The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors has approved seven contracts for construction and professional engineering services totaling over $84.8 million at its August 2025 meeting. These awards support ongoing improvements at toll plazas throughout the system.
“Contracts being approved today ensure we are continuing to advance improvements at toll plazas systemwide to support a barrier-free Tollway system and better serve our customers,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse. “This work will improve traffic operations, address aging infrastructure and eliminate roadway obstacles that are no longer necessary with the transition to cashless tolling.”
Among the construction contracts awarded, F. H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates received $29.4 million for toll plaza upgrades on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) between 159th Street and Cermak Road, while K-Five Construction Corp. was granted $24.4 million for similar work on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) between Orchard Road and Farnsworth Avenue. Aldridge Electric Inc. was awarded $9.9 million for installing active traffic management systems and fiber-optic infrastructure along I-294 between North Avenue and Balmoral Avenue.
Engineering services contracts include a $7.7 million agreement with V3 Companies for bridge design on I-294 at Chicago Road and Vincennes Road, a $5.8 million contract to Gotham Engineering dba RailPros of Illinois in partnership with A. Epstein and Sons International for bridge reconstruction at the Union Pacific Railroad crossing on I-294, as well as smaller contracts for Bravo Company Engineering and American Veteran Engineering.
The new contracts involve 35 certified disadvantaged, minority-, or women-owned business enterprises (D/M/WBE), along with eight veteran-owned firms, with participation rates ranging from 15 percent to 44 percent per contract for D/M/WBE firms and from just over two percent up to 56 percent per contract for veterans.
So far in 2025, the Board has approved more than $350.6 million in contracts—$232.8 million under year fourteen of Move Illinois, the agency’s long-term capital program started in 2012; and another $117.8 million under Bridging the Future, a new seven-year plan launched last December.
Move Illinois is a $15 billion program intended to improve mobility across northern Illinois by upgrading key corridors such as Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) and building projects like Illinois Route 390 Tollway or new interchanges connecting major routes including I-294 to I-57.
Bridging the Future allocates an additional $2 billion through 2031 to continue modernization efforts based on stakeholder input.
Since beginning its capital programs in 2012, the agency has invested more than $11.9 billion into system improvements—with over $3 billion directed toward small businesses including those owned by minorities or veterans—and estimates that about 144,760 jobs have been created or sustained as of July this year.
Professional engineering services are selected using qualifications-based processes required by state law; construction contracts are competitively bid according to procurement regulations.
Public meetings of the Board—including bid openings—are streamed online via www.illinoistollway.com where further information about current construction projects is available.
