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How $2 billion in campaign cash could have been spent on Illinois roads

Tuesday night, I drove out in the rain along Butterfield Road to get to my election assignment — Congressman Peter Roskam's victory party in Wheaton. The going was a little tricky because of wet roads and the fact Butterfield is torn up with an interminable construction project.

But it wasn't the weather that made me nearly careen into a ditch. It was a radio commentator noting that President Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney had spent about a collective $2 billion on their campaigns.

What would that kind of money buy if it wasn't spent on negative ads? For starters:

Ÿ A bunch of railway grade separations to protect drivers and pedestrians from trains and relieve freight congestion in the Chicago region.

Ÿ New buses and train cars for Pace, Metra and the CTA.

Ÿ A completed Elgin-O'Hare Expressway and western bypass around the airport.

It was particularly striking since I'd just talked to DuPage Chairman Dan Cronin about the hardship local governments have coming up with $300 million for their share of the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway.

Now, $300 million is chump change in terms of political spending, but it's sheer angst for the towns clustered around the project, which include 19 municipalities and townships. An increase in tolls will help pay for most of the $3.4 billion total cost, which is being undertaken by the Illinois tollway.

The project includes extending the expressway along Thorndale Road from its eastern terminus in Itasca to the airport and connecting it to a bypass that circles around the western side of O'Hare. The bypass will link with the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to the south in Franklin Park and the Jane Addams Tollway (I-90) to the north in Des Plaines.

At October's Illinois State Toll Highway Authority meeting, officials said they hoped to hear details about the $300 million quest by the end of the year.

Cronin said he's working on it.

“Coming up with $300 million in this day and age is not an easy undertaking, but we think we'll be able to do it,” Cronin said. “We're pursuing every avenue of funding that is available.”

That means everything from federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality grants that individual towns can apply for or in-kind contributions. “We're trying to quantify things we haven't thought of in the past, such as maintenance of peripheral roads,” Cronin explained.

And, “we have high expectations of our congressional delegation.”

Cronin plans to meet with Roskam, Sen. Dick Durbin and others with hopes of securing a multiyear funding commitment for at least $30 million annually.

At the victory party, I asked Roskam about the expressway's chances for federal cash. The Wheaton Republican's 6th District represents much of DuPage County and he also sits on the all-powerful Ways and Means Committee.

“I'm happy to work with all parties,” Roskam said.

Stay tuned.

One more thing

In 2013, $95.6 million is budgeted for preliminary construction and engineering on the project. Activity is planned on the current Elgin-O'Hare corridor, at I-90 and Elmhurst Road, and along Route 53 near Thorndale Avenue, tollway spokeswoman Wendy Abrams said.

Meanwhile, the agency also formed a local advisory council to deal with issues such as noise, drainage, property access and landscaping, as well as bike and pedestrian options. Meetings are public; to learn more go to www.illinoistollway.com/construction-and-planning/projects-by-roadway/elgin-o-hare-western-access.

You should know

Gobble, gobble. That's the sound of airlines gobbling up your cash this holiday. Travelocity senior editor Courtney Scott puts the average round-trip cost of traveling somewhere in the United States at $386 this Thanksgiving, a 9 percent jump from 2011.

“It's a pretty significant increase,” Scott said. “The real challenge is supply and demand; nearly every major carrier has experienced capacity cuts.” Less seats coupled with more people traveling equals high fares, she explained.

But “there's still time to lock in a good price.” How?

Ÿ Don't dawdle. “This is not the time to hold out for deeply discounted fares,” Scott said. “During the holiday, you want to be proactive and book up front.”

Ÿ Be flexible. “We recommend traveling Thanksgiving morning and returning on the Tuesday (Nov. 27),” Scott said. Also, a smaller airport near your destination could equal better fares than the Alpha Dog airport, she advised.

Ÿ Ask all your best buds on Twitter or Facebook if they've found any airfare bargains. “You'll be surprised what you can find in the world of social media,” Scott said.

Ÿ Check the luggage fees. Some carriers are now charging up to $55 for a second suitcase and surprising fliers with carry-on bag fees. You could save money paying for luggage fees online rather than at the counter. In addition, watch out for fees for: sitting a family together, pets on board, extra leg room and making phone reservations. Happy holidays!

Your voice

I heard from several readers after last week's column on written driver's license tests at the DMV. Readers Rich Pawlicki and Louis Kittler both emailed to say that seniors who are wary of license renewals can check with the AARP, which offers driver safety courses. For info, go to www.aarp.org/home-garden/transportation/driver_safety/?intcmp=DSO-SEARCH-AARPSUGG.

Upcoming

It's all about harmony. That's what IDOT hopes to achieve with a public meeting from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday on the future of Route 20 near Harmony Road in McHenry County. IDOT engineers armed with diagrams will be on hand to answer questions about planned improvements to Route 20. The event is at Donley's Village Hall Banquets, 8512 S. Union Road, Union.

Boom in transit

Expect big changes in travel patterns as the baby boom generation ages, according to an AARP report. By 2030, there will be 15 million people over the age of 65 who don't drive, meaning more transit options will be needed, the organization says. AARP looked at travel patterns of boomers from 1969 to 2009 and found a big bump in the use of transit in 2009. The study defined baby boomers as those born between 1946 and 1964.

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