The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors has approved $41.2 million in construction contracts for January, marking the start of a busy 2026 season within its $1.26 billion capital spending plan. These awards also represent the 15th year of the 16-year, $15 billion Move Illinois Program and the second year of the seven-year, $2 billion Bridging the Future Plan.
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The contracts support a wide range of systemwide improvements, including roadway reconstruction, bridge repairs, landscaping, and new tollway initiatives across the state.
“We are looking forward to a busy construction season on the Illinois Tollway in 2026, committing $1.26 billion to keep delivering infrastructure improvements that will enhance mobility and improve service to customers,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse.
“These dollars translate into repairs and upgrades systemwide, as well as continued progress on the new I-490 Tollway and reconstruction of key segments of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294).”
Since the inception of the Move Illinois program in 2012, the Tollway has invested nearly $12.1 billion in infrastructure, including over $3.2 billion dedicated to small, diverse, and veteran-owned firms. The program has helped create or sustain an estimated 149,280 jobs as of December 2025.
The contracts involve nine certified disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprise (D/M/WBE) firms and two certified veteran-owned firms, with participation commitments of 32.01% for D/M/WBE and 1.62% for veteran-owned businesses.
All Illinois Tollway construction contracts are competitively bid under the Illinois Procurement Code and presented to the Board of Directors for approval. Public meetings, bid openings, and detailed information on ongoing construction and engineering contracts are available on the Tollway’s website at www.illinoistollway.com.
Originally reported by Chicago Construction News.
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