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*** UPDATE 1 *** As expected, the toll hike was approved today…
Board member Bill Morris, who voted against the measure, criticized the plan as “incomplete and flawed.”
“If you’re poor and don’t have a credit card and can’t afford I-PASS, I don’t think we want to create an elite road system,” Morris said.
* The first press release I received on this vote was from the The Illinois Chamber of Commerce Infrastructure Council…
“The Illinois Chamber of Commerce Infrastructure Council applauds the Illinois Tollway Board of Directors’ decision to move forward on a comprehensive long-term capital plan.
The Tollway plan will create jobs and spur badly needed economic activity in northeast Illinois and will provide congestion relief that will save individual drivers countless hours and thousands of dollars.
As the capital plan is implemented the Illinois Chamber of Commerce looks forward to working with Tollway leadership to assist in efficient and effective project delivery.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the IL GOP…
Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady said that the 87% Toll Tax Hike supported by Governor Pat Quinn is yet another example of the state reaching in to Illinoisans’ already thin wallets and yet another broken promise by Quinn.
Last year, Quinn promised repeatedly during his campaign he would veto any tax increase larger than four percent. In 1994, Quinn called for an eventual abolition of tolls being charged to motorists. He has now broken both of those promises.
“Pat Quinn continues to campaign against his former self,” said Brady. “With more and more tax and fee increases, people need to ask the Governor, what’s next?”
“I guess with businesses leaving Illinois for Indiana and Wisconsin, Governor Quinn’s only plan to stop them is to raise tolls on the roads leading out of the state,” Brady said.
* A toll hike appears to be imminent…
Illinois drivers may soon see tollway fares nearly double, as the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority board could vote on the increase at a meeting Thursday.
The proposal would bump tolls for I-PASS users from 40 cents up to 75 cents - a nearly 86 percent increase. Drivers paying with cash would still have to shell out double the I-PASS amound, or $1.50.
The Illinois Tollway says all those extra quarters would add up to $12 billion to fund a massive, 15-year construction program. The plan calls for widening a long stretch of I-90, from near O’Hare Airport to Rockford. It would also finally allow for an interchange at the Tri-State Tollway and I-57 - two roads that cross each other, but don’t connect.
* Fare hike proponents flooded tollway board hearing this summer with supporters, and Gov. Pat Quinn used that effort yesterday to claim there was public backing for the idea…
“Clearly there is public support to make sure we do this and do it right,” Quinn told reporters Wednesday.
And…
“An overwhelming number of folks support … the proposal,” Quinn said. “I think it’s important that we understand in Illinois that we’re not going to be able to have safe roads and lessen congestion on the highways unless we invest.”
* But the governor hasn’t totally departed from reality…
Quinn, who pushed through a 67 percent increase in the state income tax rate in January, was sympathetic to the toll hike idea.
“Well, I don’t think anybody likes toll increases. Who would like that? But the bottom line is sometimes it’s necessary if you’re going to have less congestion, which is a big issue,” Quinn said.
“I think a lot of families appreciate the fact that they can get from work to home faster and get home to work faster. That saves them time, and it’s worth money,” he said.
The governor added: “The bottom line is I think you have to understand the tollway has not had a general toll increase since 1983. At that time, the Chicago Tribune cost 25 cents. Today the Chicago Tribune costs $1.”
An income tax hike, state service cuts, ComEd rate hikes and massive outages and now this. Suburban voters cannot possibly be happy campers right about now.
* Truckers aren’t happy, either…
Critics of the plan say the tolls are already high, and commercial truckers who pay higher tolls say they will be forced to use local, congested roads to save money.
“The Illinois Trucking Association is deeply troubled by the Illinois Tollway’s most recent capital plan, and we question the authority in which the tollway board of directors is moving forward,” said a trucking association representative.
* Related…
* Toll hike likely, but rival plan to be debated, too
* Profiles of tollway board members - Backgrounds of those who will make the rate-hike decision
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 10:34 am
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I-57 and I-294 are connected if you take a 3 mile jaunt down I-80. Now they want to spend, what, $700 MILLION to shave a few minutes off travel time? What’s the return on that investment?
Answer: Zero.
Comment by Let's Just Spend More Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 10:57 am
- shave a few minutes off travel time -
Are you kidding? Did you just pull up google maps and come up with that or something, because I find it hard to believe you live in the area. Three miles in parking lot traffic equates to quite a bit more than a few minutes.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:03 am
“What’s the return on that investment?”
Some say the return is on less gas used by thousands of vehicles, but I congest local roads to avoid IL tolls.
Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr. Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:07 am
“I-57 and I-294 are connected if you take a 3 mile jaunt down I-80.”
