The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors has approved 12 new construction and professional engineering service contracts totaling more than $147 million at its March meeting.
That includes $74 million in contract awards to advance the Central Tri-State Tollway (Interstate 294) Project in 2019, the tollway says in a press release.
“The $4 billion Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) is being rebuilt and widened between Balmoral Avenue and 95th Street to provide congestion relief, update old infrastructure to meet current and future transportation demand and address regional needs,” the release says.
“The Central Tri-State Project also includes reconfiguring the I-290/I-88 Interchange at I-294, rebuilding the Mile Long Bridge and the BNSF Railway Bridge, as well as integrating Flex Lanes and SmartRoad technology.”
More than 220,000 vehicles use the Central Tri-State Tollway daily, the agency says.
Overall, more than $6.4 billion has been invested by the Tollway since the Move Illinois Program began in 2012, including nearly $1.9 billion of that total committed to small, diverse and veteran-owned firms. In addition, the capital program has created or sustained an estimated 67,520 total jobs as of February 2019.
