Latest news with #IllinoisTollway
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New I-PASS stickers to be automatically mailed to Illinois Tollway customers soon
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — The Illinois Tollway announced it will automatically send new I-PASS stickers to customers with old transponders. According to the Tollway, new I-PASS sticker tags will be mailed to customers whose old transponders are reaching the end of ther battery life. 'After receiving the swap letter via US Mail, all customers need to do is activate the new I-PASS Sticker Tag by going online or using the Official Illinois Tollway App and then attach the new sticker tag on the inside windshield of their vehicle,' the authority said. According to the Tollway, the stickers are smaller and less expensive than the boxes drivers have been using for years, and no deposit is needed. The stickers also do not expire, as opposed to the old transponders, which had expiration dates that required users to pay to replace them after the date. The stickers use radio frequency identification to communicate with the tolls, eliminating the need for batteries. The system works by creating a prepaid account with funds that are automatically deducted when passing through a tollway system. Illinois is the 20th state to adopt the sticker technology. Once activated, the Sticker Tag can be used on the Illinois Tollway and on E-Z Pass roadways in other states within 24 hours of activation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports.
Chicago Tribune
24-04-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Ambitious Franklin Avenue, Green Street project aims to improve O'Hare transportation
Construction will begin this spring on a large roadway improvement project along Franklin Avenue and Green Street in Franklin Park. The project will expand the roadway, which stretches from Runge Street in Franklin Park to York Road in Bensenville, as part of a ongoing toll road I-490/IL-390 project to connect to O'Hare International Airport. That project is slated to cost $534 million and is intended to improve access to the west side of O'Hare, thereby improving the immediate surrounding areas, according to Illinois Tollway. The Franklin Avenue/Green Street portion will widen to allow the industrial corridor to accommodate more traffic, offer more pedestrian amenities and help truck access into a nearby railyard. The scope of the project should aid commuters and residents as well as commercial freight trucks driving from the airport to the train depot. '[Companies] will be able to use interstates for more of their trucks,' said Nathan Roseberry, assistant superintendent of the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways. 'We'll be going from a two-lane to a five-lane road on Franklin Street.' With a new highway comes more demand on local surface routes. Due to the convergence of nearly all types of transportation hubs, updating the whole corridor is essential for shipping, officials said. 'The yard is directly adjacent to the airport, so you have air, rail and trucks all coexisting,' Roseberry said. The project also will provide more traffic signals, bike and pedestrian lanes, landscape restoration, sewer repairs and curb upgrades for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project is expected to cost $34.5 million with the money coming from Cook County, Bensenville, Franklin Park, the tollway and the federal government. The project kicks off in coming weeks and will wrap up in 2027, though most of the construction will be finished in 2026, officials said. Drivers can expect some traffic delays during the work and Roseberry said residents can check progress on the county's website. 'This one is a large enough project where we have a stand-alone page where we'll have updates,' he said. The website can be found by searching Green Street and Franklin Avenue Improvement Project.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
‘Respect the Zone So We All Get Home': National Work Zone Awareness Week underway in Illinois
CHICAGO — State transportation officials and police are urging drivers to respect work zones as the construction season ramps up. It is National Work Zone Awareness Week. The Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois Tollway and state police held a press conference Tuesday morning sharing details about local projects and how to safely navigate work zones. The year's theme is 'Respect the Zone So We All Get Home.' 'The people you pass working on equipment or behind the cones and barricades are someone's father, mother, son, daughter, friend and neighborhor. Whether you encounter a small crew patching potholes or multiple workers on an interstate construction project that stretches across several miles, the people in that work zone want to get home at the end of the day just like you,' said Jose Rios, Region 1 Engioneer, Illinois Department of Transportation. The joint safety message is to help reduce the number of crashes, inuries and deaths on roadways in Illinois. Many frontline works Tuesday shared their personal encounters on working in the field. As construction season is upon us, there will be lane changes, closures, signage and multiple work zones. According to the Illinois Tollway, it is investing $1.15 billion in roadway repairs and improvements. Much of that construction occuring as part of the Move Illinois capital program. 'That includes major work on portions of the central Tri-State Tollway, I-294 between St. Charles Road and I-55. As well as where we're building a massive interchange connecting I-294 to I-290 and I-88. When completed, these improvements will make traveling on the tollway safer and more convenient for our customers,' said Rohan Gayle, Chief of Maintenance and Traffic, Illinois Tollway. The biggest message is to respect work zones and to make sure you are within the speed limit and avoid any distractions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
31-03-2025
- Axios
Scam alert: Don't fall for fake Illinois Tollway texts
The Illinois Tollway has been warning people not to fall for text messages saying they owe money. The big picture: The text messages, known as smishing, or Short Message Service (SMS) phishing, are happening across the country. The sender disguises themselves as the state tollway operator claiming the recipient has an unpaid toll. Flashback: These are not new. Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul's office issued a warning about the scam last March, and the Federal Trade Commission issued an alert in January. State of play: Phishing scams have become more convincing and "seem like they come from companies you know and trust, like your bank, your credit card company," Amy Bunn from McAfee wrote on the cyber security company's blog. "Scammers have leveled up their game in recent years. Their phishing emails can look convincing. Not long ago, you could point to misspellings, lousy grammar, poor design, and logos that looked stretched or that used the wrong colors. However, it's increasingly common to see far more sophisticated attacks today." Zoom out: FTC fraud complaints in Illinois last year were higher than the U.S. average, breaking down to about 1,470 per 100,000 residents. The average is 1,215. Americans lost 25% more money to fraud last year than in 2023. Zoom in: Raoul's office warns people to: Not share your phone number or other personal or financial information. Do not give out your Social Security number, bank routing numbers, or other personally identifiable financial information.
