CCAC Hears About the Illinois Tollway

CCAC hosted its end of year meeting and holiday reception sponsored by CCAC Chairman Greg Hummel, Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, on December 11th. Keynote remarks were provided by Elizabeth “Liz” Gorman, Executive Director, Illinois Tollway. Gorman manages the agency’s daily operations, oversees its $1.45 billion budget and leads its nearly 1,500 employees in ensuring the Tollway’s 1.6 million daily drivers travel on a safe, efficient and customer-friendly highway system that incorporates innovative roadway designs and cutting-edge technology.

The Illinois Tollway is part of a dynamic transportation network that includes, air, rail, waterways and roadways. Together this network is viable to moving goods and services not only throughout the region, but nationwide. “Working together is in everyone’s best interests as we continue to strengthen the region and boost the economy. We are a customer-based agency and we do not take any federal or state tax dollars,” stated Gorman. The Tollway is responsible for the construction, operation, regulation, and maintenance of a system on toll highways within northern Illinois. The system includes five roadways across 12 counties. It’s the Tri-State Tollway (I-294, I-80, I-94), Jane Adams Memorial Toll Highway (I-90), the Reagan Memorial Tollway out west (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), and the Illinois Route 390 tollway near the airport.

(L:R) Elizabeth "Liz" Gorman, Executive Director, Illinois Tollway;  Greg Hummel, Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and CCAC Board Chairman; Brian Sher, Managing Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner; and Kelly O'Brien, Executive Director, CCAC.

CCAC would like to thank Brian Sher, Managing Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, for providing welcoming remarks at the December 11th meeting

“We serve more than 1.6 million vehicles per day and process more than 2.3 million daily transactions. Most of our drivers, around 70% are commuters. We are currently wrapping up the 7th year of the 15-year, $14 billion capital program, called ‘Move Illinois: Illinois Drive in the Future’. ‘Move Illinois’ is the largest capital program in the Illinois Tollway history. With its investments in our infrastructure, the program is improving mobility, stimulating economic development, and creating jobs for Illinois workers. By the end of 2019, we will spend about $7 billion or about 50% of the appropriate budget. We have awarded more than 500 construction and professional engineering services contracts, which is about 278 construction contracts, and 220 professional engineering services contracts,” Gorman stated.  Nearly 1400 unique firms have worked on ‘Move Illinois’ projects since the beginning of the program. Certified DM and WBE or veteran owned firms represent nearly a third of all firms working on tollway projects since 2012. “As we reach the midterm of the capital program, we are focused on keeping our existing roads and bridges in a good state of repair, delivering new infrastructure to support the regional transportation network and accelerating the wheels of commerce. One of those which includes the reconstruction of the 22 miles on the Central Tri-State Tollway to relieve congestion. This roadway carries the heaviest volume of passenger and freight traffic on the tollway and the 22-mile Tri-State Tollway is the workforce of our system,” Gorman expressed.

Located at the transportation crossroads of the Midwest, construction of the Illinois Route 390 tollway, the I-490 tollway and the interchange, will provide western access to O’Hare International Airport. “It’s the road around O’Hare airport that we’re looking forward to completing. It is one of the area’s most anticipated infrastructure projects in recent decades. Government, businesses and communities have come together to move this project forward,” Gorman shared. She continued, “We have completed and opened the new Illinois route 390 toll road carrying traffic east/west from US route 20 (Lake Street), to Illinois Route 83. We’re making progress on the I-490 tollway, over on the North/South access between I-90 and I-294 and western access into O’Hare Airport plus the ring road. We’re moving forward, working with railroads, the airports and others to deliver western access to O’Hare Airport, and are on track to complete this project by the end of 2025.”

Continuing her remarks, Gorman excitedly shared that several milestones have been reached. “In November 2018, The Illinois Tollway reached a new milestone for the I-490 tollway project. Western access to and from O’Hare International Airport is now closer to a reality, now that a Memorandum of Understanding has been reached between the Illinois Tollway and the Union Pacific Railroad. The Memorandum coupled with Illinois Tollway’s June 2018 Letter of Intent is the last major hurdle in the process of resolving issues related to western access in the I-490 connection to the I-294.” These developments represent a substantial step in the modernization of Illinois growth and railway infrastructure in the region. The parties are now engaged and reaching final agreements which they are hopeful will be executed in the near future. Also, in June 2018, a significant milestone was achieved for the I-490 project on the property of O’Hare Airport. The Airfield operations area security fence and the airfield perimeter world relocation was successfully completed. This important achievement clears the path for construction of the future I-490 Tollway.

Having completed the rebuilding and widening of 62 miles on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway which is I-90, the Illinois Tollway has started incorporating the technology in innovations such as SmartRoad with active traffic management and flex-lanes for transit. The Tollway is also connecting the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to I-57, creating opportunities and support for new developments and jobs in the south suburbs with the I-294/I-57 interchange.

The new I-490 tollway project will have the most significant impact on the region. “As you may have heard earlier this month, O’Hare Airport is ready to reclaim its title as the busiest airport in the country. Between January 1st- October 31st, O’Hare climbed over archrival Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International airport in terms of flight numbers. According to the data from the Federal Aviation Administration, released in December, total operations for the first 10 months of the year at O’Hare Airport were 754,427 flights, which is up 4% from 2017. That’s above Atlanta. Our projections show that by 2040, it is projected that 30-40% of the people that travel through O’Hare Airport will arrive from the west and that’s coupled with improvements from the Chicago Department of Aviation. Western access will create 65,000 new sustainable jobs,” Gorman noted.

