Tollway Stories & More—2025 Volume 04

Volume 4, 2025

Celebrating Women's History Month: Cassaundra Rouse Recognized as One of Rich Township's Amazing Women

Celebrating Women’s History Month, Rich Township honored 22 amazing women making a difference in their communities, including Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse for her remarkable achievements and significant contributions not only to Rich Township but to the entire Southland Community.

Rich Township is home to many communities surrounding the Illinois Tollway, including Country Club Hills, Flossmoor, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Matteson, Olympia Fields, Park Forest, Richton Park, Tinley Park and University Park.

Thank you to Rich Township for this honor and for recognizing the positive impact we continue to make together in your communities.

Marlene Vick Recognized with Outstanding Community Outreach Award

Congratulations to Acting Chief of Diversity and Strategic Development Marlene Vick for being honored with the Outstanding Community Outreach Award at the African American Contractors Association’s (AACA) Membership Awards Gala this week.

Marlene received the award during the 31st annual gala for her exceptional contributions to the community, organization and local economy throughout 2024.

Thank you to AACA for this well-deserved recognition and for celebrating the positive impact we continue to make together.

First Illinois Tollway Quarterly Kicks Off Big Year Ahead

Thank you to the more than 375 industry professionals who participated in the first Illinois Tollway Quarterly meeting and networking event of 2025. ITQ offers attendees an opportunity to hear from Tollway leadership on capital program initiatives, expectations and issues. Learn more on the Illinois Tollway Quarterly webpage.

Tune In to the "Engineering Works" Podcast to Learn How Stakeholders Shape Illinois Tollway Future Plans

"Engineering Works" features the creators, designers, and engineers who are reshaping the state with their innovative work.

The Illinois Tollway's Board Member Scott Paddock and Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse sat down with the host of the American Council of Engineering Companies Illinois podcast–Engineering Works–to discuss the impact of our Stakeholder Engagement Team and its valuable input on the Tollway’s capital planning process and future programs to come.

Check out the episode, now available at: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7305714216613646337

Revved Up For Safety, Customer Service and Fun at the 2025 Chicago Auto Show

Another successful Chicago Auto Show is in the books. Our I-PASS On Demand Team and Security and Safety Department staff were on hand every day to provide assistance with I-PASS and Pay By Plate account management and offering Kids’ Safety ID cards for families.

And, of course, hundreds of kids—both young and old—got to climb into the cab of our bright yellow Tollway snowplow and full-sized H.E.L.P. Truck, to help recognize the service and hard work our Roadway Maintenance team performs every day. Kids also had the chance to meet “H.E.L.P. Truck Hank,” our new remote-controlled mini H.E.L.P. truck. Visit our website to learn more here.

Celebrating Success! Congratulations to Technical Assistance Program Graduates

Congratulations to the leaders from 18 businesses in the Class of 2024 graduating from the Illinois Tollway Technical Assistance Program administered by Inner-City Underwriting Agency.

The business owners were recognized at a ceremony in January for successfully completing a six-week estimating class that provided those participants with the skills needed to help them submit more accurate, competitive bids for construction projects.

Illinois Tollway Mentors Inspire the Next Generation

National Mentoring Month allowed the Tollway to raise awareness about the benefits of mentoring and highlight its successful internship programs that provide guidance for young people.

“Being here at the Tollway is a learning experience and it’s an amazing journey,” said Jonathan Flores, a senior at Northeastern Illinois University who interned in the Tollway’s information technology section. “There are many ways to solve a problem—that’s one of the things they taught me here. It’s been a great experience.”

Illinois Tollway 2024 Annual Report Now Available Online

The Illinois Tollway’s 2024 Annual Report: "Connecting Communities and Investing in the Future," is now available on our website.

This comprehensive report highlights key information about our capital program, financials, opportunities for small and diverse-owned businesses, sustainability initiatives, notable projects and much more.

Dive into the report to explore our accomplishments over the past year, the impact we've made and our vision for the future.

Visit our website to view the full report today: https://bit.ly/4i8q8ET