By Deborah Lockridge, Editor in Chief
A new study from the Reason Foundation finds Chicago has severely underinvested in expressways and urges the region to embark on an ambitious long-term road-building plan paid for entirely by tolls. It’s a financing method that doesn’t sit well with some Illinois truckers, while others say avoiding Chicago’s notorious congestion might be worth it.
The plan calls for 11 major transportation projects that would add 2,401 new lane miles of expressways in the region.
“Expressways make up just 18% of the Chicago region’s road network and yet they handle over 53% of the vehicle miles traveled,” said Reason Foundation Vice President Adrian Moore, the study’s project director, who served on Congress’ National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission. “Between 1982 and 2010, travel demand increased 126% on expressways but the number of lane miles increased by just 57%.”
The plan’s 11 projects, which would cost $52 billion to build, could be financed entirely by toll revenues from the new lanes and roads.
“The people who use these roads and tunnels will pay the costs to build and maintain them – as it should be,” said Reason Foundation Senior Fellow Samuel Staley, author of the report and managing director or the DeVoe L. Moore Center at Florida State University. “By using variably-priced tolls, Chicago can guarantee both free-flowing traffic conditions and a sustainable revenue stream that ensures the long-term health of the road network. And many of these projects would be ideal candidates to be part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Chicago Infrastructure Trust.”
Wary of Tolls
Matt Hart, spokesman for the Illinois Trucking Association, said while he hadn’t read the entire report, the association is leery of tolls after its experience with the Illinois Tollway, which has seen an increase in truck tolls of more than 500%.
Hart said the association is concerned that any initiative to create new toll lanes will put even more of a burden on the trucking industry.
The association has taken “a hard stance against any effort to take an existing public highway and turn it into a toll road,” Hart said. “We are not opposed to new lanes of construction that are toll lanes. That being said, we still believe the best and most efficient way of funding infrastructure is through user fees, through traditional motor fuel taxes.”
On the other hand, Don Schaefer with the Mid-West Truckers Association says in some cases, truckers may be happy to pay a premium to avoid the congestion. With the state’s current woeful financial state, he says, it may be the only way to get things done.
With today’s less-flexible hours of service regulations, time is money. Some truckers already go miles out of their way to avoid the Chicago metro area entirely, trading off the extra fuel cost for the time saved not sitting in a highway that’s turned into a parking lot.
One of the projects Schaefer singles out is the Iliana Corridor, which will connect I-55 with I-65.
“It’ll run parallel to I-80 up there, which is just a fiasco. The idea is for it to act as a reliever, take some of that traffic off of I-80. Especially when you get close to the Indiana state line, it’s just a mess. Depending on what the toll is going to be, I’m sure a lot of truckers would be willing to pay a premium to avoid that traffic on I-80.”
He also says several of these projects are already under way, at least in the planning process, including the Iliana Corridor; the Lake County Corridor, which will extend an expressway that currently “comes to a dead stop at the Cook County/Lake County line,” and the Elgin O’Hare extension, which would alleviate traffic around O’Hare airport.
Others on the list are more “pie in the sky,” Schaefer said, but called it a fun report to read.
The Proposed Projects
The Reason Foundation transportation plan for Chicago includes:
– Regional High-Occupancy Toll Lanes Network: A 275-mile (1,100 lane miles), $12.0 billion network of high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes that would add two priced lanes in each direction on I-294 (Tri-State Tollway), I-90 (Northwest Tollway), I-88 (East-West Tollway), and I-355 South of I-88. The toll rates in these lanes would vary, based on traffic conditions, to ensure they remain free flowing at all times.
– Cross Town Tunnel: An 11-mile, $7.1 billion north-south tunnel in the alignment of Cicero Avenue and a nine-mile, $5.8 billion elevated Midway Extension running east along 63rd Street, connecting to the north endpoint of the Chicago Skyway (I-90). This project would allow through-traffic to bypass the downtown area and provide a connection between I-90/I-94, I-290 and I-55, alleviating problems around some of the most debilitating bottlenecks (the Circle and the I-90 Skyway Split).