Chicago Tribune
24-03-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Tom Cauley wrapping up 16 years as Hinsdale's village president
Tom Cauley said he always laughs to himself when someone talks about the legacy of a village president. But it's hard to argue that Cauley isn't leaving a legacy in Hinsdale as he steps down from that position after serving an unprecedented four four-year terms. For the first time since 2009, Cauley's name won't be on the ballot when voters go to the polls for the April 1 consolidated election. That means former DuPage County Board member Greg Hart, who is running unopposed, will become Hinsdale's top elected official 'What any village president does is likely quickly forgotten as residents leave Hinsdale and new residents move in,' Cauley said regarding his skepticism about leaving a legacy. But, he said he is proud of many accomplishments, including 'the Oak Street bridge, the parking deck, the removal of parking meters, our AAA bond rating, the reconstruction or resurfacing of almost every road in Hinsdale and the replacement of many old water mains, the Woodlands drainage project, the low vacancy rate in our central business district and helping to make a resident-friendly village government.' 'Also, I am proud that we have enforced the zoning code and only allowed new commercial development projects that are consistent with the character of our community,' Cauley said. Village Board member Luke Stifflear, who has worked with Cauley over the past 10 years, said he has been a very strong village president because he always put residents and the greater good of the village first. 'Tom did not cave to demands from school districts, the Illinois Tollway, businesses or developers looking to take from the village,' Stifflear said. 'Tom would always fight for a better deal for residents. Stifflear said Cauley's vision and leadership were put to the test right when he started as village president. 'Under macro-economic stress, Tom right-sized the village staff with an approximate 25% reduction in headcount, redirected village spending away from grandiose development plans not fully supported by residents, and rather created a Master Infrastructure Plan to repave our dilapidated roads and replace the village's sewers. Tom focused on the basics of our community.' Village Manager Kathleen Gargano said Cauley's leadership has been driven by his unwavering commitment to Hinsdale and its residents. 'Throughout his tenure, President Cauley guided the village through both a recession and a pandemic, always prioritizing the community's best interests,' she said. 'Under his leadership, the village stabilized its financial position, achieved a AAA bond rating, and completed transformative capital projects that will benefit the community for years to come. 'President Cauley's leadership and thoughtful decision-making have left a profound and lasting impact. His focused and steadfast leadership, as well as his ability to distill complex issues and formulate a response that benefits Hinsdale, will be missed.' Cauley said he ran for village president after a two-year term as village trustee because Hinsdale was in a 'very bad place.' 'Rating agencies were threatening to downgrade the village's bond rating, the board was pursuing development projects that would have ruined the character of our village, and Village Board meetings were extremely contentious and chaotic,' he said. 'I ran for president in the hopes of putting the village on a firm financial footing, to preserve the character of our community, and to develop better relations between residents and their local government.' When first elected as village president, Cauley assumed it would be for one four-year term. 'At the end of my first term, I realized I still could have a positive impact on the village, and I genuinely enjoyed the job,' he said. 'Before my second term, there had only been one-term presidents. It seemed to me that it takes at least one term for a President to properly familiarize himself or herself with the inner workings of the village. In my view, the real impact I have had on the village was after my first term.' As Cauley became more experienced, he also became more a part of the village's day-to-day decision making. 'At this point, I've been involved with the village longer than all but a few village employees,' he said. Now, after 16 years as village president, Cauley decided it was a good time to step down, calling it 'long enough.' 'I would also like to devote more time to my family and my law practice. (I'll miss) the camaraderie with trustees, staff and residents,' he said. 'It has been a wonderful experience that has added texture to my life.' While he no longer will be an elected official in Hinsdale, Cauley doesn't plan to disappear. 'I am always willing to help in any way I can,' he said. 'I have told the trustees and staff to feel free to contact me at any time.'
