Hours before the end of fiscal 2016 and a proposed shutdown of infrastructure projects and the layoff of 25,000 highway workers in Illinois, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democratic-controlled Legislature agreed to fully fund transportation for fiscal 2017.
鈥淭he House and Senate have voted to approve SB 2047 Amendment 5, which is legislation agreed to by the legislative leaders and the governor,"听the Illinois Department of Transportation听announced in听a press release.听"IDOT鈥檚听[fiscal 2017] budget was included in the agreement. We expect the governor to sign the bill. Education and transportation were funded through the entire fiscal year. IDOT鈥檚听[fiscal 2017]听 funding includes all appropriations that were included in earlier legislation (operations and capital, local roads 鈥) along with some additional clean-up appropriations.鈥
The battle between Rauner and Speaker Michael Madigan and others had lasted more than a year, prompting IDOT鈥檚 fiscal 2016 budget to be paid under a court order. So the 11th-hour agreement was welcomed by transportation stakeholders.听
鈥淲hile there is still more work to do to provide for long-term, stable funding for our infrastructure, this agreement does prevent the July 1 shutdown of projects that would have devastated the construction industry and our economy,鈥澨齁ennifer Morrison, managing director of the Transportation for Illinois Coalition, told Transport Topics.
"The Illinois Trucking Association is pleased that lawmakers have agreed to a stopgap budget,鈥 said ITA听Executive Director听Matt Hart. 鈥淥ur highway construction season will continue, and we can move forward with the investments in our bridges and highways.听 ITA will continue to press lawmakers to make some of the long-term budget decisions that are still necessary for our state, including a new long-term highway bill, a long-term budget, and workers compensation reforms that will bring our work comp rates for trucking in line with our neighboring states."
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