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Illinois Budget

Illinois budget: Drivers advised to use caution as construction resumes

July 7, 2017 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Photo by Zol87, Wikimedia Commons

Crews and workers are expected back today

After more than two years, Illinois lawmakers ended the longest state budget impasse in modern history, overriding Governor Bruce Rauner’s veto attempt of budget-related legislation. The money and the votes didn’t come easy, and there will be residual effects.

We’re not talking about the $5 billion tax increase. In the short-term, we’re talking about state roads. As we noted last month, roughly 900 statewide construction and transportation projects worth $3.3 billion had been put on hold while the budget was in limbo. On July 1 the Illinois Department of Transportation warned that the shutdown would impact “highway, rail, transit, and aeronautics projects.” On July 4, as tense negotiations inched forward at a strained pace, the department updated its website to say that construction would stay suspended.

Yesterday, the IDOT updated its site yet again to announce that construction will resume today now that a budget is in place. But it also warned the public to be especially cautious traveling in or around work zones, as projects rev up, traffic slows, and nearly 22,000 workers affected by the stoppage are put back to work.

That means: Keeping an eye out for workers, construction crews and vehicles, and anyone in orange vests. The delay of a state budget forced state-funded crews and contractors to abandon all construction sites, no matter the condition. Highways that were once saturated with people putting in long hours went dark for a week, and it’s likely that motorists grew accustomed to that. Now that workers are back, drivers should expect slower speed zones and more congestion as construction gets back on track.

Also be aware of: Construction zones that are technically active, but have yet to see crews on site. The state budget doesn’t necessarily mean that all contractors are obligated or have sorted through the logistics of scheduling or assignments. Some sites may take priority over others, leaving voids in certain areas. Active construction or not, drivers are required to obey all traffic signs and speeds while traveling through work zones and to stay alert.

Construction areas and interstates to know: As noted by the IDOT in recent weeks for pothole patching utility work, bridge repair work, and other closures: I-55, I-72, I-80, I-57, I-280, which have seen construction at various points of the interstate; check the IDOT’s Twitter for real-time updates.

Illinois budget impasse threatens to halt road construction

June 16, 2017 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

A July 1 deadline looms

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced this week that statewide roadwork might come to a halt at the end of June, a consequence of the Illinois budget crisis, now on the verge of entering its third consecutive year. As a result, the state won’t be able to pay contractors by a July 1 deadline.

Chicagoist reports that the IDOT has informed construction crews that all roadwork must stop by June 30, pending a stopgap measure or a budget resolution. A stopgap measure was used last summer to prevent a similar situation from escalating.

This all comes as Governor Bruce Rauner calls for a special session of the state legislature beginning next week to hammer out a budget, a prospect that seems unlikely given the staunch refusal of both Republicans and Democrats to relinquish ground on several fronts.

Credit rating agencies have indicated that the state’s failure to compromise will lead to yet another downgrade; Power Ball and Mega Millions have threatened to drop Illinois from its roster of participating states. But the issue we’re most concerned about is safety. More people are expected to road trip this summer with gas prices remaining low. On top of that, we’re in the midst of the most deadly and dangerous travel seasons of the year, as newly licensed teenagers, take advantage of the opportunity to hit the road during the hot summer months.

In other words, the delay of construction or any other matter pertaining to the safety of highways and interstates could lead to even higher traffic casualty rates than expected. Few things are more to state government than protecting its citizens. Let’s see if the state can put the partisan politics aside and do just that.

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