If Blagojevich is ousted, his tollway signs will follow suit

For more than three years motorists on the Illinois tollway have driven under giant blue signs that read "Open Road Tolling - Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor" every few miles.

The signs have become a symbol of both government ego and waste in the suburbs.

And they are coming down if Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn takes over the state after next week's impeachment trial, which is expected to lead to Blagojevich's removal from office.

"We are going to tear those down," Quinn told the Daily Herald. "It is my view they are a very irksome manifestation of imperial government."

Lawmakers are set to start an impeachment trial Monday over allegations of Blagojevich abusing his power, more than a month after his arrest on federal corruption charges. Blagojevich is boycotting the trial and instead launching a media blitz.

Meanwhile, Quinn is preparing to take over the state's top post.

The Chicago Democrat will undoubtedly have a markedly different governing approach than Blagojevich and he is already planning a change of course on a number of fronts.

Leery of predicting the outcome of the impeachment trial, Quinn cautioned his plans with "if my mission changes."

The removal of the Blagojevich tollway signs would be just one of many changes for the multibillion-dollar agency that controls the major highways through the collar counties.

Quinn said he also would order a suspension and complete review of the $1.8 billion "Green Lanes" project that was part of the criminal charge against the governor.

"It is my concern it may have been passed for campaign contribution purposes," Quinn said. "If there is one iota of suspicion, the whole thing should be looked at."

Federal prosecutors allege the governor pushed forward the project to extract major campaign donations from a highway contractor who would presumably get a big chunk of the work.

The governor also is accused of wanting to trade an appointment to the U.S. Senate, a state grant for a children's hospital, state help selling Wrigley Field, and his signature on a piece of legislation for personal gain.

Blagojevich denies any wrongdoing.

The Green Lanes project would set aside one lane of traffic for carpoolers, high-mileage cars and those willing to pay higher tolls. The $1.8 billion project also funds two major interchange projects, one at the Jane Addams and I-290, and the other at the Tri-State and I-57.

The entire project was announced and passed by the governor's administration remarkably fast with virtually no detailed planning or research on the Green Lanes concept.

The plan approved by tollway board members gave sweeping unilateral power to the agency's top executive to set toll rates and decide when and where the lanes would be built. That executive has since resigned.

At the same time, the tollway signs, which went up as part of the state's expansion of Open Road Tolling, have drawn fire for years, with some people coming to the agency's board meetings to protest.

Even though several governor-appointed tollway board members had taken issue with the signs - they were never asked to approve them - agency executives have long defended them, saying they were an appropriate way to give Blagojevich credit for ripping down toll booths and expanding I-PASS.

In all, the more than 23 signs cost more than half a million dollars.

Signs: Quinn says 'Green Lanes' project needs second look

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