On SB I-294, cut over on Rte 6 to get to I-57.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:14 am
STL,
I drive that dozens of times a year. And even the small amount of gas savings, (3 miles is what, .1 gallons these days?) doesn’t justify $700M when the state is already broke, businesses are already fleeing and hard-working families are already strapped by huge income tax hikes, even huger property tax hikes and chronic underemployment.
But you’re right… we need something shiny, to hell with the people who have to pay for it.
Comment by Let's Just Spend More Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:19 am
Unrelated, but take a look at the picture attached to Illinois’ #15 ranking on the Daily Beast’s “Best States for Job Growth”.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/galleries/2011/08/25/best-states-for-job-growth-from-michigan-to-massachusetts-to-new-york.html#
Comment by Jeff Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:20 am
- And even the small amount of gas savings, (3 miles is what, .1 gallons these days?) doesn’t justify $700M when the state is already broke -
3 miles is more than 0.1 gallons if it takes you 40 minutes to do it. There are also time savings, which equate to money savings. Did you miss the study that found Chicagoland to have the worst congestion in the country? You think that could be fixed by everyone taking Rt. 6? Also, apparently you also missed the part where the toll increase is going to pay for it, so the state’s financial trouble doesn’t have much to do with it.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:28 am
The tolls for cash payments were doubled on January 1, 2005. According to an old Trib. article, the only reason it was not an across-the-board increase was due to “public backlash”.
Now we’re getting ready to welcome the first “general toll increase” since 1983 on the heels of sizable personal & corporate income tax hikes… which followed sizable sales tax hikes in multiple towns & counties.
I can’t tell if public leadership is tone-deaf and selfish or if the public has been beaten (metaphorically) into submission over time and feels fighting is useless.
Either way, it’s frustrating and disappointing.
Comment by HK Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:34 am
“Welcome to Illinois: Pay up and Shut up”
– Governor Pat Quinn
Comment by Let's Just Spend More Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:36 am
===the only reason it was not an across-the-board increase was due to “public backlash”.===
Maybe. But what they ended up doing was not raising tolls for transponder users and hiking them way up for non-users.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:37 am
Jeff @ 11:20am: no way! Great find.
Comment by HK Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:39 am
Estimates so rough they hurt my hands:
Random average mpg = 25
Maybe not so random estimate of distance saved: 3 miles
Gallon per vehicle saved with proposed bypass: .12
At $3.90 per gallon (lousy estimated price to use): $.468 per vehicle
Terrible, baseless estimate on vehicles using bypass per day:
5,000 vehicles
Embarrassingly bad estimate on gas cost saved per year;
5,000 vehicles X 365 X $.468 = $854,100
Goofball estimate that gives people who read and post at blog sites a bad reputation on how long it takes to pay back on gas savings alone
$700,000,000/$854,100 = about 820 years
Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr. Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:47 am
When Quinn was State Treasurer he announced the “Tollpayers Bill of Rights” which called for: setting a final date for all Illinois tollways to become freeways; creating an independent inspector general within the authority; banning on the sale of any new tollway bonds until more than $200 million in surplus investment revenue is used up; and issuing a moratorim on any toll increases designed to pay for construction of new tollways or tollway extensions.”
see whole article here….http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1994-02-04/news/9402040081_1_tollway-authority-bond-issues-bond-proceeds.
As Governor, he now revokes tollpayers rights and endorses a massive toll increase. Talk about driving on both sides of the road!
Comment by truthman Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 11:56 am
By the way, 5000 cars a day is less than 4 cars a minute.
if as many as 30 cars per minute use that by-pass, gas savings at that “low” price of 3.90 per gallon could pay back the $700 million in less than 100 years.
Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr. Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:02 pm
Too many errors above.
Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr. Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:06 pm
KWJ, you left out the last line of that…
“Kasich Walker, Jr. making math-based blog postings entertaining to read? Priceless.”
Comment by HK Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:08 pm
I doubt it the truckers are going to get on the state roads. Time is money to them and burning diesel in 30 mph stop and go traffic costs, too.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:14 pm
I-57 and I-294 are connected if you take a 3 mile jaunt down I-80. Now they want to spend, what, $700 MILLION to shave a few minutes off travel time? What’s the return on that investment?
Answer: JOBS. LOTS AND LOTS OF JOBS. GOBS OF JOBS!
Comment by Leroy Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:25 pm
HK, after attempting that exercise I almost had myself believing that the more people drive the more gas they will save.
Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr. Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:29 pm
I’ve long resisted getting an I-Pass transponder, in part because I don’t like the idea of being tracked, but mostly because I don’t use the tollway much. This toll hike might make me rethink that approach, especially since cameras and cell phones can also be used to track my movements.
