Illinois DOT cuts $100+ million in road projects

[Lyon Wonder]

...brought to you by the budget feud between the Illinois general assembly and Rauner.

http://www.equipmentworld.com/awaiting-a-budget-illinois-dot-cuts-100-million-in-road-projects/

The Illinois Department of Transportation had to cut $103 million in road projects from a contract letting June 12 because the state still doesn't have a budget for FY 2016.

IDOT Secretary Randy Blankenhorn had to pull seven projects planned for this year, the most expensive being a $48 million project in Rock Island County. A letting still took place for other projects in the state where funding was secure.

Blankenhorn told the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers that the projects could return for a letting when a budget is passed. However, Gov. Bruce Rauner shot down the possibility of a short-term spending plan while lawmakers hash out a budget deal, according to Reuters. The state's Democrat-led House and Senate passed a $36.3 billion budget, but Rauner said he wouldn't sign it with out some changes.

IDOT released a six-year, $8.4 billion Highway Improvement Program earlier this year, but without a budget, there is no state funding.

Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers executive director John Henriksen said failing to pass a budget and canceling these projects would be a serious hit to construction crews and, in turn, the aggregate producers in the state. Henriksen said some construction and aggregate companies were counting on the multimillion-dollar projects.

"The overarching concern is that the legislation to reauthorize existing projects has not yet been signed," Henriksen said. "... When work is halted, there are costs to the motoring public. The deterioration of our infrastructure is not static."

Blankenhorn is meeting with members of the Transportation for Illinois Coalition on Monday to discuss the issues facing the state's infrastructure.

Here's a full list of the projects pulled:

$3.07 million project on Illinois Route 26 in Bureau County

$2.785 million bridge work on Interstate 57 in Champaign County
   
$4.46 million bridge replacement on Illinois Route 130 in Cumberland County

$7.811 million for work on I-57 in Jefferson County

$10.280 million for work on I-90 and I-190 in Cook County
   
$27.372 million for work on I-57 in Williamson County
   
$48 million for work on Illinois Route 5 and John Deere Road in Rock Island County

[Brandon]

Not a big surprise.  Illinois is broke.  Flat, dead broke.  50/50 for being broke.  However, that said, our infrastructure is shit, and will get much, much worse long before it starts getting better.

[mgk920]

Not a big surprise.  Illinois is broke.  Flat, dead broke.  50/50 for being broke.  However, that said, our infrastructure is shit, and will get much, much worse long before it starts getting better.

Even more so with that state Constitution amendment on government worker pensions.



Mike

[sipes23]

As a soon-to-be-former resident of Illinois (yes, the budget problems are factoring in), I cannot believe that things could get worse. Except that I know they can. $100 million+ in cuts is probably just the beginning of the bloodletting that will fix things.

Based on the link, I can tell you that the I-90/I-190 situation in Chicago is a mess that needs fixing, but I-57 also needs the work. That bridge work is being cut is kind of scary.

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe when the freeways start collapsing, Illinois will finally wake up and find money for improvements. I doubt it though.

[ET21]

Maybe when the freeways start collapsing, Illinois will finally wake up and find money for improvements. I doubt it though.

This is honestly very scary true 

[US 41]

Not a big surprise.  Illinois is broke.  Flat, dead broke.  50/50 for being broke.  However, that said, our infrastructure is shit, and will get much, much worse long before it starts getting better.

Illinois' highways are still way better (smoother) than Indiana's. When you drive across the state line you can tell the difference immediately.

[ChiMilNet]

Not a big surprise.  Illinois is broke.  Flat, dead broke.  50/50 for being broke.  However, that said, our infrastructure is shit, and will get much, much worse long before it starts getting better.

Illinois' highways are still way better (smoother) than Indiana's. When you drive across the state line you can tell the difference immediately.

If you think Illinois is a mess, go look up the funding mess in Missouri. That state is really about to have some scary problems!

[ARMOURERERIC]

For all the talk of a future CA bankruptcy, it never gets mentioned that IL's per capita debt is 3x that of CA's and NY's is 1.6X of CA's.  If any state is going down it is definitely IL first.

[silverback1065]

As a soon-to-be-former resident of Illinois (yes, the budget problems are factoring in), I cannot believe that things could get worse. Except that I know they can. $100 million+ in cuts is probably just the beginning of the bloodletting that will fix things.

Based on the link, I can tell you that the I-90/I-190 situation in Chicago is a mess that needs fixing, but I-57 also needs the work. That bridge work is being cut is kind of scary.

I-190?  what project is this?  I thought Chicago was going to get SR 390, there's an I-190 in the works too?

[hobsini2]

As a soon-to-be-former resident of Illinois (yes, the budget problems are factoring in), I cannot believe that things could get worse. Except that I know they can. $100 million+ in cuts is probably just the beginning of the bloodletting that will fix things.

