Northwest Indiana Discussion

Illiana bill on Gov. Quinn's desk

Illinois governor now has 60 days to decide; he's expected to sign it

By Dan Carden - dan.carden@nwi.com, (317) 637-9078 | Posted: Saturday, June 5, 2010

INDIANAPOLIS | The end of the beginning of the Illiana Expressway is nearly at hand.

On Friday, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn formally received legislation allowing the proposed bistate highway to be built as a public-private partnership.

Quinn has 60 days to decide whether to sign Illinois Senate Bill 3659 into law. He is expected to do so.

The Illinois General Assembly approved the public-private partnership measure in early May. Gov. Mitch Daniels signed a similar Indiana proposal into law in March.

As both Illinois and Indiana lack state funds to build the proposed highway connecting Interstate 65 in south Lake County with Interstate 55 near Joliet, Ill., lawmakers in both states say a public-private partnership is the most feasible way to make the long-desired road a reality.

Under that system, each state would own the land underneath its portion of the highway while a private developer constructs and operates the road. The operator would be allowed to charge tolls for use of the highway.

A spokeswoman for Quinn said governor's office staffers are reviewing the legislation before the governor signs it.

Quinn endorsed a privately run expressway in a statement to The Times in February and told a Chicago Heights audience last November the highway would boost economic development.

Following legislative approval in Illinois, state Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Chicago Heights, suggested officials from both states meet on the state line for a signing ceremony.

Quinn's spokeswoman said no signing ceremony has been planned yet.

Once the measure is signed, Daniels said Indiana and Illinois should establish a bistate commission to begin the process of finding potential developers and operators for the Illiana Expressway.

Depending on the route selected, the project is estimated to cost $1 billion. Officials in both states predict thousands of permanent new jobs will be created due to the expressway.

First Illiana Expressway projects awarded to big engineering firms

Two internationally recognized consulting firms have been chosen to get the Illiana Expressway project off the ground.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has chosen PB Americas of New York to perform a tier 1 environmental impact study and Aecom Technical Services Inc. of Los Angeles to manage the study, which will lay out proposed corridors for the 50-mile road.

The Illiana Expressway would run from Interstate 65 near Crown Point to Interstate 55 near Joliet.

The selection was announced Thursday morning by IDOT, and members of the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission learned about it at their annual meeting the same day.

"This project has the support of the governor and the Legislature," said Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr., NIRPC's newly elected chairman. "Our job is to listen to people and then plan and do what we need to do as a regional body."

PB and Aecom have done work in Northwest Indiana. PB did a regional bus study two years ago for the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority. Aecom was selected last year as project manager for the $90 million expansion of Gary/Chicago International Airport.

IDOT requested proposals from consulting firms in November. Proposals were due back at the agency in mid-December.

The process used by IDOT was not a competitive bidding process in which the agency has to pick the lowest bidder, according to IDOT spokesman Josh Kaufmann. Instead, it solicited proposals from consultants. IDOT then used a broad range of scoring criteria for evaluating proposals and picking winners.

The tier 1 environmental impact study is supposed to be completed within one to two years of the firm receiving a notice to proceed. It carries an estimated $2 million price tag. The project manager job also carries an estimated $2 million price tag.

If the study yields favorable results, a more detailed tier 2 environmental impact study would need to be done before the road could be built. The projected length of time for completing the entire environmental impact study is three to five years.

Politicians say it will be at least 2017 before the roadway can be completed.

In June, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn met at the Lansing Municipal Airport to sign a memorandum of understanding, committing both states to working together on the Illiana Expressway.

Quinn also signed the Illiana Expressway Act, allowing the road to be built as a public-private partnership. Daniels previously had signed similar legislation.

Illiana Expressway study starts

Illiana Expressway public meetings

5 p.m. to 8 p.m., on June 21, at the Matteson Hotel Conference Center at the Holiday Inn, Matteson, Ill.

5 p.m. to 8 p.m., June 22, Crown Point High School, Crown Point.

For more informaton go on the Web to www.illianacorridor.org