Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13th) today released the funding requests she is submitting for inclusion in the upcoming reauthorization of federal transportation programs.  The requests include funding for public trails, roads, transportation-related research at Argonne, and several projects that will help to mitigate the impact of increased freight traffic along the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Rail Line (EJ&E).  Traditionally, Congress reauthorizes these programs every six years, with most of the funding coming from the federal gasoline taxes motorists pay at the pump.
 
           “My staff and I work closely with our county, local and state officials to find the infrastructure projects that are top priorities for communities in our district,” said Biggert.  “I know that some of these requests are long shots, but I’m pleased to have this opportunity to support local road and infrastructure improvements that will reduce congestion, improve our roadways, and create jobs.”
 
           Biggert’s transportation requests include:
 
1.  Transportation Research and Analysis Computing Center at Argonne National Laboratory
Recipient: Illinois Department of Transportation (DOT)
Description: The funded activity supports state-of-the-art high performance computing (HPC) functions to the U.S. DOT and affiliated organization teams performing research, development and analysis in topics including crash worthiness of vehicles and roadside hardware, traffic congestion, evacuation planning, road and bridge design and analysis.
Requested Amount: $10,000,000
 
2.  The Veterans Memorial Trail
Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: The Veterans Memorial Trail is a 15-mile bicycle trail being developed along the Veterans Memorial Tollway which will connect existing trail systems in three counties and provide a vital link across the Des Plaines River Valley. This proposed 10.75 mile phase of the project will construct the trail along 135th Street from the Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville east to the Tollway corridor and then south to US Route 6 in New Lenox. A segment of trail will also be constructed between 127th Street and 135th Street.
Request amount: $5,000,000
 
3.  Metra’s STAR Line
Recipient: Metra
Description: Authorization is sought for preliminary engineering of the STAR Line in Northeastern Illinois. The STAR Line creates a long-needed alternative to the automobile for nearly 1.2 million employees who commute to work in area businesses. It provides a premium transit option for the nearly 1.6 million residents who today live in an area that chronically is congested with highway traffic. By linking nearly 100 communities in the southwest, west, and northwest suburban regions of Northeast Illinois, the STAR Line fills a critical void for inter-suburban commuter rail service that will complement Metra’s high-performing suburb-to-city model. Specifically, the STAR line will extend from O'Hare Airport to Prairie Stone in Hoffman Estates along the I-90 corridor and then south to Joliet along the Canadian National (CN)/Elgin, Joliet and Eastern (EJ&E) tracks. The route will be 55 miles in total length from O’Hare to Joliet, and include stops in communities such as Naperville, Aurora, Plainfield, and Crest Hill.
Request amount: N/A, this is an authorization request
 
4.  Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: Funding will be used to design, permit, and construct a new Metra Station and parking lot at 135th street and New Avenue in the Village of Romeoville.  The location of the new station will allow residents of Romeoville and the nearby communities of Lemont, Lockport, Homer Township, and Plainfield convenient access to Metra's rail system.
Request amount: $2,000,000
 
5.  Oak Street Bridge
Recipient: Village of Hinsdale
Description: The Oak Street Bridge is a 110-feet long, single-lane, 5-ton capacity bridge located on North Oak Street between Hill Grove Street and Chicago Avenue. The bridge spans the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) rail road right of way immediately west of the Highland Avenue train station. The Village of Hinsdale is proposing to improve the bridge to a two-lane bridge with the capacity to carry heavy emergency vehicles (fire trucks).  Funding will be used for a Phase 1 investigation to determine the feasibility and alternatives, environmental investigations as necessary, acquisition of right-of-way, design, construction, and construction management of the bridge, future improvements, and its approaches.
Request amount: $700,000
 
6.  Metra Rail Bridge
Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: Funds will be used to construct an improved Metra rail bridge at 14000 S. LaGrange Road in Orland Park.  Widening will decrease the heavy traffic back-ups throughout the corridor. It is the primary access to I-55 for people commuting to Chicago and to I-80 for east-west travel. This southwest suburban area is currently underserved in terms of north-south roadway capacity. The nearest major north-south road west of Orland Park is IL Route 53 which is about 11 miles away.
Request amount: $5,000,000
 