For those of you who might be contemplating a crime spree, please remember that almost all of us are under constant surveillance and we have no expectation of privacy out on the roads. Turn off your cell phone (or better yet, leave it on at home), alter your license plate with tape, and wear a disguise.
Someone is always watching, but who watches the watchers? And just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean people aren’t out to get me.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:29 pm
Let me recommend a change in Wards, 47th.
And remember: The more you drive, the more you save!
Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr. Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:33 pm
47th Ward - Best advice I have ever read on Cap Fax. Makes me glad I’ve been coming here all these years.
As far as JOBS JOBS JOBS go, yesterday we learned the underpass at 130th and Torrence costs $146 million, and will provide 1200 jobs.
So I conclude the $700 million I-57 interchange will create approximately 5700 jobs.
Not too shabby.
Comment by Johnny USA Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:33 pm
It’s going to be 1.50 for non-ipass holders, way to get out of staters and downstaters in the shorts.
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:34 pm
Nice…the economy’s in the tank, almost 1 in 10 are jobless, the state jacked up taxes by 66% and now we are going to make transportation more expensive. When exactly are we going to give our citizens an opportunity to invest their dollars into the commercial realm of the economy rather than the government and government like entities?
Comment by A.B. Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:51 pm
Yah think this has anything to do with the over $5 million the governor collected from trade unions? And when the road work and jobs are gone, can these ribbons of new asphalt reverse job losses due to: high taxes, corruption, poor public education, inner city crime, stalled housing market, etc. when more friendly business environments are available around the state? Seems the logical thing to do would be to address the issues impeding job growth and wait for new businesses and employees to clammer for better roads with money in their fists to pay for them.
Comment by Cook County Commoner Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 12:58 pm
- The first press release I received on this vote was from the The Illinois Chamber of Commerce Infrastructure Council -
Will those socialists at the chamber ever end their campaign to expand government and recklessly spend our future? The horror…
Comment by Small Town Liberal Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 1:09 pm
Jobs. Great. I’ve been blessed to drive through road construction for the entirety of the downturn and recovery. I’m sick of it to be honest. And those jobs? Judging from what I see, they’re about 90% men. I’d be far more impressed if I saw more women driving the dozers, operating the cranes, and running the jackhammers.
I have driven that I80 exchange to get between I294 and I57 numerous times and never been overly delayed by traffic. It’s a ways outside the city proper.
Really, I hate building more roads and interchanges etc. It simply sets us up for more suburban sprawl at a time when existing sprawl is full of empty houses and stores.
Comment by cermak_rd Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 1:18 pm
If anybody needs a lesson in how to put together a communications/outreach plan to gather public support for a potentially thorny action, please contact Kristi LaFleur at the Illinois Toll Highway Authority…
Comment by soccermom Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 1:24 pm
Another reason, not that I neeeded one, to take the train.
Comment by 3 beers to Springfield Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 1:30 pm
Does anyone have the number of employees at the Tollway circa 1999, and today?
I’d be interested in knowing how much money the IPass revolution is saving us…
Comment by Peter Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 1:37 pm
It’s a terrible plan. There was a more modest one on the table sufficient to rebuild existing infrastructure (e.g. Jane Addams Tollway) which was fine. What they’ve actually passed is a huge speculative investment in unnecessary roads, creating a taxpayer backlash that will inevitably impact other, more important projects.
Will an O’Hare western terminal ever be built? Even if it is, is it necessary, and are the roads to connect it necessary? And why does there need to be a connection for people to perform a U-turn from southbound I-57 to the northbound Tri-State and vice versa?
Comment by Angry Chicagoan Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 1:37 pm
In a press conference today Gubbner Pat said he thinks the increases are okay ” because we want those folks driving from Wisconsin to their jobs in Illinois to get there on time. This will create Land of Lincoln jobs for companies located in southern Wisconsin.”
Comment by Irish Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 2:05 pm
Sounds like the tollway workers will continue to be allowed to not have to pay the tolls. They are truly better than us. We can learn a lot from them.
Comment by Davey Boy Smithe Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 2:20 pm
Interesting comparing the ISTHA’s “Open Roads for a Faster Future” plan launched in 2005 to this proposal.
The ISTHA just spent $5.8 billion (later upped to $6.3 billion after an additional bond sale) on a congestion-relief plan to “reduce travel times by rebuilding / restoring 90 percent of the system, adding lanes to about 117 miles of existing roads, converting 20 mainline toll plazas to barrier-free Open Road Tolling” among other objectives.
