SJ0032LRB102 18544 MST 26796 r


  
1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority 
3expended time and resources on the Illinois Route 53/120 
4project, later known as the Tri-County Access project, and 
5estimated in 2019 that it would take substantial funds to 
6complete studies for that project; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, The authority for that project derived from 
8Senate Joint Resolution 14 of the 88th General Assembly, 
9adopted over a quarter-century ago on July 2, 1993, which 
10authorized the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to expand 
11certain roads; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, In 2012, the 97th General Assembly declined to 
13pass Senate Joint Resolution 77, which would have explicitly 
14renewed authorization for the extension of I-53; and
 
15    WHEREAS, In July of 2019, the Illinois State Toll Highway 
16Authority requested that the Federal Highway Administration 
17rescind its Letter of Intent for the Tri-County Environmental 
18Impact Statement study, which included roads referenced in 
19Senate Joint Resolution 14 of the 88th General Assembly; and
 
20    WHEREAS, In August of 2019, the Illinois State Toll 
21Highway Authority stated that the project lacked sufficient 
 
 
SJ0032- 2 -LRB102 18544 MST 26796 r

1local support it previously enjoyed, including the support of 
2the Lake County Board; and
  
 
3    WHEREAS, The Lake County Board has included the rescission 
4of Route 53 Extension Authority as part of its legislative 
5agenda for the 2021 session of the General Assembly; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, In August of 2019, the Illinois State Toll 
7Highway Authority declared that it was not in the Tollway's 
8interest to lead further development of the project and 
9terminated the ongoing study and contracts related to the 
10project; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, In October of 2019, the Circuit Court of the 18th 
12Judicial Circuit found that the Illinois State Toll Highway 
13Authority had terminated the Illinois Route 53/120 project; 
14therefore, be it
  
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL 
16ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF 
17REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the section 
18authorizing the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to 
19extend Illinois Route 53 from Lake-Cook Road to Illinois Route 
20120 then east to Interstate 94 and the section authorizing the 
21Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to extend the 
22North-South Tollway at Illinois Route 120 to the 
 
 
SJ0032- 3 -LRB102 18544 MST 26796 r

1Illinois-Wisconsin border near Richmond, Illinois is 
2rescinded.