Illinois Tollway breaks ground on new full-access Irene Road Interchange

BOONE COUNTY – On Friday, June 26 at 2 p.m., the Illinois Tollway and officials from the city of Belvidere and Boone County, along with state legislators, broke ground on the final ramps needed to complete the $13 million, full-access Irene Road Interchange on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90).
The Illinois Tollway Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom, the Illinois Tollway Board Director Earl Dotson Jr. and local elected officials, state legislators, and business leaders gathered around the new full-access Irene Road Interchange to witness and participate in the ground breaking event.
The new, full-access interchange will create access to stimulate new economic development opportunities for Boone County and neighboring Winnebago County.
The $13 million Irene Road Interchange Project includes the construction of new ramps to carry traffic to and from the west scheduled to be complete in 2015, coupled with the Tollway’s reconstruction of the Irene Road Bridge completed in 2013 and construction of a new eastbound entrance ramp completed in 2014.
The new, full-access Irene Road Interchange is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2015 as part of the Illinois Tollway’s 15-year, $12 billion Move Illinois Program.
“The Illinois Tollway is the driving force for economic development throughout Northern Illinois,” said Tollway Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom. “And, this investment in building a full-access interchange at Irene Road will accelerate economic development and job creation by opening access and providing greater opportunities for local businesses to grow.”
“The Illinois Tollway’s main goal is to build and maintain a system of roadways that move people, goods and services quickly and efficiently,” said Tollway Board Director Earl Dotson Jr. “But, it’s also so important that we recognize the role our agency plays as an economic engine for Belvidere, Rockford and other communities throughout Northern Illinois.”
The $13 million Irene Road Interchange Project includes the construction of new ramps to carry traffic to and from the west, coupled with the Tollway’s reconstruction of the Irene Road Bridge completed in 2013 and construction of a new eastbound entrance ramp completed in 2014.
The new, full-access interchange will create access to stimulate new economic development opportunities for Boone County and neighboring Winnebago County.
“The Irene Road and Genoa Road Interchanges extend our access to the Illinois Tollway and we are looking to bring immediate convenience and economic development to our county, especially to Chrysler and the Crosslink Industrial Park,” said Boone County Chairman Bob Walberg.
“In the long term, the new interchanges mean job creation, a better retention rate for businesses and an increase in transporting goods.”
“We worked closely with the Tollway to forge bonds over the last several years to make the rebuilding and widening of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway a reality,” said Belvidere Mayor Mike Chamberlain.
“The collaboration between our city and the Tollway is what made this interchange a success.”
“It’s great to see the final phase of the interchange nearing completion because this is something we’ve been working hard on for a very long time,” said State Sen. Dave Syverson.
“This will improve the flow of traffic throughout the area and create new opportunities for economic development. I believe this is an excellent example of the type of capital projects we can build when we all work together.”
“Residents and business in the Belvidere area have eagerly anticipated the benefits of a full interchange on I-90 at Irene Road for decades,” said State Rep. Joe Sosnowski.
“We are grateful for the cooperation among the Illinois Tollway, state and local leaders and the business community that has brought us here to celebrate an historic occasion for this growing region of Northern Illinois.”
“I-90 serves as a major link between our region and the broader state and national economy,” said State Rep. Robert W. Pritchard.
“The Tollway’s recently completed western segment of the I-90 Rebuilding and Widening Project and the soon-to-be-complete Irene Road interchange will further enhance our position in the Midwest as a place for investment.”
Agreements finalizing the expansion of the Irene Road Interchange and improvements to the nearby Genoa Road Interchange have been approved by the Illinois Tollway Board of Directors, Boone County, the city of Belvidere, as well as Flora and Spring Townships. The project complies with the Illinois Tollway’s Interchange and Roadway Cost Sharing Policy requirement for local participation in interchange and roadway projects.
All-electronic toll plazas with I-PASS or Pay Online lanes will be constructed on the new Irene Road Interchange ramps carrying traffic to and from the west.
Cars with I-PASS will pay 55 cents and those without I-PASS can pay their tolls online at the cash rate within the seven-day grace period. The cash rate is $1.10 for cars.
Toll collection will not begin until work on the Irene Road Interchange is complete.
In addition, ramp toll plazas are being constructed on the exit ramps from I-90 to Genoa Road as part of the Genoa Road Interchange Project.
The $16 million project is reconstructing the Genoa Road Bridge carrying traffic over I-90 and reconfiguring the eastbound entrance and exit ramps. Both ramp toll plazas will provide an I-PASS or Pay Online lane and one automatic coin machine with a 55-cent toll for drivers entering eastbound I-90 and a 75-cent toll for drivers exiting from westbound I-90. Customers without I-PASS can pay their tolls online within the seven-day grace period. Cash rates are double the I-PASS rates for cars. Toll collection will begin when work is completed this summer.
Irene Road and the interchange will remain open to traffic during construction, which began the week of June 22.
The $13 million Irene Road Interchange and the $16 million Genoa Road Interchange Projects are included in the Illinois Tollway’s 15-year, $12 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.