Based on the link, I can tell you that the I-90/I-190 situation in Chicago is a mess that needs fixing, but I-57 also needs the work. That bridge work is being cut is kind of scary.

I-190?  what project is this?  I thought Chicago was going to get SR 390, there's an I-190 in the works too?

They have been working on the Mannheim Rd widening around O'Hare. I believe the next thing once that was finished was a resurfacing and redecking of I-190 between Cumberland Ave and Mannheim Rd that is needed badly.

[silverback1065]

As a soon-to-be-former resident of Illinois (yes, the budget problems are factoring in), I cannot believe that things could get worse. Except that I know they can. $100 million+ in cuts is probably just the beginning of the bloodletting that will fix things.

Based on the link, I can tell you that the I-90/I-190 situation in Chicago is a mess that needs fixing, but I-57 also needs the work. That bridge work is being cut is kind of scary.

I-190?  what project is this?  I thought Chicago was going to get SR 390, there's an I-190 in the works too?

They have been working on the Mannheim Rd widening around O'Hare. I believe the next thing once that was finished was a resurfacing and redecking of I-190 between Cumberland Ave and Mannheim Rd that is needed badly.

O wait I forgot about that area

[johndoe780]

As a soon-to-be-former resident of Illinois (yes, the budget problems are factoring in), I cannot believe that things could get worse. Except that I know they can. $100 million+ in cuts is probably just the beginning of the bloodletting that will fix things.

Based on the link, I can tell you that the I-90/I-190 situation in Chicago is a mess that needs fixing, but I-57 also needs the work. That bridge work is being cut is kind of scary.

I-190?  what project is this?  I thought Chicago was going to get SR 390, there's an I-190 in the works too?

They have been working on the Mannheim Rd widening around O'Hare. I believe the next thing once that was finished was a resurfacing and redecking of I-190 between Cumberland Ave and Mannheim Rd that is needed badly.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130620/news/706209777/

$59 million to expand 3.2 miles of roadway... Granted it is a mostly elevated road, but that's just insane.

As shitty as Illinois highways (interstate) are, they're leaps and bounds better than Indiana. And at least Illinois actually salts the highways unlike Indiana where a megabus always tips over on I-69.

Now I could go into this whole venting of how the gas tax should go back to the roads, but screw it. If bicyclists want bike lanes, tax them. If walkers want sidewalks, tax them. I pay enough friggen gas tax that it shouldn't be used as an accounting trick to balance federal, state, or local budgets.  Our decaying infrastructure is due to a direct result of taking gas tax money and spending it elsewhere that has nothing to do with roads- sidewalks, bike lanes, bus lanes, public transportation, etc. etc.

[hobsini2]

As a soon-to-be-former resident of Illinois (yes, the budget problems are factoring in), I cannot believe that things could get worse. Except that I know they can. $100 million+ in cuts is probably just the beginning of the bloodletting that will fix things.

Based on the link, I can tell you that the I-90/I-190 situation in Chicago is a mess that needs fixing, but I-57 also needs the work. That bridge work is being cut is kind of scary.

I-190?  what project is this?  I thought Chicago was going to get SR 390, there's an I-190 in the works too?

They have been working on the Mannheim Rd widening around O'Hare. I believe the next thing once that was finished was a resurfacing and redecking of I-190 between Cumberland Ave and Mannheim Rd that is needed badly.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130620/news/706209777/

$59 million to expand 3.2 miles of roadway... Granted it is a mostly elevated road, but that's just insane.

As shitty as Illinois highways (interstate) are, they're leaps and bounds better than Indiana.

The other part of the cost that the article didn't mention is the extention of Balmoral Ave with a new bridge over Mannheim that ties into Bessie Coleman Dr. This will give the Rosemont Entertainment District a more direct connection to the Airport. The Mannheim project itself is not just a widening and resurface. It's digging up the old roadbed about 2-3 feet.

[intelati49]

Not a big surprise.  Illinois is broke.  Flat, dead broke.  50/50 for being broke.  However, that said, our infrastructure is shit, and will get much, much worse long before it starts getting better.

Illinois' highways are still way better (smoother) than Indiana's. When you drive across the state line you can tell the difference immediately.

If you think Illinois is a mess, go look up the funding mess in Missouri. That state is really about to have some scary problems!

What's up? Saw the headline in the new posts and figured I would look at the shit storm. Hasn't disappointed 

[silverback1065]

Not to get too political, but what the heck is going on with Illinois financially?  I live in Indiana, so I am not very familiar with Illinois politics/financials.

[johndoe780]

Not to get too political, but what the heck is going on with Illinois financially?  I live in Indiana, so I am not very familiar with Illinois politics/financials.

Some oldass dude who needs to die named Madigan who gerrymandered the maps so idiots keep voting for him and his party.

