Midwest States Hitting Potholes in Drive to Fund Road Construction

In late March, anxious to plug a $1.6 billion budget hole, Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner shook some legislative branches and, among other funding sources, down plopped $350 million originally allocated for road construction and repairs. No problem, Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) indicated in a letter to the state's General Assembly, the funds wouldn't jeopardize projects.

Last week, IDOT painted a grimmer picture of its financial prospects, indicating state funds would amount to only $352 million of its planned $1.85 billion spending on infrastructure in fiscal 2015-2016, as compared to $1.16 billion in 2014-2015. Fact is, state funds for roads and bridges have plummeted nearly 95% since fiscal 2009-10, with all the usual culprits in play from insufficient gas tax revenues to borrowing from Peter to pay Paul.