– Outer Beltway: A 76.3-mile, $5.0 billion new outer expressway through Cook, DuPage and Will Counties with three toll lanes in each direction.
– Lake County Corridor: A 32.3-mile, $2.1 billion expressway extension connecting the proposed Outer Beltway with I-94.
– Northbrook-Palatine Connector: A new 25.3-mile, $1.6 billion freeway running between the I-94/I-294 interchange in Northbrook and the new Outer Beltway in Barrington.
– Elgin-O’Hare Extension: A 17.3-mile, $1.1 billion extension of the Elgin O’Hare Expressway east to O’Hare International Airport and west to the new Outer Beltway that is similar to a project in the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s Regional Transportation Plan.
– Illiana Corridor: A 40.5-mile, $2.6 billion extension of the southern end of I-355, connecting Chicago with the state of Indiana.
– Arterial Queue Jumpers: A $3.5 billion initiative to build more than 50 queue jumpers, special overpasses and tunnels that allow cars and buses to bypass traffic signals at major arterial intersections.
– Bus Rapid Transit Network: A system of bus routes that would utilize the new toll lanes network to provide express bus service to key locations.
– Kennedy Tunnel: A 9.8-mile, $6.4 billion tunnel paralleling the Kennedy Expressway that would provide a fast alternative to I-90/I-94.
– Eisenhower Tunnel: A 7.3-mile, $4.8 billion tunnel paralleling the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) to alleviate one of the nation’s biggest bottlenecks on the Eisenhower between exits 13 and 17.
“Chicago’s population is going to continue to grow. And the current long-range plans acknowledge that traffic congestion will continue to worsen and take billions more out of the region’s economy,” Staley said. “The Reason Foundation plan will reduce congestion, shorten travel times and provide workers and businesses with options and flexibility that save time and money.”
The full study is online here:
http://reason.org/studies/show/chicago-mobility-reduce-congestion
http://reason.org/files/chicago_transportation_plan.pdf
Reason Foundation’s transportation research is here: http://reason.org/areas/topic/transportation
Printer Friendly Version
Email This Story
RSS
Highways: Related News
7/20/2012 – East St. Louis Ramp from I-64 to I-55/70 to Close for Six Months
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that the ramp from westbound I-64 to eastbound I-55/70 in East St. Louis will be closed to all traffic beginning Monday, July 23, 2012, weather permitting. …
More
7/20/2012 – Reason Foundation Plan Would Fix Chicago Infrastructure Through Toll Roads
A new study from the Reason Foundation finds Chicago has severely underinvested in expressways and urges the region to embark on an ambitious long-term road-building plan paid for entirely by tolls. It’s a financing method that doesn’t sit well with some Illinois truckers, while others say avoiding Chicago’s notorious congestion might be worth it….
More
7/19/2012 – Public Speaks Out Against Privatizing Ohio Turnpike at Hearing
The first public hearing on privatizing the 241-mile Ohio Turnpike displayed the public’s disapproval of the plan, reports the Cleveland Plain Dealer….
More
7/19/2012 – NY Group Calls for Delay in Toll Increases
Unshackle Upstate, a taxpayer advocacy organization, wants the New York State Thruway Authority to conduct an audit before it goes through with a proposed 45% increase for trucks with three or more axles….
More
7/13/2012 – Bomb Threat Shuts Down Detroit-Windsor Tunnel
UPDATED: A bomb threat closed the tunnel between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit for several hours Thursday, causing traffic backups as drivers on both sides of the border were rerouted, …
More
7/12/2012 – Zero-Emission Trucks Could be Part of I-710 Zero-Emission Corridor
Zero-emission trucks, such as hybrid-electric trucks receiving power along major roadways (similar to light-rail trains and buses in some cities), could be in demonstration in the next few years and eventually be part of a zero-emission corridor along the busy I-710 Freeway leaving the Ports of Los Angeles, according to a recent study. …
More
7/6/2012 – President Signs Highway Bill
President Obama signed the long-awaited highway bill into law at the White House this afternoon. The bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, or MAP-21, funds transportation programs through September 2014….
