SJ0031 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0031 LRB098 07760 MLW 37839 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Section 14.1 of the Toll Highway Act provides that prior to the issuance of bonds for or the commencement of construction of any new toll highway, that particular toll highway shall be authorized by joint resolution of the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, In 1995 by Senate Joint Resolution 45 (the 1995 Resolution) the General Assembly approved the expansion of the Illinois toll highway system to include an O'Hare Airport Bypass with Extension, with the Bypass to be constructed generally along the western edge of the O'Hare Airport between I-90 (Northwest Tollway) near Elmhurst Road and I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) near Grand Avenue, and with the extension to be constructed in a generally East-West direction between I-290 (near Thorndale Avenue) at the West and the Bypass at the East; and

WHEREAS, It is necessary and appropriate, following extensive multi-agency public outreach culminating in recommendations agreed upon by all communities along the proposed Elgin-O'Hare corridor to proceed with construction of new toll highway facilities, to update the 1995 Resolution to reflect the current project recommendation as outlined in the October 2012 Tier 2 Final Environmental Impact Statement that was jointly executed by the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, Illinois Department of Transportation, and Illinois State Toll Highway Authority; and

WHEREAS, It may be necessary and appropriate to expand the project limits over time to adhere to future additions or expansions of the EOWA project; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority be authorized to expand the Illinois toll highway system, under a project to be known as the Elgin-O'Hare Western Access (EOWA), to include an O'Hare Airport Bypass with Extension, general access to O'Hare Airport primarily from the West and South, with the Bypass to be constructed generally along the western edge of the O'Hare Airport between I-90 (Northwest Tollway) near Elmhurst Road and I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) near Grand Avenue, and with the Extension to be constructed in a generally East-West direction between the Bypass at the East and the western terminus of the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway at U.S. 20 to the West; including, but not limited to, any necessary access ramps and bridges; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, in performing work to complete the EOWA project, consider and utilize, to the extent practicable, available technology and construction processes intended to reduce the environmental impact of the project on surrounding areas, and to perform work that will facilitate establishment of future freight inter-modal transport, and alternative transport modes including rail transit, bicycle, and pedestrian within the project area; and be it further

RESOLVED, That that the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority shall complete the EOWA project in a manner that supports diversity involvement in the project work and economic development in the region; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this preamble and resolution be immediately forwarded to each of the Directors of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.