Politics & Government

Funding Needed for Road Improvements, Officials Say

Deerfield Village Manager Kent Street spoke at a recent meeting about how to fund needed road improvements throughout Lake County.

Illinois drivers are running on empty as they wait for improvements to traffic congestion. More funding for planned road improvements is needed, according to the Lake County Transportation Alliance (LCTA).

The LCTA partnered with the Transportation for Illinois Coalition to bring the issue to community leaders. According to their information: Based on the current trajectory, Illinois will have around 5000 miles of road in a state of bad repair by FY 2018. The number in FY 1998 was around 2000 miles. Basically, roads are bad, and getting worse.

Elected officials, transportation experts, business leaders, contractors and citizens all came together on April 22 at the University Center of Lake County in Grayslake to discuss how to build momentum for funding road improvements throughout Illinois. It was one of the first of 19 community meetings being held throughout the state.

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That is why is it critical to be ready if and when state and federal funds become available. The last capital bill, passed in 2009, will expire this year, said Doug Whitley, co-chair of the TFIC and president of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

"This Congress should pass another capital bill this year but we don't know if that is going to happen," Whitley said. "If not, our funding is going to suffer significantly."

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"We are trying to build grassroots support for a capital bill," Whitley added. "It's not just a jobs issue, it's an economic development issue. It's a quality of life issue."

The Bottom Line

The LCTA stated that state funds for highways come through the motor fuel tax of 19 cents, the $99 annual license plate fee and other vehicle and motorist fees. These resources do not keep pace with inflation, according to the LCTA. The MFT has not been adjusted since 1990.

To cover the needed road improvements, funding options include increasing the MFT, or abolishing the MFT and implementing a 10 percent sales tax instead.

The MFT has not generated the needed revenues, Whitley said, due to an increase in electric cars and more cars with higher gas mileage. Another idea is to levy a tax on bicycles, since money is being spent for new and improved bike lanes and bike paths.

"There is no free lunch," Whitley said. "Doing nothing is not an option."

Lake County Initiatives

Marty Buehler, executive director of the LCTA said the Transportation Summits of 2005-06 created a consensus on prioritizing needed road improvement projects.

"There were 22 projects identified for a total of $800 million," Buehler said. "The focus was on adding capacity throughout Lake County."

Progress has been made. From the Concensus Plan, there were 20 add lane projects, and two corridor studies for Route 41 and Route 120. The corridor studies are completed, and the Route 120 study is now merged in with Route 53 expansion plans.

Expansion of Route 21 in Libertyville is currently under construction, and planning is underway for the Route 45-Milburn Bypass project. Rollins Road at Route 83 is being improved. There are a total of 10 projects with engineering underway and five projects on the list with no work started yet. There are 15 add lane projects that are stuck waiting for the next capital investment.

Impact on Communities, Business

Kent Street, village manager of Deerfield, said "regional coordination and regional cooperation are essential."

"The MFT at 19 cents per gallon has not kept pace with rising costs of road maintenance," Street said. "Our aging roadways are in need of significant help."

Michael Stevens, president and CEO of Lake County Partners, agreed that road improvements benefit all drivers and area businesses.

"Moving goods and services is critical," Stevens said. "We are constantly talking to local business owners who say that they need good roads in order to grow their businesses."

The LCTA urged the community and business leaders to support three initiatives:

  • A new capital bill to provide an ongoing revenue stream for road improvements;
  • The updated Lake County State Highway Consensus Plan for congestion relief and economic growth;
  • Any state legislation which makes the IL53/120 extension into Lake County a reality.

State Senator Melinda Bush (D-31st) said the ideas are important.

"We need a sustainable funding mechanism for road improvements," Bush said. "Lake County has done a fabulous job of bringing all of the various leaders together to identify projects that are priorities. Now we need to fund it. I'm ready to vote for a capital plan."


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