More
7/5/2012 – Caltrans Proposes Truck-Only Expressway on I-710
In its proposal for improvements to Interstate 710 in Los Angeles County between Ocean Boulevard and State Route 60, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is looking at a provision of a separate four-lane freight corridor to be used by conventional or zero-emission trucks….
More
6/28/2012 – Bay Area Toll Hike to Take Effect Sunday
Drivers in the San Francisco Bay Area will be paying more for tolls starting Sunday, July 1. Tolls are increasing on all seven state-owned oll bridges in the area for big trucks, recreational vehicles and cars towing trailers, reports the Mercury News….
More
6/27/2012 – Tentative Agreement Reached on Highway Bill
Two controversial provisions have been dropped from the highway reauthorization bill as lawmakers reached a tentative agreement on a two-year measure, according to published reports….
More
6/26/2012 – Ambassador Bridge Owner Promotes Opposition to Detroit-Windsor Bridge
Opposition is already ramping up to the second border-crossing bridge planned to link Detroit, Mich., with Windsor, Ontario, Canada….
More
6/26/2012 – Debby Closes Part of I-10 in Florida
The Florida Highway Patrol closed parts of Interstate 10 in north Florida this morning due to flooding as Tropical Storm Debby continues to drench the state with rain….
More
6/25/2012 – Washington State Says Weigh Station Innovations Saving Truckers Time
Technology allowed more than 1.1 million commercial vehicles to bypass weigh stations in Washington State last year, according to the Gray Notebook, the Washington State Department of Transportation’s quarterly performance report….
More
6/25/2012 – DOT Announces TIGER Grants
The Department of Transportation announced that 47 transportation projects in 34 states and the District of Columbia will receive a total of almost $500 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) 2012 program….
More
6/21/2012 – Tolls to Be Part of Two Major Bridge Projects
The Federal Highway Administration yesterday announced decisions that allow two major bridge projects to move forward, one on I-95 between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the other on I-65 between Kentucky and Indiana — and both projects involved tolls….
More
6/20/2012 – Infographic Sheds Light on U.S. Infrastructure
With the current highway bill set to expire on June 30, time is running out for Congress to extend federal funding for U.S. transportation infrastructure. Through a new infographic and progress report, the Council on Foreign Relations is reminding the public exactly where the U.S stands in regard to infrastructure….
More
6/20/2012 – Florida Adding Toll Lanes to Highways
Expect more tolls on Florida highways….
More
6/20/2012 – Oregon DOT: 242 is Not a Truck Route
The Oregon Department of Transportation wants to remind commercial drivers that Oregon 242 is not a truck route….
More
6/18/2012 – Bridge Deal Reached for New Windsor-Detroit Border Crossing
An agreement has finally been reached on a $4 billion project to build a second bridge linking Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Mich. to take pressure off the crowded Ambassador Bridge border crossing, the busiest trade crossing on the U.S.-Canada border….
More
6/18/2012 – Some Rural Arkansas Highways Getting Higher Speed Limits
The Arkansas Highway Commission authorized the state Highway and Transportation Department to raise speed limits on certain rural highways. A recent analysis of rural four- and five-lane highways recommended that speed limits on a number of highways be raised from 55 mph to 60 mph….
More
6/15/2012 – Part of Kentucky’s I-24 Restricted to One Lane
Traffic will be restricted to one lane on Kentucky’s Interstate 24 westbound at the I-69/Western Kentucky Parkway Interchange in Lyon County. This work zone is expected to be in place for about two months….
More
6/13/2012 – Second Bridge Planned for Detroit-Canada Link
It’s looking like officials are closer to building a second bridge to link Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, lightening traffic at one of the most congested U.S.-Canadian border crossings. The new span would be downriver from the 83-year-old Ambassador Bridge….
More
6/12/2012 – Colorado Initiative Will Put Real-Time Highway Video in Truckstops
Many truckstops in Colorado will soon be equipped with a tool offering real-time information relating to roadway, weather and traffic conditions on key highways in the state. The program is a cooperative effort involving Walmart, local truckstops, the Colorado Motor Carriers Association and the Colorado Department of Transportation….
