Illinois' Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed tax increase and state spending bills on this Independence Day that Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and other Democrats said were crucial to ending the three-year-long budget stalemate in Springfield. As a result, the Illinois Dept. of Transportation suspended all construction projects as of July 1.
"This shutdown impacts highway, rail, transit and aeronautics projects that involve contracts that have been let and awarded by the state, as well as any engineering and consultant contracts," noted a statement on the Illinois DOT web site. The shutdown stops a planned $2.2 billion in highway and bridge construction spending on 900 active projects and is predicted to significantly impact construction and engineering companies and the state's economy as a whole. An American Road and Transportation Builders Association economic analysis forecasts a shutdown of the state's transportation improvement projects will cost the construction industry and the state's taxpayers at least $34 million in the first week alone.