Nearly $5.7 billion invested since start of Move Illinois Program
DOWNERS GROVE, IL, March 29, 2018 — The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors today approved eight construction contracts totaling $83.3 million at its March meeting. Nearly $257.5 million in construction contracts have been approved by the Tollway Board in 2018, as part of the seventh year of the Tollway’s 15-year, $14 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.
“The Illinois Tollway is consistently investing in timely repairs and maintenance on ramps, bridges and roadways throughout its 294-mile system to serve our customers,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Liz Gorman. “Move Illinois projects provide opportunities for construction firms of all sizes and supporting good jobs that will keep our hard-working men and women busy this construction season.”
The contracts approved today include, two prime contractors and 28 subcontractors that are certified as disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprise (D/M/WBE) firms and three subcontractors that are certified veteran-owned firms. Commitments for D/M/WBE participation range from 22 to 26 percent per contract and commitments for veteran participation range from one to six percent per contract.
To date, nearly $5.7 billion has been invested by the Illinois Tollway since the Move Illinois Program began in 2012, with more than $1.6 billion of that total committed to small, diverse and veteran-owned firms. In addition, the capital program has created or sustained an estimated 57,850 total jobs as of February 2018.
March construction contracts awarded include:
- A $50.8 million contract to Plote Construction Inc., Hoffman Estates, IL, for roadway and bridge repairs between Butterfield Road and Army Trail Road on the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355).
- A $12.7 million contract to Walsh Construction Company, Chicago, IL, for reconstruction of the ramp connecting the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) to the Tri-State Tollway (I-294).
- A $7.1 million contract to Judlau Contracting Inc., College Point, NY, for advanced earthwork and retaining wall construction for the new I-490 Tollway.
- A $6.7 million contract to Lorig Construction Company, Des Plaines, IL, for reconstruction of the Bradley Road Bridge over the Tri-State Tollway (I-94).
- A $2 million contract to R.W. Dunteman, Addison, IL, for parking lot improvements at the Illinois Tollway headquarters in Downers Grove.
- A $1.8 million contract to Fence Masters Inc., Chicago Heights, IL, for fencing and site improvements systemwide.
- A $1.2 million contract to Pagoda Electric & Construction, Elk Grove Village, IL, for maintenance storage facility construction in Marengo.
- A $1 million contract to Foundation Mechanics, Des Plaines, IL, for ramp repairs between Grand Avenue and Half Day Road on the Tri-State Tollway (I-94).
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 scores 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.
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 six years of Move Illinois are on schedule and within budget, delivering the new Illinois Route 390 Tollway and a rebuilt and widened Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) with its new SmartRoad corridor, as well as 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 new I-490 Tollway Project and reconstruction of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and planning for emerging projects.
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