Tollway chief talks about Bears, turnover and construction
It's been a tumultuous year at the Illinois tollway, with four top leaders flying out the doors.
New Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse says her feet are firmly planted.
The Howard University graduate, who has a background in auditing and accounting, joined the tollway in 2012 and became its chief in August.
She's worked under three administrations — Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrats Pat Quinn and incumbent J.B. Pritzker. Rising up through the ranks to be CEO is atypical; governors often give the nod to an outsider.
“My priorities revolve around ensuring we continue to deliver exemplary service and critical infrastructure improvements to our customers,” Rouse said in an interview.
“First, that requires having great staff in place, from my leadership team all the way through to the employees who interact with our customers. Next, we need to make sure it's easy and convenient for our customers to pay their tolls.”
Also, “the tollway has had a long-standing reputation for delivery of projects with economic impact. I know how important that is to our communities, and that's what I'm making sure we're continuing to do.”
One issue roiling the region is how to pay for highway upgrades if the Chicago Bears punt Soldier Field and touch down at the former Arlington Park.
So, would the agency undertake modernizing a Route 53 currently ill-equipped for football crowds? “We support the transportation needs of the region and work in partnership with IDOT,” Rouse said.
“If the opportunity exists, and if we're asked and at the governor's wishes, then we will, I'm sure, have those discussions.”
Currently, she said, the agency is focused on keeping Move Illinois on track. The construction program includes widening the Central Tri-State, extending Route 390 and building I-490.
“This is our biggest year ... we've allocated $1.5 billion in 2023 for the capital program,” Rouse said.
Tollway turnover at the top hit a high in the last 12 months. Board Chairman Will Evans and Executive Director Jose Alvarez, whose tenures were marked by controversy over procurement and hiring policies, exited in February and March 2022, respectively, amid a power struggle.
The interim CEO, Lanyea Griffin, inexplicably departed in August 2022, and Chairman Dorothy Abreu left Jan. 30 for health reasons, with no successor named yet.
The agency is fortunate to have a deep bench of public servants, Rouse said.
“I have a solid team that is experienced and committed to keeping our day-to-day operations on track,” she said.
Rouse, who is in her early 50s, grew up in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood and now lives in the Flossmoor area. Previously she was a senior auditor at Ernst & Young and audit manager for Arthur Andersen.
At the tollway she served as chief of internal audit and chief operating officer among other positions.
Rouse also belongs to the South Suburban Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc., which nurtures future Black leaders. In practice, that's meant mentoring groups of teenagers on college tours.
Asked how often she drives on the tollway system, Rouse said, “If not for I-355, I am not sure if the tollway would have been a (career) option for me.”
Over the years, the mother of four needed to fit day care drop-offs and pickups into her schedule, and “with I-355 there, it actually made the commute doable.”
Rouse is the first Black female tollway executive director, which is significant for a field heavily dominated by men.
Women's roles in transportation have evolved from where “we weren't in the room,” Rouse said. “Then we moved to being in the room but not necessarily having a voice. Now we not only have a voice, but we've moved to the table.”
You should know
Going to the Chicago Auto Show? Metra and the CTA are a good combination to avoid traffic and parking hassles. Metra riders can walk to the Green Line's Clinton Station from Union Station or Ogilvie Transportation Center and head to the Cermak/McCormick Place stop. Shuttle buses also operate from both downtown train stations.
Gridlock alert
Be prepared for delays on the Central Tri-State starting Monday night as tollway crews remove an out-of-service pedestrian bridge near Hinsdale. Lane closures will occur overnight for six days, then resume Feb. 20 for up to two nights.