwaukee, Chicago and Quincy, Chicago and Carbondale, and Chicago and St. Louis.
Sen. Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago), chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, said that a data-driven focus on equity and help underserved communities is a key element of this plan, as it was when the General Assembly passed the Rebuild Illinois transportation budget in 2019.
“It is incredibly important that we continue to prioritize the factors of safety, economic development, accessibility, livability, environmental impact, congestion mitigation, and increased benefits to racially marginalized communities and low-to-moderate income communities. The projects that the governor and secretary are announcing today will maintain improve and expand our transportation and infrastructure network throughout the state,” he said.
Allison Richard
Legislative Consultant
