The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors recently had four construction contracts totaling $21.6 million approved at its December Board meeting. This wraps up investments in 2022 as part of the Move Illinois capital program.
The Tollway Board has accepted 80 contracts for construction and professional engineering services comes to a total of more than $1.1 billion in 2022. The 11th year of the Tollway’s 15-year, $14 billion Move Illinois capital program concludes with the December contract awards. They represent the Board’s final decision.
Since the Program’s inception in 2012, the Tollway has spent more than $10.5 billion altogether, more than $2.7 billion of which has gone to small, diverse, and veteran owned businesses. As of November 2022, it is expected that the capital program has also supported or created 116,510 jobs overall.
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By identifying specific contracts, typically with values of $5 million or less, specifically for small businesses to perform as primes, the Illinois Tollway’s Small Business Initiative positions those earning gross revenues of $14 million or less per year in a position to succeed and grow.
190 distinct businesses have signed up to take part in the Small Business Initiative as of 2022. In addition to three subcontractors who are certified veteran owned businesses, the contracts approved include one prime contractor, 14 subcontractors who are certified as a disadvantaged, minority, and women-owned business enterprises (D/M/WBE), and one prime contractor.
More on the Illinois Tollway projects
As the year comes to a close, the Illinois Tollway has had a successful construction season. They have completed infrastructure upgrades across the entire Illinois Tollway system on time and below budget.
Furthermore, they continue to offer contracts that expand opportunities for a wider range of firms to participate in Tollway projects. This is evidenced by the variety of contracts given in December, according to Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse.
