Huntley Vested in Tollway’s Finances

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority's effort to increase tolls to pay for capital projects is especially interesting to Huntley as the village moves ahead with plans for an , part of which the tollway is suppose to fund.

Illinois State Toll Highway Authority officials are holding public hearings throughout the area, including one in Huntley tonight,

While the tollway, along with the Illinois Department of Transportation, has been a good partner, it does not have its share of the $70 million project listed in its budget, Village Manager Dave Johnson said.

A Route 47 and I-90 interchange has been in the planning stage for years but the project is now moving ahead with the village committing $2.5 million for engineering. Huntley is partnering with the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, IDOT, the McHenry County Division of Transportation and the Kane County Division of Transportation to fund the interchange.

Johnson gave Huntley trustees an update Thursday on the project. Johnson and Mayor Charles Sass met with tollway officials Thursday afternoon to continue trying to make sure the project is a high priority for the tollway.

Johnson said the engineering plans should be complete by the end of the year and the village is on schedule to reach that goal.

Village staff continues to hope for a 2012 construction date, he said.

The tollway did budget $320,000 to start the land acquisition process and has notified property owners affected by the project, Johnson said.

Illinois State Toll Highway Authority’s proposed hike would increase tolls by 35 cents at a typical mainline toll plaza, officials said.

Revenue from the increase would fund capital improvements through 2026. The plan includes projects affecting Huntley, such as the interchange project and reconstructing and widening I-90 from I-294 to Rockford.

The public hearing will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight at , 10987 Main St., Huntley.