Illinois will receive at least $16 billion in road, bridge, transit, and other transportation focused funding.

A recent Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) Policy Brief summarizes transportation funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and outlines what Illinois can expect to receive. This document provides additional information on funding under the IIJA, specifying the distribution by program, years, and FY2022 amounts above baseline FY2021.

Click here to read the full ILEPI Policy Brief.

The IIJA was signed into law by President Biden on November 15, 2021.  The IIJA makes $1.2 trillion in funding available for a variety of infrastructure improvements, including transportation, energy, water, and broadband systems.  The bill includes $550 billion in new federal funding, in addition to reauthorizing highway, public transportation, and rail programs for five years.  The ILEPI Policy Brief solely focuses on transportation funding, and is the most comprehensive look to-date on the share that Illinois is estimated to receive. 

Specifically, new funding for transportation totals $284 billion across the United States.  Roads and bridges, rail, and airport, port, and waterway programs receive the bulk of the new funding, amounting to $110 billion, $66 billion, and $42 billion, respectively.  Public transit will receive $39 billion of total new transportation funding.  Electric vehicle infrastructure, safety, and reconnecting communities programs total $27 billion altogether.  This funding will be distributed by formulas to states, in addition to competitive grants, which are expanded upon below. 

Of this, Illinois will receive more than $15.957 billion in road, bridge, and transit focused funding.

• $9.802 billion in road and bridge formula funding, including two new programs
• $1.4 billion in new Bridge Replacement, Rehabilitation, Preservation, Protection, and Construction Formula Program
• $149 million in new National Electric Vehicle Formula Program
• $3.99 billion in transit formula funding
• $616 million to fund improvements to Illinois airports

The IIJA will boost infrastructure investments in the State of Illinois, increasing total funding for roads and bridges in Illinois by 21% in the first year. Total funding for public transit systems in the state will increase by 26% in the first year. Combined with the $45 billion Rebuild Illinois capital program, this will help Illinois to rebuild and repair its transportation infrastructure while creating thousands of middle-class jobs.

For additional information detailing exactly what Illinois can expect to see under the bipartisan federal infrastructure law, see the Policy Brief and the detailed list of competitive grant programs.