SPRINGFIELD (WGEM) – Illinois drivers better get used to road construction as Gov. JB Pritzker recently unveiled the largest infrastructure program in state history at $41.42 billion.
The six-year plan is a follow up to the $33.2 billion Rebuild Illinois plan created in 2019.
The new plan will spend an additional $41.42 billion on the state’s roads and bridges, rail lines, ports and airports.
“We will continue making historic investments into improving every aspect of our infrastructure and in every part of the state from top to bottom. These thousands of projects speak to the comprehensive vision of Rebuild Illinois,” Pritzker, a Democrat, said at an event last Friday in McCook.
The plan calls for spending $29.65 billion on roads and bridges, $7.5 billion on public transit, $2.54 billion on rail, $1.57 billion on airports and $160 million for ports and waterways.
“This multi-year program we are releasing today is perhaps the most significant ever for IDOT, showcasing the real strength and impact of Rebuild Illinois,” said Illinois Secretary of Transportation Omer Osman last Friday.
Pritzker said the plan is expected to build or improve more 3,214 miles of roads and 8.8 million square feet of bridge deck.
“Every job that we create, every commute we make easier, every accident that we prevent, that is what this work is all about,” Pritzker said.
Of course, more construction means drivers can expect extra pain as they navigate the road work.
“I can say to all of you, sorry about the orange cones you see if you’re slowed down in traffic,” Pritzker said. “But in another way, I’ll say, sorry, not sorry.”
The new plan is set to start when fiscal year 2025 begins July 1.
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