Both sides in the controversy over the Illiana Expressway on Wednesday said they plan to school presumptive Illinois governor-elect Bruce Rauner about the proposed 48-mile bi-state expressway. "As far as the Illiana, he's always said he needed more information," said Virginia Hamann, president of No Illiana 4 Us. "So we want to educate him on it. It's an unstable project and really just a runaway train." Even when pressed during the campaign, Rauner was at best non-committal on the road, telling the Daily Herald he felt it would be an important economic development engine for Will County but that he didn't want taxpayers left "holding the bag." "That's an easy thing to say, but you have to balance that against the actual need and how public-private partnerships work," said Crete Village President Michael Einhorn on Wednesday of Rauner's earlier comments. The Illiana Expressway would run from Interstate 65 just northeast of Lowell to Interstate 55, near Wilmington, Ill. It has an estimated $1.5 billion price tag. Einhorn has advocated for the bi-state expressway since 2000. The Crete official said he realizes Rauner has a lot on his plate. But he hopes south suburban officials can make their views known on the project, which they contend will alleviate congested local roads and spur economic development. Officials also hope the governor will give careful consideration to continuing progress on the proposed South Suburban Airport, Einhorn said. The Illinois Department of Transportation has already bought 3,500 acres of the 5,800 acres needed. "It's pretty hard in my book to just flush a lot of this down the drain," Einhorn said. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence are strong proponents of the Illiana Expressway, just as was previous Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who actually initiated the project. Pence may have Rauner's ear as a fellow Republican, but that does not guarantee Rauner will get on board. Indiana and Illinois already have estimated they may have to pay up to a combined $270 million to investors in the form of milestone payments in 2018 and 2019 for getting the road built. In addition, private investors will reap annual "availability payments" from the states, probably for decades. Officials in both states originally hoped private investors would pay the entire cost of the road in exchange for the right to collect tolls, but interested investment teams made it known early on that would not fly. It is the mounting taxpayer cost of the road that has opponents thinking Rauner may lend a sympathetic ear to their pleas. "I just think the new governor has enough of a mess on his plate, without having to worry about the Illiana," Hamann said.

Both sides in the controversy over the Illiana Expressway on Wednesday said they plan to school presumptive Illinois governor-elect Bruce Rauner about the proposed 48-mile bi-state expressway.
"As far as the Illiana, he's always said he needed more information," said Virginia Hamann, president of No Illiana 4 Us. "So we want to educate him on it. It's an unstable project and really just a runaway train."
Even when pressed during the campaign, Rauner was at best non-committal on the road, telling the Daily Herald he felt it would be an important economic development engine for Will County but that he didn't want taxpayers left "holding the bag."
"That's an easy thing to say, but you have to balance that against the actual need and how public-private partnerships work," said Crete Village President Michael Einhorn on Wednesday of Rauner's earlier comments.
The Illiana Expressway would run from Interstate 65 just northeast of Lowell to Interstate 55, near Wilmington, Ill. It has an estimated $1.5 billion price tag.
Einhorn has advocated for the bi-state expressway since 2000. The Crete official said he realizes Rauner has a lot on his plate. But he hopes south suburban officials can make their views known on the project, which they contend will alleviate congested local roads and spur economic development.
Officials also hope the governor will give careful consideration to continuing progress on the  proposed South Suburban Airport, Einhorn said. The Illinois Department of Transportation has already bought 3,500 acres of the 5,800 acres needed.
"It's pretty hard in my book to just flush a lot of this down the drain," Einhorn said.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence are strong proponents of the Illiana Expressway, just as was previous Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who actually initiated the project. Pence may have Rauner's ear as a fellow Republican, but that does not guarantee Rauner will get on board.
Indiana and Illinois already have estimated they may have to pay up to a combined $270 million to investors in the form of milestone payments in 2018 and 2019 for getting the road built. In addition, private investors will reap annual "availability payments" from the states, probably for decades.
Officials in both states originally hoped private investors would pay the entire cost of the road in exchange for the right to collect tolls, but interested investment teams made it known early on that would not fly.
It is the mounting taxpayer cost of the road that has opponents thinking Rauner may lend a sympathetic ear to their pleas.
"I just think the new governor has enough of a mess on his plate, without having to worry about the Illiana," Hamann said.