By John Dempsey, WLS-AM News

(CHICAGO) A new report says Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner wants to ease congestion on the Stevenson Expressway by putting in toll lanes.    The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Rauner’s State Department of Transportation is expanding on an idea it had last year to build one toll lane in each direction between downtown and the Tri-State Tollway.     Now, the report says IDOT wants to build two toll lanes in each direction in that stretch, and one new toll lane in each direction between the Tri-State and the North-South Tollway.

The lanes would be on the shoulder to the left of traffic and into the center median, and would not take up any more right of way.   According to the plan, private developers would pay all or part of the $700 million cost and presumably would share in the toll revenue.    If the plan happens, the report says construction could start in 2019 and be finished by 2021.

The Tribune reports that the Stevenson, which cuts through the Southwest side of Chicago and various Southwest suburbs, has one of the worst commutes in the Midwest, with 12 hours of daily congestion and four crashes per day.

According to the plan, Pace buses, which currently ride on the Stevenson shoulder, would be able to ride the new toll lanes for free.   Trucks would not be allowed in the new toll lanes.

Read the entire Chicago Tribune story here. 

@ 2017 WLS-AM News