More
6/12/2012 – 85-mph Speed Limits Possibility in Texas
Texas could be the first U.S. road to post an 85-mph speed limit,…
More
6/11/2012 – Part of Missouri’s U.S. 54 to Close for Eight Weeks
U.S. Highway 54 between Louisiana, Mo., and Bowling Green, Mo., will close on June 18 for a two-month project as two bridges on the route are replaced. …
More
6/7/2012 – Maryland I-895 Summer Bridge Work to Cause Major Delays
The Maryland Transportation authority is warning drivers that a repair project on the I-895 “K-truss” bridge over CSX Transportation, between Exit 8 and Exit 7, south of the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel toll plaza, will cause major delays this summer….
More
6/5/2012 – MD 295 Construction Will Cause Nighttime Closures
The nighttime resurfacing of MD 295 (Baltimore-Washington Parkway) north of I-695 and the Baltimore City line will continue through mid-June, causing some delays and lane closures, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration. MSHA says drivers should consider using I-95 US 1 or MD 2…
More
6/5/2012 – Potomac River’s Woodrow Wilson Bridge Maintenance to Cause Lane Closures
As part of the regularly scheduled review and maintenance cycle, crews will inspect the I-95/I-495 Woodrow Wilson Bridge over the Potomac River beginning this week and continuing through fall. Crews will periodically close one traffic lane during off-peak hours Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. …
More
6/1/2012 – NY Thruway Association Proposes 45% Toll Hike for Trucks
The New York State Thruway Authority is eyeing toll increases of 45% for commercial vehicles with more than three axles, and the hike could be implemented as soon as September 30, reports the Associated Press. NYSTA is currently seeking public input on the increase….
More
5/31/2012 – Connecting Vehicles to Cut Congestion, Improve Safety
Congress is not going to vote for reinvestment in highway infrastructure any time soon, so the next best thing is to get more out of what already is there, says Xerox chairman and CEO Ursula Burns….
More
5/29/2012 – California I-5 Projects to Cause Northbound Freeway Closure Tonight
Improvements to California’s I-5 corridor will cause closures, including the full closure of northbound I-5 between Valley View Avenue and Carmenita Road tonight beginning at 11:59 p.m. and continuing until 5 a.m. tomorrow, says the California Department of Transportation….
More
5/24/2012 – I-70 Bridge to Detour Drivers During Summer and Next Year
For 12 months starting in November and for several weekends this summer, construction on Interstate 70’s Blanchette Bridge over the Missouri River, between St. Louis and St. Charles, Mo., at mile marker 230, will detour westbound I-70 traffic. …
More
5/23/2012 – Inrix: Traffic Congestion Drops 30%
The U.S. experienced a 30% drop in traffic congestion in 2011, according to Inrix’s annual Traffic Scorecard. Seventy of America’s top 100 most populated cities showed decreases in traffic last year as well….
More
5/22/2012 – Survey: Americans Value Infrastructure in Upcoming Election
Two-thirds of Americans who intend to vote during this year’s presidential election feel that a candidate’s standing on American transportation infrastructure will influence their decision, according to the America Thinks national highway survey from HNTB Corp., an infrastructure firm serving public and private owners and contractors….
More
5/22/2012 – I-75 One Lane in Each Direction After Massive Landslide
The Tennessee Department of Transportation has reopened one lane for southbound travel on I-75 in Campbell County. One lane remains open for northbound travelers as work continued to repair a massive landslide continues at Mile Marker 143….
More
5/18/2012 – NATO Event Likely to Cause Traffic Delays in Chicago This Weekend
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is hosting its 25th summit in Chicago this weekend, which will mean road closures and parking restrictions downtown as well as traffic delays and temporary road closures on major streets and Interstate highways….
More
5/15/2012 – Boston Announces Daytime Hazmat Ban
The Massachusetts transportation department announced a ban on trucks carrying hazardous materials through Boston between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., a move that trucking interests say could worsen safety, not improve it….
