Over the next six years, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) plans to spend nearly $41b in federal, state, and local funds on repairing and upgrading roads, bridges, runaways, waterways, rail lines, and other infrastructure projects throughout the state.

This funding is part of the 2019 Rebuild Illinois capital infrastructure program. Governor JB Pritzker said that is the largest multiyear plan in the state’s history.

The initial six-year plan received $33.2 billion for transportation projects largely financed by annualized increases in the state's motor fuel tax and fees for driving licenses that started in 2020.

IDOT has improved 5,339 miles of roads, 533 bridges, and 762 other safety features across the state as part of the Rebuild Illinois program, which has been going on for four years.

"Over the next six years, we're investing over $40 billion to improve all modes of transportation across our great state," said Gov. Pritzker. "And that means better roads and bridges, modernized transit and aviation, and expanded and faster passenger rail service. It even extends to improved river ports, new sewers and water infrastructure and a huge upgrade to bicycle and pedestrian accommodations."

According to state senator Erica Harriss, R-Glen Carbon, over $1.3b in projects are scheduled for her 56th Senate District through the six-year plan. 

The proposed plan includes funding $101.9 million to the I-270 area for interchange reconstruction, pavement, and bridge replacement. Along with this, lanes and bridge superstructure work are added from the Chain of Rocks Canal to St. Thomas Road in Granite City. 

$28.4m will be granted to Illinois 162/157 area for intersection relocation and reconstruction and bridge replacement at Illinois 157. Additionally, $64.8m will be given to the I-64 area for 13.7 miles of 

The Road and Bridge construction will receive over half of the $27b state budget, including $4.6b in the present fiscal year. The fund will go into repairing and reconstructing 2,866 miles of roadway, 9.8 million square feet of bridge deck, and an additional 738 miles of road and 1.1 million square feet of bridge deck managed by local governments.

A part of I-90 in Cook County will be rebuilt and improved, costing $611.5m, which will also increase access to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago and improve safety. In addition, the plan includes investing $135.1m to widen portions of the U.S. Highway 24 to four lanes in the counties of Peoria and Fulton, $156m for bridge replacement over the Mississippi River in Quincy, and $116m for bridge replacement over the Ohio River in Cairo.

Additionally, the multiyear plan allots $13.96b for other transportation modes, including $9.85b for transit networks, $2.67b for freight and passenger rail, $1.25b for aviation projects, and $190m for waterways and ports.

The money allocated for the current fiscal year is a 25% increase over the last fiscal year, according to Transportation Secretary Omer Osman, while the plan represents a 10% increase over the initial multiyear plan.

The Rebuild Illinois program is intended to achieve more than just improving transportation efficiency and safety. The initiative will support thousands of high-paying jobs in engineering, construction, and other industries.