[hobsini2]

Not to get too political, but what the heck is going on with Illinois financially?  I live in Indiana, so I am not very familiar with Illinois politics/financials.

Rauner is learning that you can't run a state like a business.

[Brandon]

Not to get too political, but what the heck is going on with Illinois financially?  I live in Indiana, so I am not very familiar with Illinois politics/financials.

We're about $3-4 billion in the hole due to overspending over the decades, and making a pension commitment we didn't keep (not to mention the pension gifting that went to people who should not have gotten it).

[US 41]

Not to get too political, but what the heck is going on with Illinois financially?  I live in Indiana, so I am not very familiar with Illinois politics/financials.

They're cutting stuff to balance their budget.

[mgk920]

Not to get too political, but what the heck is going on with Illinois financially?  I live in Indiana, so I am not very familiar with Illinois politics/financials.

The government worker unions have the state by its neck.  It was made even worse not long ago when the state's supreme court ruled unanimously that a recent state Constitution amendment basically said that pension benefits can never be reduced, even though the fund in grossly (billions of dollars) underfunded.  It's not as bad as in Greece right now, but Illinois is now in the worst financial shape of all 50 states.



If I were Rauner, I'd be tempted to resign from office and bluntly tell Madigan, et al, that "You made your bed, you sleep in it!".

Thankfully, Wisconsin fixed most of its similar problems just in time.

Mike

[GeekJedi]

Look to Wisconsin to start showing the same problems once the next few Governors can't kick the can down the road like we did this time.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/fiscal-bureau-scott-walkers-budget-would-spend-682-million-a-27-hike-bb95kee-198134561.html

[adt1982]

Not to get too political, but what the heck is going on with Illinois financially?  I live in Indiana, so I am not very familiar with Illinois politics/financials.

The government worker unions have the state by its neck.  It was made even worse not long ago when the state's supreme court ruled unanimously that a recent state Constitution amendment basically said that pension benefits can never be reduced, even though the fund in grossly (billions of dollars) underfunded.  It's not as bad as in Greece right now, but Illinois is now in the worst financial shape of all 50 states.



If I were Rauner, I'd be tempted to resign from office and bluntly tell Madigan, et al, that "You made your bed, you sleep in it!".

Thankfully, Wisconsin fixed most of its similar problems just in time.

Mike

That 'recent amendment' you mention is not an amendment, nor is it recent.

It is section 5 of article 13 of the state constitution written in 1970.

[Brandon]

Not to get too political, but what the heck is going on with Illinois financially?  I live in Indiana, so I am not very familiar with Illinois politics/financials.

The government worker unions have the state by its neck.  It was made even worse not long ago when the state's supreme court ruled unanimously that a recent state Constitution amendment basically said that pension benefits can never be reduced, even though the fund in grossly (billions of dollars) underfunded.  It's not as bad as in Greece right now, but Illinois is now in the worst financial shape of all 50 states.



If I were Rauner, I'd be tempted to resign from office and bluntly tell Madigan, et al, that "You made your bed, you sleep in it!".

Thankfully, Wisconsin fixed most of its similar problems just in time.

Mike

That 'recent amendment' you mention is not an amendment, nor is it recent.

It is section 5 of article 13 of the state constitution written in 1970.

However, that said, Madigan was in on the writing of the article, and the approval of the article.  Regardless of whether the article was passed or not, Madigan also was in on the shortchanging of the funds.  Also, what is forgotten is that many pensions have been gifted to people.  You have the labor leader who substitute teaches for one day and gets a massive pension for life from it.  You have the teachers and administrators who suddenly get a massive increase in pay for their last four years so they can have a pension substantially larger than they otherwise should.  The pension is based off the average for the last four years of salary.  You have the superintendents who collect a massive 6-figure pension after they retire.  I'm not talking just $100,000, but $200,000 plus!

[SEWIGuy]

Not a big surprise.  Illinois is broke.  Flat, dead broke.  50/50 for being broke.  However, that said, our infrastructure is shit, and will get much, much worse long before it starts getting better.

Even more so with that state Constitution amendment on government worker pensions.



Mike

Not to get too political, but what the heck is going on with Illinois financially?  I live in Indiana, so I am not very familiar with Illinois politics/financials.

The government worker unions have the state by its neck.  It was made even worse not long ago when the state's supreme court ruled unanimously that a recent state Constitution amendment basically said that pension benefits can never be reduced, even though the fund in grossly (billions of dollars) underfunded.  It's not as bad as in Greece right now, but Illinois is now in the worst financial shape of all 50 states.

So because the taxpayers of the state of Illinois didn't want to pay taxes to hold up their obligations to the public employees, the public employees should be the ones to bear the burden?

Screw that.  Illinois should have been meeting its obligations all along.