HR1278 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1278 LRB095 21038 AJO 50593 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Illinois has 140,287 miles of State and local roads, making it the third largest network in the nation; and

WHEREAS, Due to a lack of construction funding, the State is unable to adequately maintain its highways and bridges and Illinois is now on track for reaching a record high 3,450 bad miles of roads by FY2013; since FY 2003, the number of structurally deficient bridges in Illinois has increased by 30% and the miles of bad roads in need of maintenance have increased by over 40%; and

WHEREAS, Road and bridge maintenance is essential in preserving the safety of Illinois motorists; yet, according to the latest National Bridge Inventory from the Federal Highway Administration, 2,449 of Illinois' 29,903 bridges are rated "structurally deficient"; and

WHEREAS, Chicago drivers are ranked second in the nation for the longest daily commuting travel time, and each Chicago motorist spends about 46 hours in traffic delays annually, wasting 32 gallons of fuel; and

WHEREAS, Congestion relief projects are necessary in cutting back on commute times and increasing safety; yet 59 of the 106 miles for congestion relief projects have been deferred for more than 5 years; and

WHEREAS, The Regional Transportation Authority is considered the second largest public transportation system in North America and provides more than 2 million rides daily; and

WHEREAS, Mass transit is seen as an alternative to gridlocked roadways and long drives to work; however, about one-fifth of Metra's rail network are "slow zones" which require trains to travel slower than usual so as not to disrupt the crumbling infrastructure along the track; and

WHEREAS, Bus breakdowns and maintenance result in missed routes and delays; industry standards suggest buses should be renovated after 6 years and replaced after 12 years of service, yet the CTA operates over 500 buses that have been in operation for more than 16 years and log an average of 580,000 miles; and

WHEREAS, It has been more than 5 years since the State last awarded school construction grants, and 23 schools from the FY02 Entitlement List continue to wait for $150 million in construction grants; and

WHEREAS, The school construction program has proven to be successful in providing Illinois students with a safe learning environment while providing communities with property tax relief; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the House of Representatives supports adoption of a capital program in the 2008 session of the 95th General Assembly; and be it further

RESOLVED, That in order to maintain faith with taxpayers and user-fee payers, the 2009 capital program shall include restoration of the integrity of the Road Fund and Highway Construction Fund by assuring that revenues generated from the State's motor fuel taxes and vehicle license fees shall be dedicated to road and bridge construction funds; and be it further

RESOLVED, That revenue produced to fund the capital program shall be deposited directly into a capital infrastructure fund and will not be diverted to finance any other governmental expenditures; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a Statewide capital program will ensure that no less than $3 billion is allocated each year for the next 5 years to the construction, repair, replacement and maintenance of roads and bridges; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a new Public Transportation Construction Fund will be established, that such Fund shall ensure that no less than $2 billion is allocated over 3 years to the construction, repair, replacement and maintenance of the public transportation networks, facilities and equipment, and that moneys in the Fund shall not be diverted to finance other governmental expenses; and be it further

RESOLVED, That an annual audit of the Road, Highway Construction and Public Transportation Funds be conducted by the Auditor General and a report of findings be filed with the General Assembly each year; and be it further

RESOLVED, That in order to meet the facilities needs of the education systems of Illinois for new or rehabilitated facilities, no less than $500 million will be allocated for school construction grants in each of the next 3 years so that, in combination with the 50% local match, a total of $3 billion will be made available to provide construction and repair of buildings located on the campuses of public schools, community colleges, and universities.