IL Tollway Awards Nearly $20.2 Million in Construction and Engineering Contracts in December

More than $5.4 billion invested since start of Move Illinois Program

DOWNERS GROVE, IL, December 21, 2017 — The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors today approved five construction contracts and three professional engineering service contracts totaling nearly $20.2 million at its December meeting. In all, nearly $936.5 million in contracts have been approved by the Tollway Board in 2017.

In 2017, the Tollway has awarded 86 contracts to 78 unique construction and professional engineering service firms providing opportunities for diverse firms varying in size and levels of experience. These firms have worked to keep the Tollway system in good repair and have also enhanced service for Tollway customers including delivering the new SmartRoad on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) and opening the new Illinois Route 390 Tollway.

“As we complete the sixth year of Move Illinois, our success is twofold,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Greg Bedalov. “We are improving travel for our customers with new roads and enhanced access, and at the same time, we are a driving force for increasing economic development opportunities in the diverse communities we serve.”

The contract awards also mark the final Board action for the sixth year of the Tollway’s 15-year, $14 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future. Overall, more than $5.4 billion has been invested by the Tollway since the Move Illinois Program began in 2012, with more than $1.5 billion of that total committed to small, diverse and veteran-owned firms. Of the 1,275 firms participating on contracts during Move Illinois, 815 are working with the Tollway for the first time. In addition, the capital program has created or sustained an estimated 56,300 total jobs as of November 2017.

December construction contracts awarded include:

  • A $6.7 million contract to Lorig Construction Co., Des Plaines, IL, for pavement and bridge repairs on the Tri-State Tollway (I-94) between Russell Road and Half Day Road.
  • A $4.3 million contract to F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates, Chicago, IL, for pavement and structural preservation on the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) between I-80 to I-55.
  • A $1.4 million contract to Pagoda Electric & Construction, Flossmoor, IL, for camera enhancements systemwide.
  • An $827,000 contract to Allied Landscaping Corp., Joliet, IL, for landscape improvements on the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355).
  • An $823,000 contract to Natural Creations Landscaping, Joliet, IL, for bioswale improvements on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90).

December professional engineering services contract awards include:

  • A $3.8 million contract to Collins Engineers, Chicago, IL, for construction management services for the roadway and bridge preservation and rehabilitation on the Tri-State Tollway (I-94) between Russell Road and Lake Cook Road.
  • A $1.5 million contract to Bloom Companies, Chicago, IL, for design services for roadway and bridge preservation and rehabilitation on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) between Washington Street and York Road.
  • A $734,000 contract to DAMA Consultants, Chicago, IL, for construction management services for pavement preservation on the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355).

The contracts approved today include two prime consultants, eight subconsultants, two prime contractors and 13 subcontractors that are certified as disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprise (D/M/WBE) firms and one prime consultant, two subconsultants, as well as three subcontractors that are certified veteran-owned firms. Commitments for D/M/WBE participation range from 22 percent to 84 percent per contract and commitments for veteran participation range from two to 53 percent per contract.

Illinois Tollway professional engineering services contracts are selected in accordance with the qualifications-based selection process (Illinois Public Act 87-673 (30 ILCS 535/1-535/80) Architectural, Engineering and Land Surveying Qualifications-Based Selection Act), which requires state agencies to select professional architects, engineers and surveyors on the basis of demonstrated competence and professional qualifications, rather than low bid. Contract services staff from the Engineering Department checks statements of interest to ensure that specified pre-qualifications and documentation requirements are met. Tollway engineers and managers then review and score[ ] statements of interest based on the advertised selection criteria service. Tollway Diversity Department staff also reviews the statements of interest for compliance with advertised diversity criteria. Executives from the Engineering Department then review the scoring, as well as each firm’s capacity, and identify the top recommended firms per project. To complete the selection, a committee of Tollway professionals and independent engineering officials considers the top recommended firms and finalizes the top three firms in ranked order. The Tollway then seeks to negotiate a final contract price with the top-ranked firm. The award of a professional engineering services contract is dependent on approval by the Tollway Board of Directors.

Construction contracts for Illinois Tollway projects are competitively bid under the rules of the Illinois Procurement Code. As part of the process, contractors’ bid submissions for construction work advertised by the Tollway are opened and read aloud during public bid opening meetings, which are also broadcast live on the Tollway’s website. Following an agency review process, the lowest, responsible and responsive bid is presented to the Illinois Tollway Board of Directors for review and approval.

The Illinois Tollway provides detailed information about current Tollway construction contracts through the Construction Contract Tracker on the Tollway’s website at illinoistollway.com. Contractors and consultants can also access resources online to help them learn about how to do business with the Tollway, including construction bid-letting schedules, professional service bulletins, manuals and construction bid calendars. These resources can be found in the “Doing Business” section of the Tollway’s website. [Link inserted.]

About Move Illinois

The Illinois Tollway’s 15-year, $14 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future, is improving mobility, relieving congestion, reducing pollution, creating as many as 120,000 jobs and linking economies throughout the region. The first five years of Move Illinois are on schedule and within budget, delivering the rebuilt and widened Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) as a state-of-the-art 21st century corridor and opening a new interchange connecting the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to I-57. Progress continues on projects addressing the remaining needs of the existing Tollway system, delivering the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project and planning for emerging projects, including reconstruction of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294).

About the Illinois Tollway

The Illinois Tollway is a user-fee system that receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and operations. The agency maintains and operates 294 miles of interstate tollways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80) and the Illinois Route 390 Tollway.

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CONTACT:

Dan Rozek