Roadwork: Rite of Spring

Spring has sprung and along with the daffodils will be interminable traffic, jackhammer dust drifting in the window, detours and lane shifts that resemble roller-coaster rides.

Road construction season is upon us again.

To the south, work on the Tri-State Tollway, Veterans Memorial Tollway and Stevenson Expressway looms.

To the west, expansion of the Reagan Tollway is turning commutes into an adventure.

And, to the north, resurfacing of the Edens Expressway combined with widening of the north and central Tri-State creates a nexus of angst.

More Coverage 2008 spring construction Links Fox River bridge gets some class But even as motorists curse the fate that led them to choose jobs they can't walk to, some transportation advocacy groups are saying the region deserves more."The state of Illinois is doing nothing in the way of transportation investment," said Doug Whitley, Illinois Chamber of Commerce president and co-chairman of the Transportation for Illinois Coalition.In February, Gov. Rod Blagojevich released a $25 billion capital budget plan dubbed Illinois Works seeking $14.4 billion for roads and bridges.Coalition leaders argue that the proposal shortchanges highway needs by about $10.8 billion. Outside the tollway and the Edens construction, no work of significance is going on, Whitley said."There's too many projects for the money available," he said.In the metropolitan region, Illinois Department of Transportation will spend $77 million to widen and resurface I-55 between I-80 and Weber Road in Will County and $41.8 million to resurface the Edens Expressway and repair bridges on it. There also are smaller projects such as bridge replacement and interchange reconstruction at Route 60 and I-94 for $14.9 million in Lake County.In contrast, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority is dominating the road construction map in the collar counties with work on the north, central and south Tri-State, the Reagan and Veterans Memorial tollways. The Jane Addams Tollway near Rockford is also under repair.These are part of the agency's $6.3 billion congestion relief plan.Expansion on the Tri-State north from O'Hare International Airport north to Wisconsin is estimated to cost about $1.3 billion while widening I-88 from York Road to Washington Street in DuPage County is projected at $551 million.At a recent tollway board meeting, engineers noted bids for construction work this year were under budget.That's because in the absence of a capital program, the tollway is the only game in town and contractors realize that, agency officials said.So far, all bets are off on whether state lawmakers will pass the governor's proposal or any capital plan.With the state in a budget crunch, there's no easy money for roads, public transit or infrastructure. Solutions have included a Senate plan to raise the income tax, expanding gambling and Blagojevich's idea to sell rights to the state lottery.Groups like the Transportation for Illinois Coalition are lobbying hard for a capital bill and predicting dire consequences without one.The perceived crisis has brought together diverse constituencies such as transit agencies, the concrete and asphalt industries, labor unions, chambers of commerce from towns such as Naperville and Elgin and governments like DuPage, Lake and Kane counties.It's a Springfield problem that's hitting local governments bad, Elgin Mayor Ed Schock said, explaining that communities are getting tired of waiting for repairs to state roads."It's not IDOT's fault," he said. "IDOT hasn't received sufficient funding for years, and there's a backlog of projects."The push for capital funding comes after one of the worst winters in years. Constant freeze and thaw cycles pushed roads to breaking points, causing an outbreak of potholes."It was such a severe winter -- there's a lot more damage," said John Kos, transportation director in DuPage County, which is doubling efforts to resurface roads peppered with potholes.At a March 31 news conference to mark the start of Edens Expressway construction, IDOT Chief of Staff Clayton Harris III said despite tight budgets, the state is committed to maintaining safety standards on bridges and roads.But Harris, who doubles as executive director for the Illinois Works Coalition -- a bipartisan group formed by Blagojevich to help pass his capital plan -- readily acknowledged the state needs the $25 billion program at a minimum."We can't go below that," he said.The state has been without a major capital program since former Gov. George Ryan's Illinois First $12 billion building bonanza.But as the drumbeat for a capital bill grows, Frank Beal of Chicago Metropolis 2020 called for a little perspective."Yes, we need more capital funding -- there's no doubt," said Beal, executive director of the civic group."But we also continue to spend a lot of money. IDOT will always have a backlog." 512312Traffic heads south on the Tri-State Tollway where traffic patterns shift due to construction near Grand Avenue in Gurnee.Paul Valade | Staff Photographer 512336I-355 near 63rd St. in Downers Grove.Marcelle Bright | Staff Photographer 512333One summer road construction project will be to add lanes to Algonquin Road between Lakewood Road and Route 47 in Huntley. This scene is looking westbound near Route 47 on Algonquin Road.John Starks | Staff Photographer