Illinois Tollway Board approves contracts for next phase of I-490 construction
The Illinois Tollway Board of Directors approved the next major phase of construction for the new I-490 Tollway on July 16, advancing a significant transportation project aimed at reducing congestion, improving regional mobility, and providing western access to O'Hare International Airport.
The board's July action includes four construction and professional engineering services contracts totaling more than $198 million to support the I-490 Tollway Project and other ongoing infrastructure improvements. The I-490 Tollway is designed as a new north-south corridor connecting the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), Tri-State Tollway (I-294), and Illinois Route 390, with six miles of new roadway along O’Hare’s western border.
The newly approved contract covers roadway and bridge construction on the northern half of the I-490 between Supreme Drive and I-90. It also includes building bridges over Union Pacific Railroad’s freight corridors and over Bryn Mawr Railyard. "Today's action marks another important step in delivering the new I-490 Tollway and the long-term mobility benefits it will provide for Northern Illinois," said Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse. "Projects like the I-490 Tollway require years of planning and coordination, but each milestone moves us closer to improving regional connectivity and delivering infrastructure that will serve this region for generations."
In total, more than $502.7 million in contracts have been approved by the board in 2026 as part of ongoing capital programs: $225.5 million under Move Illinois—a 16-year, $15 billion initiative—and $277.2 million under Bridging the Future—a seven-year, $2 billion plan launched in December 2024 based on stakeholder engagement to modernize infrastructure. Since 2012, over $12.5 billion has been invested by Illinois Tollway projects with more than $3.35 billion committed to small, diverse, or veteran-owned firms; an estimated 154,660 jobs have been created or sustained as of June 2026.
July's awarded contracts include a $177.9 million contract to Dunnet Bay Construction Co., a $3.1 million contract to Industrial Fence Inc., an $11.9 million design services contract to Stantec Consulting Services Inc., and a $5.5 million construction management contract to OSEH Inc. These contracts feature participation from disadvantaged-, minority-, women-, or veteran-owned businesses ranging from about one percent up to nearly eighty-five percent per contract.
Professional engineering service providers are selected according to state qualifications-based selection law, while all construction projects are competitively bid under procurement rules established by Illinois law.