Recognizing this, the Tollway has developed an expanded design for construction to provide direct access into as well as out of O’Hare Airport with three lanes entering and three lanes exiting the airport. “This is a significant step forward for western access. Our plans now provide for construction of the ‘three in, three out phase and it is scheduled to be completed in 2023. New access will provide flexibility for further development at O’Hare. Our respective planning and engineering teams are continuing to work together on the technical details. The tollway is advancing construction on the I-490 interchange connection for Illinois route 83 to the new I-490 tollway in the next phase of the project.  Construction of this segment is scheduled to begin in early 2019 and includes constructing ramps that will lead to the west side of O’Hare Airport.

Concluding her remarks, Gorman thanks CCAC for the opportunity to showcase the great work the Illinois Tollway is accomplishing. “Projects like the new I-490 tollway are game changers for our region that will benefit the City of Chicago as well as the suburbs by dramatically improving mobility, freight, connectivity and enhancing the national and regional economies.”

 Elizabeth Gorman, Executive Director, Illinois Tollway addressing the audience at the December 11th meeting

 December 11th CCAC Holiday Reception

Chicago Central City Strategy Roundtable Recap

CCAC is leading the preparation of a proposed new strategy for Chicago’s Central City. It will take the form of a Central City Investment Framework. On Wednesday, December 5th, CCAC hosted a Central City Strategy roundtable discussing connectivity, economic development, and growth in the City as an investment framework at Roosevelt University. The goal was to address how Central City growth can be linked to neighborhoods and set a clear path for enhancements that can benefit all of Chicago.  Special thank you to CCAC Board Member Doug Voigt and Christopher Hall for being apart of CCAC, leading this initiative, and helping CCAC to position itself to become a global destination.

This initiative will bring great value to the new administration both  in Chicago and Springfield. The work will include follow-up throughout quarter one of 2019 with a goal of having a final product in April. There were three focus areas: infrastructure of connectivity, catalytic economic projects, and digital planning. The program included high-level speakers for rapid panels and then the participants were divided into working teams.

The speakers included:

Catalytic Economic Projects

Creating a Digital Blueprint

The working teams will continue to meet in early January & February. If you did not attend the December 5th session, you are still welcome to get involved. If there are members in your network that should be involved with this initiative, please let us know. 

For more information and to add members to participate, e-mail Kelly O'Brien, kobrien@ccac.org.

 (L:R) Christopher Hall and Doug Voigt, Skidmore Owings & Merrill, providing opening remarks at the December 5th roundtable event

 (L:R) Mark Walbrun, Mott MacDonald; Sharon Feigon, Shared Use Mobility Center; Dorval Carter, Chicago Transit Authority; MarySue Barrett, Metropolitan Planning Council; Kelly O'Brien, CCAC serving as moderator of the Infrastructure of Connectivity panel

 (L:R) Meghan Harte, LISC; David Doig, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives; Dr. Byron Brazier, Apostolic Church of God, Woodlawn Network; Dr. Suzet McKinney, Illinois Medical District; Greg Hummel, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner serving as  moderator of the Catalytic Economic Projects panel

 (L:R) David Leopold, City Tech Collaborative; Matt Shaxted, Parallel Works; Beth Bond, Bosch; Paul Corty, Edge Networks; and Bob Dean, Center for Neighborhood Technology serving as moderator of the Creating a Digital Blueprint panel

 Breakout Sessions at the December 5th Roundtable Event

Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at Perkins + Will

Join us at Perkins + Will on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 for first luncheon of 2019 hosted by Gina Berndt, Managing Director, Perkins + Will.

All CCAC  Members and Young Leaders are invited to attend this meeting. 

CCAC Young Leader Executive Committee Meets to Plan 2019

Building on a very successful year, the Young Leader Executive  Committee met to brainstorm and suggest programming for 2019. Identifying areas of interest, the group is organizing quarterly events including exclusive tours, a roundtable discussion and a charrette.

The Young Leader tier is an active part of the Chicago Central Area Committee. Having the City's next generation of leaders participating in programs and projects that will impact the future is meaningful for both the city and our members.

Details about the first quarter event will be forthcoming.

If you are interested in joining the Young Leaders, please contact Kelly O'Brien, 312-602-5148, kobrien@ccac.org.

2018 CCAC River Sprint Updates

The CCAC Young Leaders 2018 Sprint focused on creating a vision for the development of multiple sites along the Chicago River.  

Thank you to Tiara Hughes, Senior Urban Designer, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, for producing a video encapsulating the Sprint. 

CLICK HERE to watch the video.

CCAC will post the final work product, the individual team's presentations, and the video on its website and plans to share this information with stakeholders within the City. 

2019 Monthly Meeting Calendar in Development

CCAC members meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Please consider being a host. This is a unique opportunity to showcase your firm and allow members to see your office. If you are interested in hosting a monthly lunch meeting or have suggestions for programming, please contact Kelly O'Brien, 312-602-5148, kobrien@ccac.org.

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