No reasonable person can deny roads require repairs, especially not someone whose family is in the industry. But the 2004-2005 plan sold a partial toll increase and multi-billion dollar independent bond sale on the basis of generating another 5-10 years of low-construction, highly efficient tollways.
Now we’re going to do it all over again… for 3 times the price.
As a businessperson, I love it. As a commuter, I don’t.
Comment by HK Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 2:21 pm
Peter,
According to the Illinois Auditor General’s website, IDOT employed an average number of 6,822 full-time employees in FY2002. As of FY2010, IDOT employs an average number of 5,105 full-time employees.
http://www.auditor.illinois.gov/Audit-Reports/TRANSPORTATION-DEPARTMENT.asp
Comment by What? Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 2:26 pm
Jeff,
re photo … someone has a real sense of ironic humor …
Comment by Retired Non-Union Guy Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 2:34 pm
Great! Now more truckers will use IL41 to head north to Wisconsin instead of using the tollway. The first big jump in truck usage of IL41 occurred when rates were increased for them not too long ago.
Now already congested IL41 will add more semis down a stretch of road that has numerous side streets and driveways onto businesses.
Who is going to throw the flag for the piling on of additional taxes and fees since the 2010 election? Add higher utility costs, more blackouts, less service, higher gasoline prices and food prices and the misery index soars.
The party of the “little guy” sure knows how to kick him around!
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 2:43 pm
I ponder the burden imposed by taxes no one has to pay-cigs, tolls, gambling…
Comment by steve schnorf Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 2:44 pm
The first press release I received on this vote was from the The Illinois Chamber of Commerce Infrastructure Council
Did the Chamber really just endorse a tax increase?
Comment by dave Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 2:55 pm
Really, I hate building more roads and interchanges etc. It simply sets us up for more suburban sprawl at a time when existing sprawl is full of empty houses and stores.
I don’t see much in the way of “new” roads in the construction plan. The Addams? An existing road, probably could use some extra capacity, especially in the mature NW suburbs by O’Hare. I-294 and I-57 interchange? Hard to call that a “sprawling” area since it looks the same as 30 years ago. Elgin O’Hare access? Not a lot of farm fields on Thorndale that I saw last time I was there. Even of the projects that are not advanced past the planning stage (IL 53 and Illiana), Lake County, home of the IL 53 project, is the 2nd densest of the collar counties and the pathway has been plaqnned for the last 30 years. I’ll give you Illiana, but nearly everyone down there wants it, including our illustrious 2nd District US Rep.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 3:11 pm
Did the Chamber really just endorse a tax increase?
See Schnorf 2:44. A voluntary “tax” is really not a tax at all, unless someone in the back seat is holding a gun to your head and hijacking your car to Wisconsin via the Tri-State.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 3:14 pm
As a Republican, one tax/fee I generally support is the uptick of the national and state gas taxes. Sound nuts?! It’s one of the few revenue-neutral or possibly even revenue-positive extras we consumers pay and can actually expect a return. The expansion/extension of thoroughfares/highways, the repair of bridges and the building of new interchanges does result in jobs and business expansion or relocation. And I don’t want to pass judgement on the tollway bump because it could easily result in much better roads and some added businesses. At worst, people will pay more for access. Before anyone brings up Missouri’s lack of toll roads, let’s remember that Missouri got Illinois to pay nearly 75% of the costs associated with the new bi-state bridge, so that’s not a fair comparison. And traffic in nearly every area of St. Louis is nowhere near the traffic in Chicago and the suburbs.
Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 4:09 pm
“…if you’re going to have less congestion, which is a big issue…”
Yeah, but by the time this is all over, ‘congestion’ won’t likely change. But how many IL jobs will be lost with this increase?
Comment by sal-says Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 4:33 pm
Yeah, but by the time this is all over, ‘congestion’ won’t likely change.
You mean, all this talk about “I’ll never use the tollway again” is just political puffery?
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 4:57 pm
Missouri has to vote on each gas tax hike and as a result it just cut MODOTS budget in half to 600 million I alos think this is bad for the economy.
Hoever It did force MODOT to be creative. Insetad of 4 lane divided roads in low volume rural areas MODOT is building continuous passing lanes.
IDOT might try some creativity-yes I know that is asking a lot-but supporters of a 4 lane US 20 just went to the toll authority asking for a study because there is no way IDOT can come up with 20 million a mile to build the road.
When a tollway is found not feasable perhaps IDOT could extend teh existing passing lanes for 3 million a mile.
Mo is cheaper. Its 1.8 million a mile
Comment by western illinois Thursday, Aug 25, 11 @ 8:43 pm
Jeff @ 11:20 - what a great find. Perfect definition of irony!
Comment by Roadiepig Friday, Aug 26, 11 @ 8:27 am