Title
Joint resolution urging the Governor of Illinois and the General Assembly to work together to pass a transportation capital bill in Fiscal Year 2019 that will provide necessary sustainable funding to maintain the public infrastructure and make critical improvements to meet current and future travel demands, including engineering and constructing the improvements identified in the State Highway Consensus Plan for Lake County.
Staff Summary
• Lake County is in support of a multi-modal transportation system that includes motorized and non-motorized elements.
• Lake County understands that an efficient and sustainable transportation network contributes to the high quality of life for County residents and promotes a strong economy.
• A State Highway Consensus Plan was developed in 2006 and reaffirmed with Lake County partner communities in 2019, which identified more than $1,500,000,000 worth of regionally beneficial capacity improvements needed on the State Highway System.
• The Consensus Plan takes a regional approach and selected projects based on benefits to the overall system. Since 2006, this plan has been viewed as a model for collaboration, success, and results across the state.
• Lake County has invested more than $150,000,000 of local money to improve the State Highway System over the past ten years, and more than $1,000,000,000 worth of improvements remain on the State Highway Consensus Plan for Lake County.
Body
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, businesses and over 700,000 residents in Lake County rely on a transportation system that incorporates elements owned by the state, the County, 52 municipalities, 15 road districts, the Illinois Tollway, Metra and Pace; and
WHEREAS, the transportation network supports the efficient movement of people, goods and services and is the backbone of the economy; and
WHEREAS, Lake County is in support of a multi-modal transportation system that includes motorized and non-motorized elements; and
WHEREAS, Lake County supports transportation improvements that are developed considering context-sensitive solutions; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Highway Administration defines a context-sensitive solution as a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that involves all stakeholders to develop a transportation facility that fits its physical setting and preserves scenic, aesthetic, historic, and environmental resources, while maintaining safety and mobility; and
WHEREAS, Lake County supports and promotes the needs of the suburban public transit agencies, Metra and Pace, in their efforts to maintain, modernize and expand their systems; and
WHEREAS, Lake County believes having a well maintained, safe and reliable transportation network is necessary for employment and to maintain the economic viability and the future of Lake County and Illinois as a whole; and
WHEREAS, in Lake County, traffic congestion is a top concern and a quality of life issue for our residents; and
WHEREAS, the transportation network in Lake County needs to be improved with added capacity to reduce congestion and meet regional travel demands; and
WHEREAS, a State Highway Consensus Plan was developed in 2006 and reaffirmed in 2019 for Lake County which identified more than $1,500,000,000 worth of roadway capacity improvements needed on the State Highway System; and
WHEREAS, Lake County has demonstrated a strong commitment to the transportation system by investing more than $150,000,000 of local money to improve the State Highway System over the past ten years; and
WHEREAS, more than $1,000,000,000 worth of improvements remain to be completed on the State Highway Consensus Plan, including much needed capacity and grade-separation projects; and
WHEREAS, since 2006, the projects included on the State Highway Consensus Plan for Lake County have continued to be reconfirmed every few years as top priorities, many of which are included in Lake County’s 2040 Transportation Plan and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s ON TO 2050 Plan; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s ON TO 2050 comprehensive regional plan estimates a $24,000,000,000 shortfall to maintain our current regional transportation system as-is and another $30,000,000,000 shortfall to make needed enhancements to the system; and
WHEREAS, the State of Illinois has a critical need of a capital bill to fund transportation and infrastructure projects; and
WHEREAS, the State of Illinois has not had a capital bill since the Illinois Jobs Now! capital bill was passed in 2009; and
WHEREAS, the State of Illinois must identify a diverse set of revenue funding options that are sustainable and reliable.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Lake County Board urges the Governor of Illinois and the General Assembly to work together to pass a transportation capital bill in Fiscal Year 2019 that will provide necessary sustainable funding to maintain the public infrastructure and make improvements to meet current and future travel demands.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Lake County Board supports the improvements included in the State Highway Consensus Plan for Lake County and hereby urges the Governor of Illinois and the General Assembly to pass a transportation capital bill in Fiscal Year 2019 that will direct the Illinois Department of Transportation to advance these projects in their multi-year program and bring them to construction for the public benefit.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Lake County Board supports the efforts of the Governor of Illinois and the General Assembly in providing sustainable and predictable revenue sources dedicated to transportation investment in Lake County and the State of Illinois.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on April 9, 2019.