Illinois Planning Agency Approves Tollway
A tollway linking Illinois and Indiana was approved Oct. 17 by a planning agency that has criticized the proposed $1.3 billion expressway project in the past, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn (D) and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) have pushed for the expressway, saying the project would help speed goods by truck, create thousands of jobs and reduce traffic congestion. They also stressed that under the 35-year deal tolls would repay the debt, the Associated Press reported.
The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s analysis concluded that the route traffic and tolls would fall short, causing Illinois taxpayers to cover at least $1.1 billion.
The Illiana tollway will link Interstate 55 in Illinois and I-65 in Indiana.
CMAP board of directors voted against the project last week, with the chairman calling the project a “highway in nowhere land.” But the agency’s policy committee made the final decision and approved the project in an 11-8 vote.
The chairwoman of the policy committee, Illinois Department of Transportation Director Ann Schneider, said the project will encourage intermodal and freight facilities’ expansion. Schneider also said the planning agency’s toll-revenue projections were flawed because her department could not provide the agency all the information needed for a full financial analysis.
She said if the numbers were public, future bidding processes could be jeopardized, according to AP.
