New $41 Billion Multi-Year Improvement Program is Largest in State History

New $41 Billion Multi-Year Improvement Program is Largest in State History
June 28, 2024 Jerry Vallely
Photo of Illinois Governor Pritzker at a news conference in front of a small crowd, red building and two orange dump trucks

This blog comes from the Illinois Department of Transportation on June 25, 2024


A record-breaking $41.42 billion over six years provided by the latest multi-year program will build and repair infrastructure throughout Illinois across all modes of transportation touching every Illinois county. The new program continues the momentum of the governor’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program and aims to modernize the statae’s transportation system, creating economic opportunity while improving safety, mobility and quality of life.

“Rebuild Illinois has been among my highest priorities since I became governor, after years of neglect and disinvestment that held back our state’s growth,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “Over the next six years – stretching all the way to FY 2030 – we will continue making historic investments into improving every aspect of our infrastructure and in every part of our state. This plan is guiding the build-out of a world-class transportation system that all of Illinois deserves, and we are creating hundreds of thousands of quality jobs while doing it.” ​

The Fiscal Year 2025-30 Proposed Highway and Multimodal Improvement Program​ will invest $29.65 billion in state roads and bridges, with $5.3 billion identified for the fiscal year starting July 1. A total of $11.77 billion is programmed for other modes, which includes $7.5 billion for transit, $2.54 billion for freight and passenger rail, $1.57 billion for aviation, and $160 million for ports and waterways. Projects are across state and local transportation systems in all 102 counties.

The record $41.42 billion program is due in part to engineering and planning efforts in the early years of Rebuild Illinois and the passage of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, fueling increased construction activity. The previous record amount was $40.99 billion in 2023.

On the highways side, the program will build or improve 3,214 miles of roads and 8.8 million square feet of bridge deck on the state system, with anticipated funding maintaining 843 miles of roads and more than 1 million square feet of bridge deck overseen by local governments.

“Under Gov. Pritzker, we are making history rebuilding Illinois, strengthening our status as America’s transportation hub and leaving a positive impact that will last for generations,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “We look forward to putting people to work, striving to build the safest, most resilient and accessible system of transportation in the country.”

Passed in 2019, Rebuild Illinois is investing a total $33.2 billion into the state’s aging transportation system over six years, creating jobs and promoting economic growth. Rebuild Illinois is not only the largest capital program in state history, but also the first one that touches all modes of Illinois transportation: roads and bridges, transit, waterways, freight and passenger rail, aviation, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.

Through March 31, Rebuild Illinois has made possible approximately $14.8 billion of improvements statewide on 6,078 miles of highway, 629 bridges and 895 additional safety improvements.