* As expected…
Roadwork projects across Illinois could be on the chopping block as the state’s historic budget impasse continues.
The Illinois Department of Transportation will shut down roadwork statewide if lawmakers don’t pass a budget by the end of the month, officials announced Wednesday.
“Due to the General Assembly’s refusal to pass a balanced budget, the Illinois Department of Transportation loses its ability to pay contractors starting July 1,” IDOT communications director Guy Tridgell said in an email.
“While we are hopeful the situation is resolved before then, the department is notifying contractors that all construction work is to shut down on June 30. Contractors will be advised to secure work zones to ensure their safety during any potential shutdown. As always, the safety of the traveling public will be the top priority as the department works through this process,” Tridgell said.
Roadwork projects were put in jeopardy by the budget impasse last year as well, but a stopgap bill passed in the final hour secured roadwork funding.
…Adding… The contractor letter is here.
*** UPDATE *** From an IRTBA press release…
“The impacts of a shutdown are dire,” said Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association (IRTBA) President & CEO Mike Sturino. “According to the Transportation for Illinois Coalition, the daily costs of a shutdown exceed $3 million just for direct costs associated with shutting a job down,” he added. “IRTBA member firms report that layoffs of thousands of Chicago area residents are imminent. Organized labor is reporting approximately 30,000 people will be out of work statewide if this shutdown happens.”
- Gruntled University Employee - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:15 am:
Does anyone know if the CDB work will be shut off as well?
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:16 am:
We really are banana republic at this point. 178 adults without any plan other than covering their rear ends in the next election. They simply don’t care.
- mad again - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:18 am:
This is the one thing Madigan really cares about, besides personal power. So good, maybe now he will act.
- RNUG - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:19 am:
And how much extra will shutting things down and restarting later cost?
- OurMagician - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:21 am:
No stand alone rescue for this or anything else. It doesn’t help anything in the long run, just keeps the common citizen from realizing what is going on in this state. Need a loud wake up call whether it be roads or schools.
- phocion - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:24 am:
Yes, CDB projects got the same shutdown notice. The IDOT work will be felt by more people, which makes it more newsworthy. Wonder how Madigan is going to explain this to the trades?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:27 am:
===Wonder how Madigan is going to explain this to the trades?===
“Rauner wants an end to prevailing wage and collective bargaining. You can take bus suds if you’d like”
How’s that? lol
- Skeptic - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:27 am:
So now there are three seasons in Illinois, “Winter”, “Construction” and “Impasse?”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:27 am:
“his side”
- Birdseed - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:32 am:
=== - Gruntled University Employee - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:15 am:
Does anyone know if the CDB work will be shut off as well? ===
Yes, I received that letter also.
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:34 am:
And now Powerball saying they are taking Illinois o
Great job lawmakers and Gov, your lack of ability to do your jobs continues to cause problems. Every single one one of you and the Gov. own this mess. How you show your faces in public in beyond me how do you even look in the mirror knowing what you have and continue to do to this state?
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:35 am:
Sorry, first line should have said Powerball saying they are taking Illinois out of their group due to the budget.
- phocion - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:38 am:
Sorry, Willy. Rauner’s proposal released yesterday doesn’t include rolling back prevailing wages or ending collective bargaining. Nice try, though. Again, how will Madigan explain to the trades that he is the only one left standing between their guys continuing to work or losing a paycheck?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:43 am:
===Rauner’s proposal released yesterday doesn’t include rolling back prevailing wages or ending collective bargaining===
Nope. It doesn’t.
But, Democrats seem to be the last firewall protecting Labor.
Labor wants to take on Dems “now”, who are they going to turn to when Rauner wins re-election and Labor needs allies.
The long game. Decatur made clear Rauner’s long term game. If Labor wants to go after Dems… ok…
It’s like Labor turning on Quinn.
How’d that go?
- Gruntled University Employee - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:46 am:
phocion @10:38 am
Are you sure that Rauner is done moving the goal posts yet?
- Gruntled University Employee - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:48 am:
===Sorry, first line should have said Powerball saying they are taking Illinois out of their group due to the budget. ===
So much for Rauner’s “Tier 4 Pension plan”.
- DuPage - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 10:57 am:
Another Rauner accomplishment.
- Anon - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 11:20 am:
MFT funding to all local agencies will also be shut off.
Many local governments depend on these Motor Fuel Tax funds to continue to operate
- Metro East Transplant - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 11:26 am:
IDOT issued the same warning last year. Last year IDOT was funded and status quo remained. Granted their budget is way down, which means no major work is getting done. If the same thing happens again this year, it will be like putting a Band-Aid over a compound fracture. IDOT is/will be trying to maintain a failing system. IF the budget stalemate continues and IDOT doesn’t see a capitol plan in the very near future, there is more at stake than just driving on deteriorating pavement.
- Cook County Commoner - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 11:32 am:
Sounds like NJ’s Gov. Christie and his Bridgegate scandal. I can’t wait for the choke points these folks leave on the Jane Adams, which is already a nightmare going north from Woodstock.
- Rocky Rosi - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 11:42 am:
Both sides are banking on the voters siding with their vision for a new IL. Will financial pain drive high voter turnout?
- Illinois O'Malley - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 12:33 pm:
@phocion, how many votes did Durkin put on the senate passed budget? That’s right zero, but it’s MJM’s fault. Keep living in victim-land.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 12:34 pm:
===how many votes did Durkin put on the senate passed budget?===
Those bills were never brought to the floor, so how were they supposed to provide votes?
Take a breath. Or maybe take a nap. But stop posting goofy arguments like that on this blog or you’ll be asked to leave.
- phocion - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 12:51 pm:
Rich, I nominate banning the word “victim” or any variation thereof. Having a different point of view doesn’t make one a “victim.” It’s an ad hominem attack that more often than not isn’t even an accurate depiction of the individual one is attacking.
Oh, as to one of the comments here, the Jane Addams will not be affected by the shutdown. It only impacts IDOT and some local road work.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 1:10 pm:
–Rich, I nominate banning the word “victim” or any variation thereof. –
Do you want to print them all out and burn them, too?
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 1:18 pm:
So the state is getting out of the road maintenance business, the public higher ed business, the social services business, the employee health insurance business, and was a billion short this school year on the K-12 commitment.
Truly redefining the role of the state.
The biggest funding priorities this fiscal have been the Munger Political Posse Full Employment Act, wildly expensive Cellini-clouted old manila folder warehouses, and hundreds of millions for IT pinstripe patronage contractors working on better “financial reporting” systems.
I can give you a full and complete state financial report for free: FUBAR.
- Illinois O'Malley - Thursday, Jun 15, 17 @ 2:16 pm:
@Rich, I may have been over simplistic in my argument: pretty sure we all know no republican would vote for the senate deal so phocion’s ‘blame Madigan’ rings hollow in this ear. If Durkin announced he had enough votes I think it would of been called. And you are right that 1) naps are good and 2) it’s ur blog
- s 10 - Monday, Jun 19, 17 @ 10:46 am:
its time to clean house no one cares its all for there pockets and not the tax payers