Jan. 14--Major interstate highway projects worth millions of dollars around the Chicago area have been put on hold as a result of an executive order from Gov. Bruce Rauner to halt the awarding of state contracts.
Among the Illinois Tollway contracts that are on hold are three pacts worth $168 million for bridge reconstruction that must be done as part of the widening of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (Interstate 90) from Elgin to the Tri-State Tollway (I-294).
The order would also block any contracts on the proposed $1.3 billion Illiana toll road, a pet project of Rauner's predecessor, Pat Quinn. State transportation officials have proposed constructing the Illiana from Interstate 55 near Wilmington through Will County to I-65 near Lowell, Ind.
The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority board was poised to award the Addams bridge reconstruction contracts Jan. 7, but that meeting was canceled because of the weather.
As his first official act as governor Monday, Rauner ordered a halt to awarding state contracts, except for ones required by law or categorized as emergency expenditures, essential operations and small purchases.
"Major interstate construction projects which have not commenced will be reviewed," according to a statement Monday from Rauner's office.
Construction on the eastern phase of the $2.5 billion Addams rebuilding project was scheduled to begin in the spring. When completed, the Addams will be eight lanes wide from Randall Road to the Tri-State.
Widening of the western Addams from Elgin to Rockford was finished in December after two years of construction.
The Tollway and Rauner's office confirmed Tuesday the executive order applies to the contracts for the scheduled 2015 bridge work.
The governor appoints the Tollway's directors and is an ex-officio board member. But the agency is separate from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
The Tollway will do all it can to help Rauner review "investments in infrastructure," spokeswoman Wendy Abrams said.
The Addams widening is only a part of the Tollway's massive $12 billion rebuilding program called Move Illinois.
The 15-year program is being paid for by the near-doubling of tolls that went into effect in 2012. A three-year, 60 percent increase in truck tolls started Jan. 1.
Quinn championed the program, but Rauner has been mum on Move Illinois.
rwronski@tribpub.com
Twitter @richwronski
