Blagojevich arrest taints green lanes

Maybe it's not as sexy as selling a Senate seat or arm-twisting a children's hospital - but for those of us who live and breathe transportation (and believe me I do) - the FBI's allegations that Gov. Rod Blagojevich treated tollway projects as his campaign piggy bank are equally repellent.

Blagojevich is accused of attempting to shake down Highway Contractor A, who's in the concrete business, for $500,000 in exchange for contracts to work on an $1.8 billion package of tollway projects. These include carpool or "Green Lanes," an interchange at I-57 and the Tri-State, rebuilding the I-290/Route 53 and Jane Addams interchange, and other unspecified improvements.

Apparently the governor indicated that he'd up the ante on the $1.8 billion, saying "I could have made a larger announcement but wanted to see how they (Contractor A) perform by the end of the year. If they don't perform, (expletive) them."

The conversation was recorded Oct. 6. Nine days later on Oct. 15, Blagojevich held a news conference announcing the Green Lanes plan.

The FBI revelations "cast suspicion on many of the proposals coming out of his office," said University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign political science professor Tom Rudolph. "What is in the public interest and what is in his private interest?"

On the heels of the governor's arrest, the Mid-West Trucker's Association has asked the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to rescind a 2015 toll increase for trucks intended to help pay for the construction.

While the association supports the interchange improvements, it finds the Green Lanes dubious.

"Before these shenanigans, we all had serious concerns about spending $400 million on the Green Lanes," Executive Vice President Don Schaefer said. "It was slammed through with very little notice. There was no lead-up and no conversations with the stakeholders."

So when the Blagojevich news broke, "we felt it was a tainted toll increase," Schaefer said. "It's very frustrating for us - we feel like pawns in this."

Schaefer's comments about little notice were echoed by state Rep. Bob Rita, chairman of the state House Tollway Oversight Committee.

The Blue Island Democrat was informed of the news conference the night before it happened.

"It came out of nowhere," Rita said.

In fact, the south suburbs have been pushing for an I-57 interchange with the Tri-State for two decades. While the tollway authority was supportive, the governor's office and Illinois Department of Transportation resisted saying the project was too costly, Rita recounted.

State Rep. Dennis Reboletti, an Elmhurst Republican on the oversight committee, believes the scandal "compromises the integrity of state government."

Reboletti intends to urge the committee to scrutinize the $1.8 billion plan because "we can't assume any project stands on its merits."

By the way

The governor has offered no public comment.

Meanwhile, tollway officials stand by the plan, noting that the idea of carpooling lanes originated with them, not the governor's office.

The truth is the agency is being proactive about congestion and the interchange improvements are badly needed, said tollway director and Naperville Mayor George Pradel.

As for the cloud of suspicion hanging over the governor's head, "we need to rise above it," Pradel said. "I don't think it will hold us back at all. We're moving on and making sure we're serving the public in the best way we can."

By the numbers

The push for a state capital bill to fix roads, bridges and public transit also has been mired in the mud of the investigation.

The president of an engineering firm that's received gazillions in state contracts held a fundraiser for the governor Nov. 12. A day later, Blagojevich called the executive and was recorded saying, "I want to thank you for your support and friendship and we are going to do everything we can to get that capital bill."

Ask a state official about "pay to play" and they'll say open bidding procedures and procurement policies prevent contracts being handed out to political allies.

Yet numerous businesses with major state contracts are generous donors to the Friends of Blagojevich campaign committee.

Here's just a few examples pulled from state comptroller's office and State Board of Elections records. The firms did not return phone calls asking for comment. Contract totals are from the current fiscal year while contributions (both cash and in-kind) date back to 2002.

• Walsh Construction Co. - Received $145.8 million in state payments. Has given $35,000 to FOB.

• Plote Construction Inc. - Received $121 million from the tollway and IDOT. Has given $30,500 to FOB.

• K-Five Construction - Received $73.6 million from the state. Has given $31,000 to FOB.

• Lorig Construction - Received $82.5 million from IDOT and the tollway. Has given $15,500 to FOB.

Vox populi

I stopped by the Des Plaines Oasis Friday and asked people what they think about the fact the governor's name is plastered all over the tollway system on signs.

The following is a sampling of reaction:

"They probably should be removed." - Marietta Centko, Zion

"I haven't paid any attention to them." - Marlowe Bacon, Park Ridge

"It doesn't bother me at all. He is in the position for now." - Eric Wilder, Westmont

I felt for Mark Davenport, a limo driver from Cortland, who drives by the Blagojevich self-promotions multiple times.

"It's kind of offensive, especially with this week's events," he said.