More
5/9/2012 – Platt Bridge Detours in Place in Southwest Philadelphia
Commercial trucks over 14,000 pounds and vehicles with a placarded amount of hazardous materials will be prohibited from traveling on the George C. Platt Memorial Bridge (Route 291) over the Schuylkill River in Southwest Philadelphia for two years as of Monday, May 7 at 9 a.m….
More
5/9/2012 – Three States Get $20 Million in Emergency Transportation Funding
Oregon, Alabama and South Carolina will receive a shared $20 million in federal funds to help cover the costs of repairing roads and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events….
More
5/4/2012 – New I-85 Yadkin River Bridge to Open Saturday in N.C.
The new I-85 North bridge over the Yadkin River near Salisbury, N.C., will open to traffic for the first time early Saturday morning….
More
5/3/2012 – Section of I-24 Closed in Nashville This Weekend
Tennessee Department of Transportation contract crews will close a 3-mile section of I-24 near downtown Nashville this weekend and more throughout the summer as the state replaces two aging bridges….
More
5/2/2012 – Bay Area Multi-Axle Vehicle Tolls to Rise July 1
California’s Bay Area Toll Authority is reminding drivers of big-rig trucks, cars, trucks hauling trailers and any other vehicles or combinations with more than two axles, that the second step in the two-phase toll increase approved in 2010 for multi-axle vehicles on Bay Area toll bridges takes effect July 1….
More
5/1/2012 – Oklahoma Creates Fund for New Ports of Entry
Last week, by a vote of 65-17, the Oklahoma House passed legislation that will fund nine new Port of Entry weigh and inspection stations in the state, reports The Oklahoman.
The measure creates a fund handled by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission from money redirected from the Higher Education Facilities Fund’s fuel tax revenue. The new fund will receive $500,000 a month until it reaches $51 million, which will take more than eight years, says The Oklahoman….
More
4/30/2012 – Watch for Highway Restrictions During Chicago NATO Summit
The Illinois DOT says during the NATO Summit in Chicago May 20-21, it’s best to avoid the city, especially downtown and South Loop, during that week. It’s also placing certain restrictions (with no permit loads) on oversize and overweight loads….
More
4/24/2012 – Missouri’s I-70 Toll Proposal Stalls
The controversial plan to turn part of Missouri’s Interstate 70 into a toll road has stalled for the session in the Missouri Legislature, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The bill, Senate Bill 752, introduced by State Sen. Mike Kehoe, R-Jefferson City, would implement tolls though a public-private partnership to make badly needed repairs on a 200-mile stretch of I-70 through the middle of Missouri. …
More
4/23/2012 – Rhode Island DOT Lifts Weight Limit on I-95 in Pawtucket
The Rhode Island Department of Transportation opened the first span of the new Pawtucket River Bridge to traffic on I-95 North. The opening of this structure will allow RIDOT to lift the northbound 18-ton weight limit…
More
4/16/2012 – Part of California’s Santa Ana Freeway/I-5 to Close on April 17
The northbound and southbound Santa Ana Freeway (Interstate 5) between Valley View Avenue and Carmenita Road will be fully closed the night of April 17 from 11:45 p.m. to 4 a.m. …
More
4/12/2012 – Missouri DOT Launches Big Trucks Campaign
The Missouri Department of Transportation is asking motorists to drive more safely around trucks — and for truck drivers to slow down and pay attention — with its new Big Trucks Campaign….
More
4/11/2012 – Expect Delays on I-20/59 near Birmingham, Ala.
Month-long work started Monday on all lanes of I-20/59 North in Bessemer, Ala., diverting nearly 50,000 vehicles that travel those lanes daily, reports The Birmingham News….
More
4/4/2012 – $62 Million Allocated for Repairs to Damaged U.S. Roads and Bridges
The U.S. Department of Transportation will pay nearly $62 million for seven states to help cover the costs of repairing roads and bridges damaged by natural disasters and catastrophic events….
More
4/2/2012 – Louisville Construction Projects Causes Truck Detours
A barrier replacement project on I-65 in Louisville, Ky. will close the left lanes of the roadway. Trucks will be required to detour the area to minimize congestion….