7.  75th Street Improvements
Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: Funds will be used to widen and resurface 75th Street from Woodward Ave to Lyman Avenue in order to reduce congestion and better serve local and regional travel demands between I-355 and IL 83.  The project will provide for 3-through lanes in each direction, intersection improvements, signal modernization, and the construction of a bike path.
Request amount: $5,000,000
 
8.  Webber Road Capacity Improvements
Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: Funds will be used for design, engineering, right-of-way acquisition, construction, construction engineering for County Highway 88 (Weber Road) from 135th Street to 119th Street including expanding the capacity of the interchange with Interstate 55.  The congested Weber Road corridor runs in a north-south direction through the communities of Crest Hill, Romeoville, and Bolingbrook within the northern portion of Will County. 
Request amount: $4,000,000
 
9.  Route 59 Lane Expansion
Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: Funds will be used for design engineering for lane expansion and additional turn lanes on Illinois Route 59 from Aurora Avenue/New York Street to Interstate 88.  The purpose of this proposed project is to improve safety and increase mobility along Illinois Route 59 from Aurora Avenue/New York Street to Interstate 88 (I-88). The proposed improvement is anticipated to reduce traffic congestion, travel times and crashes. In addition to serving the motoring public, the proposed improvement would also help to meet the existing and future needs of the adjacent communities while minimizing social, economic and environmental impacts.
Request amount: $5,000,000
 
10.  Airport Road and IL 126 Interchange
Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: Funding will be used for preliminary engineering and environmental design for a proposed new interchange at Airport Rd and IL 126.  The Village of Bolingbrook has been investigating the possibility of completing the new interchange since 1998.
Request amount: $1,500,000
 
11.  Widening and Resurfacing IL-7/9th Street
Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: Funds will be used to widen and resurface IL-7/9th Street between Madison Street and 7th Street, approximately 1500 feet of widening between 7th Street and Read Street, and approximately 900 feet of widening between Read Street and Thornton Street to improve traffic flow, improve access to commercial businesses, and prevent accidents.
Request amount: $1,000,000

EJ&E Mitigation-Related Projects

12.  Extension of 143rd St.
Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: The project includes the construction of a new road and bridge from Illinois Route 59 to Illinois 126. This project will cross the DuPage River via a new bridge and Naperville Plainfield Road. It includes two new traffic signals at (future) 143rd Street and Illinois 126 and (future) 143rd Street and Naperville/Plainfield Road and traffic signal reconfiguration work at (future) 143rd Street and Route 59. The new roadway will be a four lane (two east bound and two west bound lanes) with a median. The project also includes ROW acquisition, curb and gutter improvements, storm sewer improvements, coordination with ComEd and other utilities, coordination with the Plainfield Park District, construction and construction engineering costs.
Request amount: $20,000,000
 
13.  143rd Street Grade Separation
Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: Funds will be used to plan, engineer, design, conduct environmental review, acquire right-of-way, conduct alternatives analysis and construction for a grade separated crossing at 143rd Street and the CN Railroad in the Village of Plainfield between Route 59 and Route 30. It will impact two existing traffic signals and also the intersection of 143rd Street and VanDyke Road. The new roadway will be a minimum of four lanes (two east bound and two west bound lanes) with a median. The project also includes curb and gutter improvements, storm sewer improvements, and coordination with ComEd and other utilities.
Request amount: $28,000,000
 
14.  North Aurora Road Underpass
Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: The purpose of this proposed project is to design an enhanced North Aurora Road Underpass to increase the vertical clearance at the railroad underpass, construct a pump station to eliminate frequent roadway flooding, eliminate the merging conflict that creates congestion and delays by adding a second lane in each direction, and create non-vehicular mobility by adding sidewalks and bikeways. The improvements will serve the motoring public, and Metra commuters by improving access to the Route 59 Train Station. The proposed improvement would also help to meet the existing and future needs of the adjacent communities while minimizing social, economic and environmental impacts.
Request amount: $1,200,000
 
15.  Recipient: Illinois DOT
Description: Funding will be used for design engineering to improve the North Aurora Road in Naperville, IL by adding a second lane in each direction, and create non-vehicular mobility by adding sidewalks and bikeways.  The project will eliminate the merging conflict that creates congestion and delays, and improvements will serve the motoring public, and Metra commuters by improving access to the Route 59 Train Station.
Request amount: $400,000

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