Statewide capital bill unlikely to come by construction season
The Illinois Department of Transportation was one among a variety of related local and state groups to talk about its funding needs for Illinois’ next major capital bill, which some lawmakers say they want by the end of the legislative session.
These discussions took place in a House subcommittee on capital needs Thursday morning, one of many gatherings held recently where all industries relying on sound infrastructure in the nation’s central transportation hub could explain their requests to lawmakers.
While the assortment of statistics proving it varied, every group at Thursday’s two-hour hearing agreed that Illinois’ infrastructure is in bad condition and in dire need of maintenance and improvements.
Far and away the largest funding requests were from IDOT, which Omer Osman, the acting state secretary of transportation, said needs $13 to 15 billion over the next 10 years for the maintenance of state roads and bridges, with an additional $30 billion for upgrades and improvements to aviation, public transit, freight and passenger rail and new highways.
Click Here to read more.