Illinois Tollway Notes

[Rick Powell]

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/illinois-new-mass-transit-bill-means-trips-to-ohare-will-get-more-expensive-heres-how-much-tolls-will-go-up/3845868/

A major toll increase (up to 60%) will be coming to the tollway system!

The toll increase was advertised as part of the overall transit funding package, but as I read it, the toll increases are going to be completely self-contained within the tollway system to help fund their next major capital improvement program and none of the toll increase will go to the 3 service agencies (CTA, Pace, Metra) or the new "NITA" regional transit overseeing agency. There will be more going to the tollway and less to the the IDOT and local highway agencies due to additional transit funding from the sales tax on fuel and from the interest earned on the state's road fund which otherwise would have gone largely to highways. The increased tollway funding sort of offsets the loss of funding on the "non-tolled" system, especially in the Chicago and suburban area, but lots of grumbling downstate where they got some additional help for the bus transit systems but not for highways.

[Joe The Dragon]

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/illinois-new-mass-transit-bill-means-trips-to-ohare-will-get-more-expensive-heres-how-much-tolls-will-go-up/3845868/

A major toll increase (up to 60%) will be coming to the tollway system!

The toll increase was advertised as part of the overall transit funding package, but as I read it, the toll increases are going to be completely self-contained within the tollway system to help fund their next major capital improvement program and none of the toll increase will go to the 3 service agencies (CTA, Pace, Metra) or the new "NITA" regional transit overseeing agency. There will be more going to the tollway and less to the the IDOT and local highway agencies due to additional transit funding from the sales tax on fuel and from the interest earned on the state's road fund which otherwise would have gone largely to highways. The increased tollway funding sort of offsets the loss of funding on the "non-tolled" system, especially in the Chicago and suburban area, but lots of grumbling downstate where they got some additional help for the bus transit systems but not for highways.

Will the EOE tolls go up per point?

[Revive 755]

Will the EOE tolls go up per point?

I haven't seen the actual text of the bill but it certainly sounds like it.  If true, this isn't going encourage use of IL 390 and the future I-490 (since I-490 will have three places to get hit with the extra 45 cent toll (see Page 4/33, https://agency.illinoistollway.com/documents/20184/101637/20240418%20EOWA%20LAC%20Meeting%20Presentation.pdf/2e8b8583-d1b8-94fd-a3fa-9fa063ca64b6?version=1.3&t=1715633565067) versus one using I-90 and I-294.

[Joe The Dragon]

Will the EOE tolls go up per point?

I haven't seen the actual text of the bill but it certainly sounds like it.  If true, this isn't going encourage use of IL 390 and the future I-490 (since I-490 will have three places to get hit with the extra 45 cent toll (see Page 4/33, https://agency.illinoistollway.com/documents/20184/101637/20240418%20EOWA%20LAC%20Meeting%20Presentation.pdf/2e8b8583-d1b8-94fd-a3fa-9fa063ca64b6?version=1.3&t=1715633565067) versus one using I-90 and I-294.

Just cut some tolling points even with out the added 0.45 that link needed to be about the same price not $0.50 or more higher
Maybe they can them JR tolling points for less or have an virtual ticket system to make it all count as one trip with the 0.45 fee.

[3467]

The tollway is getting an extra billion a year for construction. If they don't do route 53 what do they do?Ike and Stevenson?
Bring back 53 ? I DOT has been dragging its feet on the land issue

[Revive 755]

^ That is probably one of the main reasons the increase does not sit well with me.  There should have been some project(s) announced before the tolls got bumped, or some signs that the existing tolls were not enough to maintain the current roadways.

There are plenty of potential projects I can think of that would go over a billion rather quickly.

[3467]

Also does it say where the projects have to be because the holidays are in District 2and 3 . So could they do a Galena Bypass or a Yorkville Bypass?

[ET21]

I would have to imagine 53 is the next target, especially with the pending Bears infrastructure coming up.

I wouldn't mind having them take over and do a HOV/Express lane for I-55 from 294 to the Ryan, though that's been in talks for decades.

On another sidenote, more gantries are now up for NB/SB 294 between Plainfield Rd and Ogden. It looks like the new sections between Cermak and Ogden on the SB side is almost complete. Ogden to 55th Street is pretty much ready to open, and median barriers are all that remains from 55th St to Joliet Rd. 

