State and local officials want $2.7B from infrastructure bill to rebuild the Ike

State and local leaders from the western suburbs called for money from the $1 trillion infrastructure bill that passed Congress over the weekend to be used to rebuild a 13-mile segment of the Eisenhower Expressway.

As if for effect, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch showed up late to a news conference Tuesday morning that was held adjacent to the expressway and blamed his tardiness on the congested Eisenhower.

"I apologize for being late, but I live in Hillside and I got stopped by the Hillside strangler," he said, referring to a chokepoint on the expressway that runs through his hometown.

The proposed $2.7 billion project would rebuild the Eisenhower from Racine Avenue in Chicago to Wolf Road in West suburban Hillside.

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