Tollway plan key to region’s future

Transportation is one of our greatest challenges, with rapidly aging infrastructure causing congestion that harms our economy and quality of life. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) believes that the Illinois tollway’s 15-year capital plan proposal is a necessary and brave step to make our transportation system work better for businesses and residents. The tollway plan builds on our region’s GO TO 2040 comprehensive plan, which emphasizes maintaining and modernizing current assets, with very carefully targeted expansion.

Wisely, the tollway proposes to direct $8 billion of a total $12 billion toward maintenance and modernization. Its major projects — the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) reconstruction and modernization (with planning for transit in the corridor), the Elgin-O’Hare West Bypass, the I-294/I-57 interchange, and the Central Lake County Corridor (including Route 53 extension) — clearly reflect GO TO 2040’s priorities, which were based on extensive research, public input and deliberation.

GO TO 2040 makes the case for increased revenues to fund transportation. A toll increase will be difficult for many to accept, but current rates are extremely low relative to others nationwide. Tolls have remained flat for most users while prices for all other goods and services have risen over the past 30 years, which has eroded both the purchasing power of tollway revenues and the transportation system itself.

As the official planning organization for our seven-county region, CMAP is governed by a board that reflects a regional consensus on the policies and investments needed to sustain metropolitan Chicago’s economic competitiveness and quality of life for decades to come. With this capital proposal, the tollway has demonstrated tremendous leadership toward implementing the vision laid out in GO TO 2040 to improve mobility and bolster our region’s status as one of the world’s great economic centers.

Gerald R. Bennett

Chairman, CMAP

Mayor, Palos Hills