The Illinois Tollway’s proposed 2013 budget will be the subject of two public meetings next week and is available on-line for review and comment, the agency has announced.
The tentative spending plan covers annual maintenance and operations on the tollway system, as well as $922 million in capital projects scheduled to be underway next year.
Tollway officials said they are encouraging the public to comment on the budget.
“This budget doubles the tollway’s capital spending over 2012, prioritizes improvements to our roadways and customer service, identifies new efficiencies and keeps our growth in baseline operating costs to just 4 percent,” Executive Director Kristi Lafleur said in a statement.
The tollway will hold a hearing Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 6 p.m. at its headquarters at 2700 Ogden Ave. in Downers Grove.
The hearing will be broadcast live on the tollway’s website, illinoistollway.com.
Public comments will be accepted at the hearing as well as via the webcast.
The tollway will hold an open house on Wednesday, Nov. 14, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the O’Hare Oasis on the Tri-State Tollway (Interstate 294) in Schiller Park.
The public will be able to view displays and a budget overview and ask questions of tollway representatives, the agency said. Public comments will be accepted in writing or can be made to a court reporter.
The tollway has also posted a webinar about the proposed budget on the website.
A copy of the tentative budget is posted on the tollway’s website or may be requested by contacting the agency at 630-241-6800.
Comments may also be mailed to 2700 Ogden Ave., Downers Grove, IL 60515.
After the tollway’s board has reviewed the public comments and any changes have been incorporated, a final budget will be presented for approval by the board at its Dec. 13 meeting.
“The board is committed to hearing the public’s opinions on how their tolls are spent,” Tollway Chairwoman Paula Wolff said in a statement. “As we begin our review, we look forward to considering their ideas about this budget plan.”
The tollway will spend $771 million next year as it starts rebuilding and widening the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway and the Elgin-O'Hare bypass project, according to the proposed budget.
Also planned are completion of the new interchange on the Addams (I-90) at Illinois Highway 47 near Huntley and work on the new connection between the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and I-57 near Markham.
All told, the tollway plans to spend $922 million for construction and expansion of the system, officials said. That's double the agency's spending this year.
To help pay for the projects, the tollway anticipates taking in $977 million from tolls in 2013 -- thanks to the 87.5 percent increase that went into effect Jan. 1. No new tolls are expected in 2013, Lafleur said.
The tollway plans to issue as much as $1 billion in bonds next year for its projects and future capital needs, officials said.
That's in addition to its $3.91 billion in outstanding debt as of Jan. 1, 2013.
All that spending is part of the tollway's $12.1 billion public works program to expand and improve the 296-mile system. The program, known as Move Illinois, is entering the second of 15 years.
As far as agency operations are concerned, officials say costs will increase 4 percent.
The addition of 16 new positions in engineering and finance for Move Illinois will be offset by reductions in toll operations, officials said.
The budget includes savings of more than $5 million, officials said.
rwronski@tribune.com
Twitter: @richwronski
Illinois Tollway 2013 budget to be subject of hearings
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