House-Senate Transportation Bill Compromise Protects Important Illinois Infrastructure Priorities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 03, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced a bipartisan, bicameral agreement to authorize and fund transportation programs for the next 5 years.  Durbin – who was a member of the Conference Committee tasked with finding a compromise between the House and Senate versions of the transportation bill – said that the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act will provide the certainty that businesses and state governments, like Illinois, need to plan critical infrastructure projects and create good-paying jobs.

Additional programs in the FAST Act that will help maintain growth in investment for Illinois transportation projects, provide the certainty for smart planning, improve Illinois’ transportation network, and save or create thousands of jobs in Illinois include:

Highway Programs – the FAST Act includes robust funding for the existing core highway formula program structure created by MAP-21

National Freight Program – the FAST Act establishes a first of its kind formula-based freight program to provide grants to all states to improve freight movement.

National and Regional Priority Infrastructure Projects – the FAST Act establishes a first of its kind competitive grant program

Large, Aging Mass Transit Systems – the FAST Act funds the State of Good Repair program with additional increases to nearly $2.7B in the fifth year of the legislation.