ILLINOIS TOLLWAY AWARDS MORE THAN $114.1 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION AND PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING CONTRACTS IN APRIL

ILLINOIS TOLLWAY AWARDS MORE THAN $114.1 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION AND PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING CONTRACTS IN APRIL

More than $219.3 million invested in 2026 for Move Illinois and Bridging the Future projects


DOWNERS GROVE, IL – The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors today approved 12 new construction and professional engineering contracts totaling more than $114.1 million at its April Board meeting for work to advance ongoing projects and provide for systemwide maintenance.

 

More than $219.3 million in contracts has been approved by the Tollway Board in 2026, including $49.9 million as part of the 15th year of the Tollway’s 16-year, $15 billion Move Illinois capital program and $169.4 million as part of the seven-year, $2 billion Bridging the Future plan. The Illinois Tollway’s 2026 capital program calls for investing $1.26 billion.


“Contracts approved today will allow us to continue advancing improvements on the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project, as well as construction on the new I-490 Tollway,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse. “At the same time the, we are committed to the work necessary to keep the roadway pavement and bridges on our existing system well maintained for our 1.7 million daily drivers.”

 

Construction contracts awarded in April include:

•             A $28.7 million contract to Plote Construction Inc., Hoffman Estates, IL, for roadway asphalt overlay and pavement marking on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) from Flagg Creek to Cermak Road.

•             A $15.4 million contract to OHLA Central Inc., Lisle, IL, for roadway and ramp reconstruction and widening on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) from St. Charles Road to North Avenue.

•             A $12.2 million contract to F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates, Chicago, IL, for pavement rehabilitation on the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) from I-80 to I-55.

•             An $11.1 million contract to Foundation Mechanics, Chicago, IL, for grading and drainage improvements on the I-490 Tollway Project from Beeline Drive to Supreme Drive.

•             A $10.1 million contract to K-Five Construction Corp., Westmont, IL, for systemwide pavement repairs.

•             A $2.5 million contract to Rausch Infrastructure, Des Plaines, IL, for bridge rehabilitation on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) from Illinois Route 251 to Illinois Route 56.

•             A $2.7 million contract to Lorig Construction Co., Des Plaines, IL, for bridge rehabilitation on the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/294) from Waukegan Road to Touhy Avenue.

•             A $1.1 million contract to RoadSafe Traffic Systems Inc., Romeoville, IL, for systemwide pavement marking improvements.

•             A $1 million contract to Veterans Vac Services, McHenry, IL, for oasis parking lot demolition at the Hinsdale Oasis and at the O’Hare Oasis on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294).

 

Professional engineering services contracts awarded in April include:

•             A $20.4 million contract to Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company Inc., Downers Grove, IL, for construction management services for roadway and bridge construction management on the I-490 Tollway Project between I-294 and I-90.

•             A $7 million contract to Atlas Technical Consultants, Chicago IL, for design services for intelligent transportation system (ITS) deployment and system management systemwide.

•             A $1.8 million contract to Gasperec Elberts Consulting, Downers Grove, IL, for design services for interchange construction on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88)/Tri-State Tollway (I-294) connector ramps at York Road.

 

The April contracts include 31 certified disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprise (D/M/WBE) firms, as well as 13 certified veteran-owned firms. Commitments for D/M/WBE participation range from 11.06 percent to 66 percent per contract and commitments for veteran participation range from 1.63 percent to 8 percent per contract.

 

Overall, more than $12.2 billion has been invested by the Illinois Tollway since 2012, with more than $3.2 billion of that total committed to small, diverse and veteran-owned firms. In addition, the capital program has created or sustained an estimated 151,930 total jobs as of March 2026.

 

Illinois Tollway professional engineering services contracts are selected in accordance with the qualifications-based selection process (30 ILCS 535) Architectural, Engineering and Land Surveying Qualifications-Based Selection Act, which requires state agencies to select professional architects, engineers and surveyors based on demonstrated competence and professional qualifications. Construction contracts for Illinois Tollway projects are competitively bid under the rules of the Illinois Procurement Code.

 

The Illinois Tollway broadcasts all public meetings on the Tollway's website at www.illinoistollway.com. This includes all board meetings and public bid openings. Also provided is detailed information about current Tollway construction and professional engineering services contracts in the Construction Contract Tracker.

 

About Move Illinois

The Illinois Tollway's 16-year, $15 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future, is improving mobility, relieving congestion, reducing pollution, creating as many as 165,220 jobs and linking economies throughout the region. During the first 14 years of Move Illinois, the Tollway has delivered the new Illinois Route 390 Tollway and a rebuilt and widened Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) with its new SmartRoad corridor, as well as opened a new interchange connecting the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to I-57. Progress continues on projects addressing the remaining needs of the existing Tollway system, delivering the new I-490 Tollway Project and reconstructing of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294).

 

About Bridging the Future

Approved by the Illinois Tollway Board of Directors in December 2024, Bridging the Future is a seven-year, $2 billion plan designed to continue infrastructure improvements, bridging the gap between the agency's current and next long-term capital program. Based on stakeholder feedback and engagement, Bridging the Future is addressing ongoing modernization initiatives and continuing to support investments in the people and firms working to improve regional mobility.

 

About the Illinois Tollway

The Illinois Tollway is a user-fee system that receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and operations. The agency maintains and operates 294 miles of roadways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80) and the Illinois Route 390 Tollway.

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