[ChiMilNet]

IL 53 (or would it be future I-355 extension) would make sense for ITHSA, but make sure it includes the entire section North of I-90 plus the long needed extension into Lake County.

I-55 between at least I-294 and I-90/94 and I-290 between I-294 and the Circle/Burne Interchange would be good to have them manage HOT express lanes (and for good measure, take the lead on maintenance with IDOT still chipping in the funding for the non-tolled lanes).

[Plutonic Panda]

Are we thinking an IL 53 extension might happen after all? Because it doesn't seem that long ago it was going to happen and then it was killed with people saying it is dead for good. What would be different this time?

[3467]

I DOT had been dragging its feet on turning it over to DNR for a park but the size of this though and the influence of the construction unions on this deal.....I wouldn't write it off yet.
If it's a billion a year then it has to be spent somewhere .
Anyway it's so vague now I am just speculating
Maybe someone will find the details.
How much construction money?
Where can they spend it In the state?

[Rick Powell]

I DOT had been dragging its feet on turning it over to DNR for a park but the size of this though and the influence of the construction unions on this deal.....I wouldn't write it off yet.
If it's a billion a year then it has to be spent somewhere .
Anyway it's so vague now I am just speculating
Maybe someone will find the details.
How much construction money?
Where can they spend it In the state?

According to Marc Poulos of Local 150, the Tollway deal will raise "up to $1 Billion" annually for the Tollway in addition to their existing revenues of about $1.5B. Presumably this could be used for planning, engineering, right of way and construction. By law, it could only be used for enhancements to the existing system or approved expansions of the system, and is not going to be funneled off to IDOT or local road projects that do not have a logical relationship with the Tollway system. Outside of the Chicago metro tollway system, I'd guess it could only be used on the I-88 tollway in north central IL. Maybe a new tolled river crossing somewhere, but it would have to make financial sense to the Tollway's trust indenture. As for the details of "where" and "what", we will have to wait on the discussion and details of the next capital plan. This is new found money, after all. 

[Revive 755]

Are we thinking an IL 53 extension might happen after all? Because it doesn't seem that long ago it was going to happen and then it was killed with people saying it is dead for good. What would be different this time?

The proposed stadium in Arlington Heights?

IMHO handing Palatine Road over the Tollway for upgrading to a freeway all the way between IL 53 and I-294 seems more likely than the 53 extension.

[Quimby]

While I'd love for this extra $1B in revenue for ISTHA to mean the extension of Route 53 into Lake County FINALLY becoming reality after all these years, I have my doubts.  Is the Lake County Board still opposed to the project? If so, would the Tollway Authority bother taking on that project despite local opposition?  After all these decades of setbacks, I don't underestimate the power and influence of the rich people in Long Grove and Hawthorn Woods to keep NIMBY-ing this project to death. 

Otherwise, could the boost in revenue be used to build a tollway on only the Route 120 portion of Route 53 project (from I-94 to US 12 in Volo)?  How about finally extending IL-390 westward to US 20 at North Ave?

It would be nice to extend 355 south to I-57, but is there even enough ROW remaining to make that possible?  Certainly not at the south end of 355. 

[ilpt4u]

While I'd love for this extra $1B in revenue for ISTHA to mean the extension of Route 53 into Lake County FINALLY becoming reality after all these years, I have my doubts.  Is the Lake County Board still opposed to the project? If so, would the Tollway Authority bother taking on that project despite local opposition?  After all these decades of setbacks, I don't underestimate the power and influence of the rich people in Long Grove and Hawthorn Woods to keep NIMBY-ing this project to death. 

Otherwise, could the boost in revenue be used to build a tollway on only the Route 120 portion of Route 53 project (from I-94 to US 12 in Volo)?  How about finally extending IL-390 westward to US 20 at North Ave?

It would be nice to extend 355 south to I-57, but is there even enough ROW remaining to make that possible?  Certainly not at the south end of 355

The only theoretical/fictional way to extend 355 to 57 includes a short westward jog on 80 to Gougar Rd, then break southeast from there.

