Illinois

Illinois DOT is advertising two consultant projects to conduct planning and permitting studies to build the Illiana Expressway, planned as a new east-west route in both Illinois and Indiana on the southern and southeast fringe of the Chicago metro area.  The first job is described as a Prime Consultant and the second as a Project Manager Consultant, both to work on what they call a "Tiered Environmental Impact Statement" for the 60 mile, 100km long, approx

Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois was joined by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels today in signing legislation authorizing Illinois collaboration with Indiana to build the Illiana Expressway as one or more toll concessions or P3s. The new east-west pike to the south of, but parallel to I-80/94, is planned to go from I-55 in Will County southwest of Chicago through Peotone south of Chicago, across I-57 and eastward into Indiana to I-65.

Phil Pagano, 60, executive director of Metra the Chicago commuter rail decided this morning to die rather than face an inquiry into a $56k bonus he'd apparently granted himself last year. That bonus was in addition to his annual salary of $269k.

A selection committee has recommended Kristi Lafleur as the new executive director of the Illinois Tollway. Chairman of the Tollway board Paula Wolff said the selection committee was unanimous in favoring Lafleur as ED, out of five finalists for the position.

She is the first woman to be in charge of the Tollway and, at 35, must be one of the youngest.

The Illiana Expressway is being pushed in the Indiana legislature as private toll concession. Bills are moving in the Indiana state legislature to allow the expressway to proceed as a toll concession. The state senate bill SB382 has been approved by the transportation committee. A similar house bill HB1312 has yet to be voted.

Illinois State Toll Highway Administration (ISTHA locally known as the Illinois Tollway) announce the completion of what they call their systemwide Rebuild and Widen. They say Dec 19 will mark the opening of the last components of a huge $3 billion project in which they reconstructed and rehabilitated and widened some 120 miles (193km) of their 286 mile (460km) network of Chicago area tollroads.

Transtoll the Macquarie-owned toll systems company has lost Wendy Viellenave to HNTB and Steve Finn to TransCore from their North American office. Viellenave a veteran toll customer service and marketing person was with Transtoll for about two years and will join an HNTB toll operations group. Finn who was chief technology officer at Transtoll North America has gone back to TransCore and is working out of California.

One out of nineteen counts of the US indictment issued today against deposed Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich and his cronies relates to the Illinois Tollway. Count 18 alleges that Blagojevich and others attempted extortion using the Governor's perceived power over Tollway projects and contracts.

A statement explaining the count is headed "Attempted extortion of Highway Contractor" and reads:

Illinois' House of Representatives voted 114 to one Friday morning for impeachment of Gov Rod Blagojevich, putting the state's chief executive on trial for removal from office for corruption and other abuse of power. The full state Senate will now convene to act as judge and jury with 40 of the chamber's 59 members needed to convict and remove the governor from office.

Some extracts from sharp columnist Michelle Malkin in National Review on "The real housewives of Crook County":

"It’s old news to folks in Chicago, but the woman who masquerades as a sweet gubernatorial spouse dedicated to children’s advocacy is a cutthroat wheeler-dealer in heels who schemed with the gov to fire pesky editorial writers and get herself placed on paid corporate boards in exchange for naming the president-elect’s pick to the Senate.