HR0868 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0868 LRB100 20991 ALS 36643 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The essential transportation infrastructure in Illinois is crumbling, putting not only the ability to create new jobs in Illinois at risk, but also the economic activity that already exists in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, International trends in infrastructure capital financing offer hope to create a massive cycle of reinvestment in American infrastructure, both across the nation and within Illinois, without imposing an undue burden on taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, This cycle of reinvestment within Illinois must concentrate on the 2,181 miles of interstate-quality highways throughout the State; this mileage, with its pavement and bridges, constitutes the third-longest mileage of interstate-rated highway mileage among the 50 states; and

WHEREAS, The Transportation for Illinois Coalition estimated 40 percent of Illinois road mileage and 20 percent of Illinois bridges will be in unacceptable condition by 2020 unless something significant is done in the near future; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Transportation and the White House have collaborated on a nationwide capital plan, "Building America's Infrastructure," to utilize federal, state, local, and private sources to raise $1.5 trillion in funds for a cycle of American capital infrastructure investment and reinvestment; and

WHEREAS, States that cooperate with "Building America's Infrastructure" are expected to be granted a share of the more than $200 billion in federal funds that will be paid out within the states that adhere to the principles and programmatic objectives outlined in the plan; and

WHEREAS, We call for Illinois to take concrete steps toward cooperation with the "Building America's Infrastructure" plan and principles; these steps will require Illinois to enact a new, statewide long-term capital plan; and

WHEREAS, The new, long-term capital plan for Illinois should conform to the principles set down in our State's "Safe Roads" constitutional amendment, which sets aside additional money for transportation infrastructure from existing cash flow by preventing the use of State road funds as a "piggy bank" for financial raids; and

WHEREAS, The new, long-term capital plan for Illinois should cooperate with the federal administration and with the principles set forth in the "Building America's Infrastructure" plan, so that Illinois can enjoy access to its share of federal moneys for the work to be done here in Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we call upon the Governor of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Transportation to work with the U.S. Department of Transportation to initiate these State-federal ties; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we call for enactment of a statewide long-term transportation capital infrastructure reinvestment plan, based upon the principles of reallocation of the State's road funds, so that these funds are spent for transportation infrastructure only, full cooperation with the federal administration and the "Building America's Infrastructure" plan, and an adherence to the principles of federal, state, local, and private cooperation in the raising and utilization of moneys for transportation capital investment; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Governor Bruce Rauner, to Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Randall S. Blankenhorn, and to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.