Chicago Construction News staff writer
The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors has approved a $22.8-million professional engineering services contract and renewed two key technical oversight agreements, capping off nearly $421.1 million in construction and engineering contracts approved in 2025.
The approvals were made at the board’s December meeting and mark the 14th year of the 16-year, US$15-billion Move Illinois capital program, as well as the first year of the seven-year, US$2-billion Bridging the Future initiative.
In total, the Tollway board approved 53 construction and professional engineering services contracts this year as part of its ongoing systemwide modernization and expansion efforts.
“The Illinois Tollway’s work is moving transformational projects forward in our region that are creating and sustaining jobs as well as developing and cultivating businesses,” said Tollway executive director Cassaundra Rouse. “We are also delivering critical new and improved infrastructure that is creating access for communities and improving mobility for drivers.”
Work completed or advanced in 2025 included systemwide maintenance improvements under Move Illinois, as well as continued construction of the new I-490 Tollway. The project includes three major interchanges connecting to Illinois Route 390, the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) and the Tri-State Tollway (I-294).
The Tollway also continued reconstruction and widening of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294), expanded access at the North Avenue Interchange and improved traffic flow at the I-290/I-88 Interchange. A new fly-under ramp opened this year, reducing travel time for drivers moving from northbound I-294 to westbound I-290.
The December approvals include a $23-million contract awarded to AECOM Technical Services Inc. of Chicago for design services related to bridge reconstruction on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) between 107th Street and Illinois Route 43 (Harlem Avenue).
The contract includes participation from four certified disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprise (D/M/WBE) firms and two certified veteran-owned firms. The D/M/WBE participation commitment is 32.54 per cent, with veteran participation at 5.76 per cent.
The board also approved two-year extensions for existing contracts with CDM Smith Inc. of Cambridge, Massachusetts, for traffic engineering services valued at $12.8 million, and WSP USA Inc. of Chicago for consulting engineering services valued at $57.4 million. The extensions are required to maintain obligations under the Tollway’s Trust Indenture. The original agreements were five-year contracts with options extending up to 10 years.
Since 2012, the Illinois Tollway has invested more than $12 billion in capital improvements, with more than $3.2 billion committed to small, diverse and veteran-owned firms. As of November 2025, the Move Illinois program is estimated to have created or sustained approximately 148,600 jobs.
Professional engineering services contracts are awarded using a qualifications-based selection process under Illinois law, which requires firms to be chosen based on demonstrated competence and professional qualifications rather than price.
All Tollway contracts are reviewed and approved by the board of directors. Board meetings and public bid openings are streamed on the Tollway’s website, along with detailed information on active projects through its Construction Contract Tracker.
