Over 70 local and state legislators, transportation stakeholders, and members of the public attended a presentation organized by TCRPC that aimed to shed light on transportation planning in Illinois. Both presenters highlighted gaps in transportation funding that have left many roads and bridges in Illinois falling into poor condition.
Former Illinois Secretary of Transportation Kirk Brown provided a state, national, and global perspective on the economic advantages that a well-maintained road network provide. He stressed the need for a comprehensive plan that ensures sustainable funding sources for Illinois’s roadways. Tazewell County Engineer Craig Fink brought the discussion closer to home, highlighting the disparity between the amount of revenue that local roads generate (through motor fuel tax and other revenue sources) and the amount of funding that gets back to local roads.
Eric Miller, Executive Director of TCRPC, hopes that the presentation will spark a larger region- and state-wide dialog about how we pay to maintain our surface transportation system.
Materials from the Presentation:
Craig Fink’s Presentation Slideshow (pdf)
Sec. Browns Presentation (coming soon)
Mr. Fink’s Presentation (coming soon)
Q&A with Sec. Kirk Brown & Craig Fink (coming soon)
