sidewalks

Gas Tax Revenues, Pandemic Relief Dollars to Fund Revenue Stream

By KERRY SMITH, EDITOR, ST. LOUIS CONSTRUCTION NEWS AND REVIEW MAGAZINE

Despite fewer miles traveled during the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in reduced motor fuel tax revenues, Illinois will see more than $20 billion allocated during FY 2022-2027 toward constructing and rehabbing the state’s roads, bridges, passenger rail and pedestrian walkways.

Of the total $353 million received by The Illinois Dept. of Transportation from the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, $227 million will fund the state’s highway program. The remainder will be added to the FY 2022 annual highway program and a future multi-year program. Additional funding for Rebuild Illinois is coming from a 19-cent, per-gallon increase in gas taxes, a 5-cent, per-gallon increase in diesel fuel taxes, $50 to $100 increases in annual vehicle registrations and – starting in July – a five-year phase-in of state sales tax on motor fuels.

Civil engineering design firm EFK Moen, LLC Co-Owner Linda Moen says legislators’ work to supply a more stable funding stream for transportation construction, rather than relying on bonded indebtedness as is often a reality, is a welcome solution.

“A lot of times, with capital programs the (transportation) funding comes from general revenue or the work is bonded, meaning it takes away from other priorities,” Moen said. “Legislators worked in a truly bipartisan manner to make this happen. They’re to be commended.”

Illinois’ new multi-year plan is expected to rebuild more than 2,700 miles of roads and nearly 8 million square feet of bridges. Additional investments under the FY 2022-2027 plan include: $5.79 billion for highway reconstruction and preservation, $4.82 billion for bridge improvements, $2.59 billion for strategic expansion, $1.43 billion for system support such as engineering and land acquisition and $1.21 billion for safety and system modernizations.

For more details on the IDOT multi-year plan, see https://idot.illinois.gov/transportation-system/transportation-management/transportation-improvement-programs-/multi-modal-transportation-improvement-program/index.