HR0371LRB103 32976 LAW 62783 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, There are over 12,000 bridges under the 
3jurisdiction of over 1,400 townships in Illinois; and
  
 
4    WHEREAS, There are numerous  other stream, creek, lake, 
5road, or other crossings that are currently under 20 feet in 
6width, and therefore not identified as bridges, but still need 
7to be replaced with new bridges to meet the needs of the 
8Township Road System; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, The Township Bridge Program (TBP) is a legislated 
10fund, under 605 ILCS 5/6-901, designated  for the construction 
11and maintenance of bridges on the Township Highway System; and
  
 
12    WHEREAS, The TBP was initiated in 1979 with an annual 
13allocation of $15 million from the Illinois Road Fund and has 
14received no increase in funding level in the 43 years since it 
15was established; meanwhile, the Illinois Road Fund has seen an 
16increase in revenue of over 400% over the same duration; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, The Engineering News Record  Construction Cost 
18Index has increased over 300% since initiation of the TBP; 
19hence, $15 million from 1980 would equate to a TBP 
20appropriation of $3.69 million today or a loss of 75% of the 
21program's purchasing power; and
  
 
 
 
HR0371- 2 -LRB103 32976 LAW 62783 r

1    WHEREAS, The TBP resulted  in the number of deficient 
2township bridges being reduced from 6,063 to 1,624 over the 
3past 43 years, and the average life span  of a township bridge 
4is approximately 55 years; therefore, the bridges constructed 
5during the infancy of TBP will need to be replaced over the 
6next 10 years; and
  
 
7    WHEREAS, Township bridges account for the largest number 
8of load and width restrictions present within the 
9transportation network of the State of Illinois, thereby 
10negatively impacting the ability to transport agricultural and 
11industrial goods and equipment throughout the State; 
12therefore, be it
  
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
14HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
15we urge Illinois to increase support for the Township Bridge 
16Program (TBP) to ensure the reliability and safety of township 
17bridges; and be it further
  
 
18    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
19delivered to Governor JB Pritzker.