The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority is initiating an extensive $26.5 billion capital program, termed “Driving Connections.” The 15-year initiative focuses on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of toll roads, with $14.6 billion allocated for these purposes. Additionally, $3.36 billion is earmarked for interchange upgrades, while $880 million will go toward road widening.

Previous projects like the Move Illinois initiative included constructing new routes and interchanges, such as the I-490 toll road near O’Hare International Airport and expansion of Illinois Route 390. This new program continues similar efforts but lacks dramatic new ventures, according to DePaul University’s transportation expert Joseph Schwieterman. He notes that many projects address existing bottlenecks, crucial during peak times on the tollway system.

The agency plans to partially fund these improvements with toll rate increases averaging 45 cents for I-Pass users, alongside inflation-based hikes every two years starting in 2029, subject to board approval. A prime component of the program is a $3.1 billion investment in interchange improvements at I-88 and I-355 to alleviate congestion in the Downers Grove area. An additional project will create a full interchange at the Tri-State and Irving Park Road junction in Schiller Park, at a cost of $132 million.

Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse emphasizes the importance of investments in interchanges and technology enhancements to improve safety and extend the lifespan of aging bridges. For instance, the reconstruction of a 17-mile section of I-355 between I-55 and Army Trail Road in Addison will require approximately $2.2 billion.

“We learned through Move Illinois that investments in interchanges are important,” Rouse stated, highlighting both the strategic planning and the necessity of improving outdated infrastructure.

State Senator Bill Morris, a former Tollway Director, has voiced skepticism about the proposal. He argues that some projects categorized as capital initiatives may not traditionally meet that definition, suspecting the proposed toll hikes justify such categorization.

The program also prioritizes long-term future improvements, investing in studies for easing congestion at key interchanges. For example, a $240 million study focuses on the I-294 and I-90 interchange in Rosemont, while another $34 million study will address the I-90/I-290/Route 53 congestion near Rolling Meadows and Schaumburg.

O’Hare Collaboration

Driving Connections also involves collaborative efforts with other agencies like the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA). A significant example is the collaboration on the Route 390 and I-490 interchange near O’Hare, which will include a $412 million investment in an employee parking and screening facility for airline workers.

Kevin Bargnes, CDA Communications Director, mentioned that details about this undertaking’s scope and timing will be shared later in the year. This project aims to strengthen regional transportation infrastructure by working with partner agencies.

“Across Illinois, we are a connected system, and making sure we’re thinking regionally is also important,” Rouse noted. Such connectivity aligns with the state’s broader transportation priorities.

Morris cautions that more transparency is needed before families face toll increases, particularly when these exceed inflation rates significantly. Important upcoming projects, covering various aspects of tollway infrastructure, are detailed below:

Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355)

• Resurfacing from the Spring Creek Toll Plaza near Lockport to I-55, costing $650 million.
• Widening between Roosevelt Road and North Avenue in Lombard, budgeted at $197 million.

Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88)

• Resurfacing between the Aurora Toll Plaza and Washington Street in Naperville for $391 million.
• Widening from the Aurora Toll Plaza to Route 59 in Naperville at a cost of $390 million.
• Road and bridge rehabilitation from 95th Street in Bridgeview to 159th Street in Markham, totaling $1.4 billion.
• Further road and bridge rehab from Balmoral Avenue to the Edens Spur, costing around $1.3 billion.

Jane Addams Tollway (I-90)

• Resurfacing from Elgin Toll Plaza to Kennedy Expressway, projected at $664 million.
• Pavement upgrades from the Kishwaukee River near Rockford to Elgin Toll Plaza, estimated at $823 million.