A warehouse or two and a church would probably have to go. But a route could be had. If there is ANY chance this would/could happen, ISTHA needs to be buying land for a corridor, yesterday. Even fictional eyeball cooridors via satellite imagery using this fantasy path are quickly developing with new housing construction, but would still be possible...for now

[Rick Powell]

A warehouse or two and a church would probably have to go. But a route could be had. If there is ANY chance this would/could happen, ISTHA needs to be buying land for a corridor, yesterday. Even fictional eyeball corridors via satellite imagery using this fantasy path are quickly developing with new housing construction, but would still be possible...for now

Village of New Lenox actually had a corridor set aside for the western jog of I-355 to go south of 80, but it was removed from the land use plan sometime around 2011 or 2012. Without any corridor protection, it would be an expensive and controversial extension.

[3467]

Looking at the maps in general I don't see much that can be built except 53  the Illiana and maybe something like a Yorkville Bypass and a Palatine road type project ?
Am I missing anything ?

[Revive 755]

^ An IL 394 upgrade and extension southward still looks fairly doable.  Plenty of other corridors that drift even further into fictional territory they could do at the edges of the Chicago region.

But they will probably spend on something like putting HOT lanes on the existing tollways.

[Rick Powell]

Looking at the maps in general I don't see much that can be built except 53  the Illiana and maybe something like a Yorkville Bypass and a Palatine road type project ?
Am I missing anything ?

I think the Yorkville bypass, presumably a piece of the cancelled Prairie Parkway, would be a tough sell, especially since there is a new un-tolled Fox River crossing on Eldamain Road near where the Prairie Parkway would've crossed, and the Eldamain corridor is set up for future 4-lanes.

[3467]

Of course there are tolled lanes for the Ike and Stevenson.
All the others look like hard sells but the operating engineers got them 10 billion . I could see the Ike eating half of it
I could see a 394 extension with some sort of mini Illiana . I know Will county wants something.
I could see a billion for that and 2 if 53 is revived.
That's why I was wondering about other projects . That's why I tossed out a Yorkville Bypass. I don't see much else . A short spur off 88 toward Clinton A Galena bypass.
The OEs want projects and they tend to get their way.

[Quimby]

Looking at the maps in general I don't see much that can be built except 53  the Illiana and maybe something like a Yorkville Bypass and a Palatine road type project ?
Am I missing anything ?

Of course there are tolled lanes for the Ike and Stevenson.
All the others look like hard sells but the operating engineers got them 10 billion . I could see the Ike eating half of it
I could see a 394 extension with some sort of mini Illiana . I know Will county wants something.
I could see a billion for that and 2 if 53 is revived.
That's why I was wondering about other projects . That's why I tossed out a Yorkville Bypass. I don't see much else . A short spur off 88 toward Clinton A Galena bypass.
The OEs want projects and they tend to get their way.

The only other thing I can think of is extending IL 390/Elgin-O'Hare further west.  But it's only about 2 miles from its current terminus to where it would meet US 20 again near North Ave.  So, nowhere near the scope of the other possible projects mentioned.  It's perhaps another 2 miles if they really wanted to extend the tollway to the existing US 20/Rte 59 interchange, but going that far is probably very doubtful.   

Is old Richmond Bypass proposal still viable?  I seem to recall proposals about 10 or 12 years ago, but that might be totally dead by now.   

[Plutonic Panda]

Are they going to release a comprehensive list of projects that will be funded from this?

[Rick Powell]

Are they going to release a comprehensive list of projects that will be funded from this?

Here is a link to the Tollway's current "major" capital plan and "bridging" capital plan, as well as a link to a short blurb about their next capital plan. This new found money will no doubt spark the next major capital plan, and I am sure they will consider many projects and settle on a list and budget at some point in the not-too-distant future.
https://agency.illinoistollway.com/projects/capital-programs

[ilpt4u]

Maybe ISTHA could take over the Southwest Connector and just build it as the I-24 extension to 255 at Columbia

Don't know the last time a tolling feasibility study was done on the corridor but the last time it happened the answer was "no."

[Beltway]

IL 53 (or would it be future I-355 extension) would make sense for ITHSA, but make sure it includes the entire section North of I-90 plus the long needed extension into Lake County.

The IL 53 extension to I-94 near the WI border would provide a good Chicago outer bypass between I-80 and WI.

However I-94 between I-294 and Milwaukee has 8 lanes (4 each way)  and has ample capacity in the corridor.