HR0699 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0699

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1 HOUSE RESOLUTION

2 WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Transportation, in

3 conjunction with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and

4 partnered with the Iowa Department of Transportation, desired

5 to replace the I-80 bridge over the Mississippi River in Rock

6 Island County; and

7 WHEREAS, It was determined that the Illinois Department of

8 Transportation will be the lead agency, with Iowa and Illinois

9 sharing costs equally; the job number for the project is

10 P-92-013-15; the structure number is 081-0011; and

11 WHEREAS, On October 21, 2020, the Illinois Department of

12 Transportation selected Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. to

13 prepare a combined design report and environmental impact

14 statement (EIS) for the structure that carries I-80 over the

15 Mississippi River; and

16 WHEREAS, Parsons Transportation Group, Inc. was

17 additionally tasked with determining, as part of the design

18 report and EIS, whether it is possible that the proposed

19 improvements could include total replacement and widening of

20 the structure and whether that should be on new alignment;

21 various alternatives will be studied to determine the most

22 viable solution for this corridor; impacts to the interchanges

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1 of I-80/IL 84 (IL side), which also crosses the Canadian

2 Pacific (CP) Railroad, and I-80/US 67 (IA side) may need to be

3 explored as the project develops; and

4 WHEREAS, As part of the phase 1 process, the Illinois

5 Department of Transportation has been asked by the Bison

6 Bridge Foundation to consider as an alternative the

7 repurposing of the existing I-80 structure; a potential

8 savings of over $30 million is possible by the elimination of

9 the removal of the existing structure and not having to

10 implement a multi-use facility on the proposed new structure;

11 and

12 WHEREAS, By repurposing the existing structure, in

13 addition to offering savings to taxpayers, the Project has the

14 potential to generate additional funds from increased tourism,

15 economic development, improved quality of life, and the

16 retention of the younger workforce in the area; and

17 WHEREAS, The Bison Bridge Foundation has shown the

18 willingness to accept the existing structure at no cost to the

19 Department and is willing to work with both the Illinois and

20 Iowa Departments of Transportation and the FHWA to provide a

21 facility that is conducive to the promotion of its goals of

22 attracting tourism, increasing economic development, providing

23 a multi-use facility, and promoting the Mississippi River

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1 area; and

2 WHEREAS, The Bison Bridge Foundation proposes this project

3 at no cost to the departments of transportation or the FHWA;

4 instead, funding for this project will be accomplished by

5 private and corporate donations; therefore, be it

6 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE

7 HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that

8 we urge the Governor and the Secretary of the Department of

9 Transportation to develop plans for the new I-80 bridge

10 structure that includes the incorporation of the Bison Bridge

11 structure; and be it further

12 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be

13 delivered to the Governor, the Secretary of the Department of

14 Transportation, and the Bison Bridge Foundation.