Neighbor News
Illinois Transportation Big Winner in New Capital Bill
Billions of dollars in long-overdue spending will help Illinois rebuild its transportation infrastructure
SPRINGFIELD – We feel every bump in the road. We sit endlessly in sluggish traffic. We wait on trains that are aging and broken down. And we pay more every day for infrastructure that desperately needs help.
Good news: help is on the way.
Democrats and Republicans at the state Capitol put aside their differences and approved the state’s first capital construction program over the weekend, which includes $20 billion for transportation needs over the next six years.
Find out what's happening in Springfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Funded by higher gas taxes and driver fees, the new program will address a mix of short-term maintenance and long-term improvement and expansion needs on our intricate network of roads, bridges and transit systems. Years of stagnant gas tax revenues – the state tax has not been increased in nearly 30 years – along with higher construction costs have created tens of billions of dollars in backlog miles of roads and bridges needing repair.
Legislators unified in their determination to overcome anti-tax sentiment to address the problem.
Find out what's happening in Springfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“We here on this side of the aisle are talking about building a stronger Illinois,” Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, said in presenting the bill. “This bill would do just that.”
“Our roads are crumbling. The one thing that makes Illinois the centerpiece of transportation in this country is falling apart, and we can’t expect someone else to pick up the tab. We have to do it ourselves,” said Rep. Steve Reick, R-Woodstock.
Lawmakers also credited the tireless efforts of the Transportation for Illinois Coalition and its members in business, labor and transportation. TFIC had worked for years on a long-term capital program that ensures funding is sustainable, protected for transportation spending only and helps get our system back into proper shape.
“Thank you for having the courage to level with taxpayers about our needs and approving a reasonable set of revenues to responsibly fund the needed investment, and to ensure we are never in this position again,” TFIC said in its statement after the legislative votes.
Watch the House floor debate on Senate Bill 1939 here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QWP64NawDc&feature=youtu.be
