Volume 06, 2022

New Access Poised to Fuel Economic Development and Congestion Relief in Justice and Neighboring Communities

State and local leaders met in June to highlight the long-awaited start of construction on the 88th Cork Avenue Interchange on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), one of the top projects in the state’s Competitive Freight Program aimed at improving the movement of freight and delivering congestion relief and economic benefits across the state.

Read more at Inside the Tollway

Tollway Technical Assistance Helping Companies Outgrow Small Business Status

Dan Rojas feels at home when he drives on the Illinois Tollway system because his asphalt paving company has done so much work as a subcontractor on Tollway reconstruction projects over the last few years.


His small business, Metromex Contractors Inc., worked on the interchange that will link the new I-490 Tollway with the Jane Addams Tollway (I-90) in the Northwest suburbs. It’s working on the final stage of a new interchange that will connect the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) with I-57 in the Southwest suburbs. Metromex also is working on a project to rebuild Ogden Avenue over I-294 as part of the Tollway’s Central Tri-State Tollway Project.

Read more at Inside the Tollway

Beam Delivery Complete for New Southbound Mile Long Bridge

The last of the massive concrete beams arrived on the construction site of the Mile Long Bridge Project on the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) in June, right on the heels of the final steel beam delivery completion in May.


Upon delivery of these final beams, a total of 250 concrete beams fabricated in Wisconsin and weighing approximately 115 tons and measuring up to 7.5 feet tall and up to 187 feet long were delivered to the site. 

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Spring Cleaning Campaign Drivers Customers to Update I-PASS Accounts

This year, the Illinois Tollway blasted emails to 3.5 million Tollway customers encouraging them to turn their spring-cleaning efforts to I-PASS


The campaign called on customers to keep their accounts in tip-top shape to avoid fines and fees.


When accounts lack a valid form of payment, contain incorrect vehicles, have incorrect addresses or incomplete contact information - the results can be costly to both the Tollway and customers alike. 

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Illinois Tollway Hot Weather Patrols Assist Hundreds of Customers During Dangerous Heat Wave

When temperatures soared to nearly 100 degrees in June, the Illinois Tollway quickly mobilized around-the-clock Hot Weather Patrols that scoured the 294-mile roadway system and assisted hundreds of customers whose vehicles had become disabled in the dangerous heat.


During the four-day heat wave, the Hot Weather Patrols stopped to check on almost 600 disabled or stopped vehicles, offering assistance to the drivers and passengers to ensure they received whatever aid they needed and remained safe despite the searing heat.

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Move Illinois Quarterly

More than 200 construction and engineering professionals attended the Illinois Tollway’s virtual Move Illinois Quarterly meeting on June 21.


This was the first MIQ meeting for new Interim Executive Director Lanyea Griffin, who provided an update on the progress of the capital program, now in its 11th year.


In 2022, the Tollway anticipates spending nearly $1.5 billion – marking the highest annual spend yet for the 15-year, $14 billion capital program – with major work underway on the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and I-490 Tollway projects and work on the I-294/I-57 Interchange wrapping up this year. 

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Families Turn Out for First of Four Kids Identification and Safety Seat Events Set for 2022

Cloudy skies and rain showers couldn’t keep families from flocking to the first Kids Identification and Safety Seat (K.I.S.S.) event hosted by the Illinois Tollway and Illinois State Police since the COVID-19 pandemic forced a two-year pause in the popular summer safety program.


The June 4 event at Kohl Children’s Museum in Glenview allowed parents to obtain free ID cards for their young children and have the child safety seats in their vehicles installed or inspected to ensure they are properly placed.

Read more at Inside the Tollway

Message from Chair Abreu–Illinois tollway Kicks Off Summer with Fun-filled Picnic

Happy Summer, Tollway family!


What a privilege and honor to help kick off the Tollway’s Health Fair and Picnic in June! It was wonderful seeing the more than 200 individuals in attendance enjoying a perfect summer afternoon on our back lawn.


I had an opportunity to visit with several employees visiting headquarters for the first time, despite being Tollway employees for almost two years! Whether a first visit or visiting again for the first time in more than two years, my voice joins with many employees in gratitude for the opportunity to come together to reconnect in person.


A heartfelt “thank you” to our wonderful Administration and Facilities departments for their hard work in planning and preparing for the event – and clean up, post event! 


I’d also like to thank the more than 40 staff volunteers and all the behind the scenes efforts by our chiefs and leaders for their combined efforts to make this a successful event.


A special “shout out” to Interim Executive Director Lanyea Griffin for her leadership and successful implementation. There was much service and servant leadership in evidence – a great testament to our Tollway culture!


I look forward to future events and opportunities to celebrate our staff and our many accomplishments as an agency.


Similar events are being planned to take place a Tollway maintenance facilities later this year. 

Longtime Tollway Employee Goes the Extra Mile to Assist Customers

After working for 26 years as a toll collector, Tiffany Kalata excelled at assisting Illinois Tollway customers, though her contact with them was usually brief--limited to the time it took to take their tolls and make change.


Her job abruptly changed when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a switch to cashless tolling, but her commitment to providing outstanding service to Tollway customers didn’t.


Kalata took advantage of the Tollway’s efforts to train and expand the skills of toll collectors, and now like many of her colleagues she’s handling calls from customers who have problems or questions about their I-PASS accounts.

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