More
4/2/2012 – FET Repeal Bill Introduced in U.S. House
Legislation to repeal the 12% federal excise tax on truck and trailer purchases and replace it with an increase in the diesel fuel tax has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives….
More
4/2/2012 – Connecticut DOT Studies I-95 Tools, Looking at Congestion Pricing
The Connecticut Department of Transportation will look into the possibility of adding a “value priced” toll to I-95 between Greenwich and New Haven in a effort to relieve congestion on the highway….
More
3/28/2012 – Lane Reduction on I-57 Northbound in Illinois Starts March 29
Interstate 57 northbound from from Mile Marker 93 to Mile Marker 96 in Illinois’ Jefferson County will be reduced to one lane starting Thurs. March 29 through Nov. 1….
More
3/19/2012 – DOT Says U.S. Needs $101 billion a Year to Maintain Infrastructure
A new report from the Department of Transportation projects that the U.S. needs $101 billion annually plus increases for inflation during the next 20 years from all levels of government to maintain the nation’s highway and transit systems….
More
3/12/2012 – I-75 South Closed in NE Tennessee for About Two Weeks
The Tennessee Department of Transportation has closed both lanes of Interstate 75 South in Campbell County in northeast Tennessee on the Kentucky border, due the collapse of a section of embankment….
More
3/9/2012 – Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Completes All-Electric Toll Study
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is considering converting to a cashless, all-electronic toll collection system due to advantages such as enhanced safety, a cleaner environment, reduced travel time and reduced operating costs….
More
3/7/2012 – Work Starts on I-69 Upgrades to Former Western Kentucky Parkway
A contractor for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet started installing new Interstate 69 signage along the former Western Kentucky Parkway between Eddyville, Ky., and the Pennyrile Parkway interchange near Madisonville, Ky….
More
2/23/2012 – Truck Detours Planned in Western North Dakota Oil Cities
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple announced plans to detour heavy traffic around several cities in the state’s western oil patch. …
More
2/21/2012 – I-64 Sherman Minton Bridge Reopens to Traffic
The I-64 Sherman Minton Bridge over the Ohio River between Southern Indiana and Louisville has reopened to traffic, says the Indiana Department of Transportation….
More
2/20/2012 – FHWA Chooses Third State in Interstate Tolling Program
The Federal Highway Administration has chosen North Carolina as the last of three states eligible to place tolls on interstates under a federal pilot program, joining Virginia and Missouri….
More
2/15/2012 – Kentucky to Adopt PrePass Technology
Kentucky will adopt PrePass truck technology, which allows participating transponder-equipped commercial vehicles to bypass designated weigh stations, port-of-entry facilities and agricultural interdiction facilities….
More
2/9/2012 – Pilot Flying J Acquires Inver Grove Heights, Minn., Truck Stop
Pilot Flying J acquired the Olsons Truck Stop in Inver Grove Heights, Minn., and will remodel the travel center with full amenities….
More
2/9/2012 – Seven Feathers Truck Travel Center Opens 87-Space Truck Parking Lot
Seven Feathers Truck Travel Center in southern Oregon opened a new 87-space parking area designed for long-haul commercial carriers on the I-5 corridor….
More
2/7/2012 – North Dakota Seasonal Highway Load Restrictions Begin Feb. 8
The North Dakota Department of Transportation will place seasonal load restrictions on highways in southwestern North Dakota beginning Feb. 8. at 7 a.m. CST….
More
2/1/2012 – Rock Slide Closes Westbound I-40 For Weeks In North Carolina
A rock slide near Exit 451 on I-40 West closed the road near US 276, Exit 20, West of Asheville, N.C., in Haywood County near the Tennessee state line….
More
1/27/2012 – Portions of Texas Interstate Highways to see Speed Limit Increase
Miles of Texas highway will soon see speed limit increases after the Texas Transportation Commission action approved 75 mph designations for almost 1,500 miles of interstate….
More
1/25/2012 – NATSO Urges Missouri Lawmakers Not to Toll I-70
After news broke that Missouri might toll I-70, which runs east and west through the middle of the state, to fund repairs, the truckstop association NATSO urged Missouri lawmakers to oppose the proposal….
More