CHICAGO (AP) – A massive capital construction plan approved by Illinois lawmakers includes $1 billion for road work along Interstate 80, and hundreds of millions of dollars to boost rail and bus services.
The Chicago Tribune reports the roughly $40 billion plan comes after a decade without such funding.
The projects on I-80, which runs across northern Illinois, including replacing two decaying bridges on the Des Plaines River. The rail work includes $275 million for Amtrak passenger services from Chicago to Rockford and $225 million for Amtrak service to the Quad Cities.
The Regional Transportation Authority will get over $2 billion for three rail and bus agencies, including the Chicago Transit Authority.
To pay for the projects, the state’s 19-cent-per gallon gas tax will be doubled.
