In a historic move, Illinois is initiating the most ambitious infrastructure overhaul in state history, releasing a six-year, $50.6 billion plan to support hundreds of transportation projects across cities, counties, towns, transit districts and other local agencies.
The fiscal year (FY) 2026 through 2031 Multi-Year Improvement Program (MYP) carves out a proposed framework to significantly enhance transportation options, mobility and transit infrastructure. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) divides the total allocated funding into five categories:
- $32.5 billion for state and local roads and bridges.
- $13.8 billion for transit.
- $2.9 billion for freight and passenger rail.
- $1.2 billion for aviation.
- $200 million for ports and waterways.
A portion of the funding will be used to benefit underserved and disadvantaged communities that have been traditionally overlooked. The program will build or improve more than 7,100 lane miles of roadway and 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck across the state system. Additional work will prioritize railroad crossing safety enhancements, traffic and highway safety improvements, right-of-way accessibility and infrastructure preservation, replacement or rehabilitation.
Among the greater investments included in the transportation plan, IDOT will invest a total of $1.3 billion for critical roadway maintenance along Interstate 290. The funds will predominantly go toward replacing bridges, rehabilitating roadways and reconstructing interchanges and drainage systems along I-290. An additional $50 million portion of the funding will go toward 12.4 miles of standard overlay.
Another $761 million will support extensive construction efforts between I-190, I-90 and I-294. The project will focus on building an interchange, bridge, replace bridges, reconstruct and build auxiliary lanes and install additional ramps in Chicago and Rosemont. A similar $610.8 million investment in projects from I-80 to U.S. 30 will prioritize replacing multiple bridges, reconstructing an interchange and building auxiliary lanes and shoulders to expand capacity.
The state is planning to spend a combined $747.4 million to replace two bridges crossing the Mississippi River. The first project will cost $441.5 million to replace the I-80 bridge, whereas the second calls for $309 million to replace the U.S. 67 bridge. The state will collaborate and share the cost with Iowa on both projects. A separate $219 million agreement between Illinois and Missouri will replace the Quincy Memorial Bridge across the Mississippi River.
To continue ongoing work on the state’s High-Speed Rail Project between Chicago and St. Louis, IDOT will spend $299 million to facilitate corridor maintenance and capital improvements. The ongoing project’s holistic cost is estimated to be $1.95 billion, providing critical transit options for residents. While significant progress has been made, the state still has a major piece of remaining work to install a double track segment between Elwood and Braidwood.
State funding for the FY 2026-2031 MYP is sourced primarily through Rebuild Illinois, a bipartisan legislative document signed into law in 2019. Additional funds will draw from the Road Fund to support road and bridge maintenance and regular operations.
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