The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority has approved five new contracts that total $124.5m for rebuilding and widening works on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90).

Scheduled for 2013-2016, the project is a part of the tollway’s 15-year, $12bn capital programme, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has said that the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, which connects two of Illinois’ largest metropolitan areas, will be valuable to various travellers who use it every year.

"This infrastructure investment will modernise one of our most important interstates, put thousands of people to work and lay the foundation for economic growth for decades to come," Quinn noted.

The five new contracts awarded include two projects worth $56m for the Curran Contracting Company, including $24.6m for eastbound rebuilding and widening between Anthony Road and US Route 20 and $31.4m eastbound rebuilding and widening between Genoa Road and Anthony Road.

"The Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, which connects two of Illinois’ largest metropolitan areas, will be valuable to various travellers who use it every year."

Two contracts worth a total of $49.5m were awarded for Plote Construction, including $32.4m for eastbound rebuilding and widening between the Union Pacific Railroad and the Elgin Toll Plaza and $17.1m for eastbound rebuilding and widening between US Route 20 and Illinois Route 47.

The contracts also include an $18.9m project for FH Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates for eastbound rebuilding and widening between Illinois Route 47 and the Union Pacific Railroad.

These five new I-90 contract awards include 27 subcontractors who are certified as disadvantaged, minority and women-owned business enterprises, with participation commitments starting from 18% to up to 21% per contract.

The total estimated cost of the tollway project is $2.2bn, and the authority has, to date, approved more than $377m contracts to 29 construction and engineering firms.

When completed, I-90 will comprise eight lanes from the Kennedy Expressway to Randall Road and six lanes from Randall Road to I-39, saving drivers $440m annually in reduced congestion and delays, in addition to creating 11,500 permanent jobs in Chicago.