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Tolls would almost double to fund $12 billion board wish list

To complete tollway projects long on the drawing board, you'll have to pay for them, officials announced Thursday.

Tolls would almost double in a 15-year capital plan that includes extending the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway and building a western bypass around O'Hare International Airport, widening and rebuilding I-90, and building an interchange at I-294 and I-57 in the South suburbs.

All the projects would cost $12.1 billion.

“If the people of this area of Illinois want to see these additions, the only way that it will occur is if we all get behind a price increase,” tollway board member Thomas Canham said before the agency's board of directors voted 7-1 to conduct a series of public hearings on both the proposed capital plan and the toll increase.

By law, the tollway has until the end of the year to approve a capital plan.

Tollway officials said the projects would reduce traffic congestion in northern Illinois while creating more than 120,000 permanent jobs and adding $21 billion to the economy.

“No one likes it when tolls go up, and tollway users will feel the impact,” said Kristi Lafleur, the tollway's executive director. “But users will also get back better roads, less congestion and lower fuel costs. And Illinois gets the infrastructure improvements on which our economy depends.”

Most of the money in the capital plan — roughly $8.3 billion — would be spent on existing system needs, including the reconstruction and widening of I-90 from I-294 to Rockford. Without additional funding, the tollway could face a $1 billion shortfall when it comes to routine maintenance of its existing system through 2026.

The largest of the new projects would be the Elgin-O'Hare West Bypass. It would accommodate three times as many vehicles as the local roads carry now and save drivers 13 minutes on a five-mile trip from I-290 to York Road, officials said. The tollway is hoping to raise $3.1 billion for the project, which will need additional money from other federal, local or other sources.

“This is a discussion about Elgin-O'Hare that is no longer centered on the questions of if. But now it's when,” DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin said. “I firmly believe that this road will undoubtedly be built.”

Among the longer-term projects outlined in the plan are a northern extension of Route 53 and the Illiana Expressway.

The long-sought Route 53 extension could cost about $1.8 billion, but tollway officials listed the project as a lower priority partly because of the lack of consensus around it. Instead, they established an advisory group with Lake County business, government and environmental representatives to develop a plan, which could entail building a parkway instead of a mega-highway.

“We're going to make it a model project,” said David Stolman, chairman of the Lake County Board. “If and when this gets done, this will take in consideration the environment to the point where it will be protective of the environment — and will also be able to move people north of Lake-Cook Road.”

Still, to fund all the projects, tollway officials are proposing an across-the-board toll increase. For example, I-PASS users in passenger cars next year would pay 35 cents more at half the toll plazas in the system, where drivers now pay 40-cent tolls. Remaining toll plazas in the system would have rates increase by 45 cents to 90 cents, depending on their location. Tollway users who pay cash are charged double the amount of I-PASS users. Their tolls will increase correspondingly.

The agency's last toll increase was in 2005 when rates doubled for people paying cash.

Most tollway users haven't seen a rate increase since 1983, but tollway board member Bill Morris of Grayslake voiced opposition to the size of the increase.

“I don't care how long it's been since tolls have increased,” Morris said. “The reality is that when you tell people the next morning that they're going to be paying double for something that they had the day before in an economy with people hurting, it is a lot of money.”

Morris ended up casting the only negative vote on Thursday after board members rejected his suggestion to reduce the amount of the proposed toll hike.

“A lot of people that I know have not had raises, if they still have jobs,” Morris said. “A lot of people I know have had increases in their property taxes. So this is not something that I take lightly.”

Despite agreeing to the public hearings, board member Tom Weisner said he wouldn't support the proposed toll increase if most residents oppose it.

“These types of projects can have a huge impact,” said Weisner, who also is Aurora's mayor. “But on the other hand, the toll increase needed to support these new projects would be significant. And these are difficult times for our residents, tollway users included.”

  Tom Weisner, tollway board member and Aurora mayor, discusses plans for toll increases to help pay for a $12.1 billion capital improvement plan. Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.com
Daniel White/dwhite@dailyherald.comThe Illinois Tollway Board of Directors talks about potential capital projects required to expand and maintain the existing tollway system. At left, Bill Morris, tollway board member, and Paula Wolff, right, chairman of the tollway, listen to comments.

Tollway meetings

Illinois State Toll Highway Authority officials are planning to present details of the capital plan and proposed toll rate increase during a series of public hearings next month.

7-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18:

Ÿ Cook County: Chicago Ridge City Hall, 10455 S. Ridgeland Ave., Chicago Ridge

Ÿ DuPage County: DuPage County Government Center, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton

Ÿ Kane County: Kane County Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Ave., Building A, Geneva

Ÿ Will County: Village of New Lenox, 1 Veterans Parkway, New Lenox

7-9 p.m., Friday, Aug. 19:

Ÿ Lake County: Libertyville Civic Center, 135 W. Church St., Libertyville, IL

Ÿ McHenry County: Village of Huntley, 10987 Main St., Huntley