Illinois asks for private partners to join toll lane project

CHICAGO (AP) - State transportation officials are asking private partners to help develop an express toll lane on Interstate 55 in the Chicago area.

The Illinois Department of Transportation on Thursday issued a request for private parties to assist with the new toll lanes planned to run 25 miles from Bolingbrook to Chicago. Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn said working with the private sector will teach the department best practices for similar projects and potentially save taxpayer money.

IDOT says enlisting private developers would defray the estimated $425 million project cost. Private partners would handle design, building, operating and managing the toll lanes.

The Chicago Tribune reports (http://trib.in/2b1xxpT ) that about 170,000 vehicles a day travel the stretch of road. The new toll express lanes would be added to an existing median between Interstate 355 and Interstate 90-94.

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Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com