The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors has approved two construction contracts totaling over $13.5 million at its February 2026 meeting. These contracts are part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to maintain and improve bridge infrastructure across the Tollway system.
“Today’s approvals include the first two contracts as part of our 2026 bridge repair and rehabilitation program,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse. “This work, based on recent inspections, will focus on preventative maintenance that extends bridge service life and keeps our system in a state of good repair.”
In 2026, the board has so far approved nearly $54.8 million in contracts. This includes $47.3 million allocated under the Move Illinois capital program, now in its fifteenth year, and $7.5 million under the Bridging the Future plan. The total planned capital investment for 2026 is $1.26 billion.
The newly awarded construction contracts include a $9 million agreement with Path Construction Company for bridge rehabilitation along the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) between Irving Park Road and the CPKC Railroad, and a $4.5 million contract with Rausch Infrastructure for rehabilitating five bridges on both the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) and Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355).
The February awards also emphasize diversity in contracting: four certified disadvantaged, minority-, or women-owned business enterprise firms were included, alongside two certified veteran-owned firms. Commitments for D/M/WBE participation range from just over 19 percent to more than 26 percent per contract; veteran participation commitments are between about 2.8 percent and just over 3 percent.
Since 2012, almost $12.1 billion has been invested by the Illinois Tollway through its capital programs, with more than $3.2 billion directed to small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses. The overall capital program has created or sustained an estimated 149,990 jobs as of January 2026.
Professional engineering services contracts are selected using a qualifications-based process required by state law (Illinois Public Act 87-673), which prioritizes competence and professional credentials over price alone when hiring architects, engineers, or surveyors for public projects. Construction contracts are competitively bid according to rules set by the Illinois Procurement Code.
All public meetings of the Illinois Tollway Board—including board sessions and bid openings—are broadcast online at www.illinoistollway.com where detailed information about current construction projects can also be found.
The Move Illinois initiative is a long-term capital improvement effort valued at $15 billion over sixteen years aimed at enhancing mobility, reducing congestion and pollution, creating jobs, and connecting regional economies throughout Northern Illinois.
Bridging the Future is a seven-year plan approved in December 2024 that focuses on continuing infrastructure improvements while preparing for future long-term investments.
The Illinois Tollway operates without state or federal funding for maintenance or operations and oversees nearly 300 miles of roadways across twelve counties in Northern Illinois.
