The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors approved three new construction contracts totaling $62.7 million as part of its 15-year, $12 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future. More than $814 million in construction and engineering contracts have been approved by the Tollway board so far in 2014.
As of August, more than $2.5 billion in construction and engineering contracts have been approved by the Tollway Board since the Move Illinois Program began in 2012. In addition, the capital program has created or sustained an estimated 15,410 total jobs as of July 2014.
“Our goal has been to ensure that firms of all sizes have the opportunity to benefit from the Tollway’s capital program,”said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur. “We are pleased to report that we currently have more than 580 firms working on Move Illinois, with nearly 245 of them working with the Tollway for the first time.”
The three new contracts approved include 11 subcontractors that are certified as disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprises (D/M/WBE). Commitments for D/M/WBE participation range from 10 to 19% per contract. Of the $62.7 million in awarded contracts, nearly $7.3 million, or 12%, is committed to these small and disadvantaged firms.
Construction contracts awarded include:
· $54.8 million contract to Benchmark Construction Co. Inc., Bartlett, Ill., for water-main relocation on I-90 between Elmhurst Road and Barrington Road;
· $4.3 million contract to Martam Construction Inc., Elgin, Ill., for drainage work on S.R. 390 east of S.R. 83 for the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project; and
· $3.5 million contract to GFS Construction LLC, Huntley, Ill., for signage improvements on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294/I-80) between S.R. 394/I-94 and the Hinsdale Oasis.
