The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the largest long-term investment in
our infrastructure and competitiveness in nearly a century. The need for action in
Illinois is clear and recently released state-level data demonstrates that the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will deliver for Illinois. For decades,
infrastructure in Illinois has suffered from a systemic lack of investment. In fact, the
American Society of Civil Engineers gave Illinois a C- grade on its infrastructure
report card. The historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make life
better for millions of Illinois residents, create a generation of good-paying union
jobs and economic growth, and position the United States to win the 21st century.
To date, $8.2 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has been announced
and is headed to Illinois with over 165 specific projects identified for funding. Since
the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed, Illinois will receive approximately $6.2
billion for transportation to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports
and roughly $288 million for clean water. And, as of today, more than 460,000
households across the state are receiving affordable high-speed internet due to
the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Many more projects will be added in the coming
months, as funding opportunities become grant awards and as formula funds
become specific projects. By reaching communities all across Illinois – including
rural communities and historically underserved populations – the law makes
critical investments that will improve lives for Illinoisans and position the state for
success.
Specifically, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will make the following investments:
- Roads and Bridges. In Illinois there are 2,374 bridges and over 6,218 miles of
highway in poor condition. Only 1.3% of Illinois’s bridges are in poor condition
and considered structurally deficient. Since 2011, commute times have
increased by 7.3% in Illinois and on average, each driver pays $609 per year
in costs due to driving on roads in need of repair. The Illinois DOT deferred 124
miles of road improvements to later years due to a $300 million cut to its
annual budget.
- Based on formula funding alone, Illinois would expect to receive $9.8 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs and $506 million for
bridge replacement and repairs under the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act over five (5) years.
- Illinois can also compete for the $12.5 billion Bridge Investment Program
for economically significant bridges and nearly $16 billion of national
funding in the bill dedicated for major projects that will deliver substantial
economic benefits to communities.
- Rail and Transit. Illinois’s public transit systems serve a vital role in connecting
the state’s residents to jobs, health care, and other critical services. Residents
of Illinois who take public transportation spend an extra 68.3% of their time
commuting. 21% of trains and other transit vehicles in the state are past useful
life.
- Based on formula funding alone, Illinois would expect to receive $4 billion over five years under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to improve public transportation options across the state.
- Electric Vehicle Infrastructure. The IIJA invests $7.5 billion to build out the first-ever national network of EV chargers in the United States.
- Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Illinois would expect to receive $149 million over five years to support the expansion of an EV charging network in the state.
- Illinois will also have the opportunity to apply for the $2.5 billion in grant funding dedicated to EV charging in the bill.
- Broadband. Broadband internet is necessary for Americans to do their jobs,
to participate equally in school learning, health care, and to stay connected. Yet 14% of Illinois households do not have an internet subscription.
- Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Illinois will receive a
minimum allocation of $100 million to help provide broadband coverage
across the state, including providing access to the at least 228,000
Illinoisans who currently lack it. And, under the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act, 2,926,000 or 23% in Illinois will be eligible for the Affordability
Connectivity Benefit, which will help low-income families afford internet
access.
- Clean Water/Wastewater. The law contains nearly $44 billion to strengthen the
nation’s drinking water and wastewater systems, remove lead pipes and
service lines, and eliminate harmful contaminants through the EPA’s State
Revolving Funds programs. These programs, administered by the states, make
grants and loans eligible to communities for drinking water and wastewater
infrastructure investments. Illinois reports a $20.9 billion drinking water
investment gap.
- Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, based on the traditional state revolving fund formula, Illinois will expect to receive $1.7 billion over five (5) years to improve water infrastructure across the state and ensure that clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities.
- Airports. Illinois is home to 17 major airports that will benefit from the $25 billion in increased airport infrastructure funding provided over five (5) years from the IIJA. Through 2025, the documented need for Illinois airports is $2.9 billion,
which includes $1.26 billion for O’Hare and $385 million for Midway.
According to the Airports Council International – North America, Illinois
airports need an estimated $6.5 billion for 2021 to 2025, or $1.3 billion per year.
- Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, airports in Illinois would receive approximately $616 million for infrastructure development for airports over five (5) years.
- Ports and Inland Waterways. Illinois is home to three (3) major water ports and 1,100 miles of inland waterways that will benefit from $17 billion in new infrastructure funding over 5 years from the IIJA.
- Grid and Clean Energy Infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),
through the Office of the Under Secretary for Infrastructure, is focused on
working across the public and private sectors to help the U.S. transition to the
clean energy economy. With more than $75 billion in investments through the
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Illinois will benefit from multiple opportunities
focused on the rapid commercialization, demonstration, and deployment of
clean energy technologies. DOE is playing a critical role in efforts to rapidly
lower energy costs, slash carbon emissions, and create new industries with
the high-quality union jobs that are guaranteed to boost domestic
manufacturing capabilities while strengthening U.S. global competitiveness.
