On February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed in to law H.R. 1, The American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which will provide approximately $789 billion in tax cuts and spending with the hope of jumpstarting our nation's lagging economy. The distribution of the Act funds presents numerous opportunities and challenges for infrastructure agencies in Illinois. The aggressive schedule for distribution of these funds makes it clear that a “business as usual” approach to procurement and project delivery will not be sufficient. State and local units of government will need to immediately implement effective strategies to accelerate project activity, account for effective utilization of funds, and ensure that projects are consistent with the sustainability priorities set forth.
The Act appropriates $48 billion for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for transportation and infrastructure improvements, including highway projects and mass transit. Funds include $27.5 billion for "ready to go" highway infrastructure projects under the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), including $1.5 billion in discretionary grants for road, bridge, and rail projects.
What does all of this mean to Illinois’ Infrastructure?
It is the hope of President Obama and Congress that the Act will put Illinoisans immediately to work rebuilding our dated infrastructure. Illinois now must come to grips in how it will allocate the funding and ensure that the projects are immediately implemented. Significant investments in water projects, roads, bridges, transit, and energy will provide Illinois with needed infrastructure improvements. The following is a synopsis of how the funding is being distributed in Illinois for infrastructure and energy projects.: