The Illinois Department of Transportation has begun informing contractors that all IDOT projects will begin shutting down starting June 30 if no state budget agreement is reached.
A statement attributed to IDOT Secretary Randy Blankenhorn says the move is "due to the majority party in the legislature’s failure to pass a balanced budget."
In the statement, Blankenhorn also calls pending stopgap budget legislation "a fiscally responsible solution proposed by the Republican leaders that can be voted on today. There will be no interruption in our projects and programs if the General Assembly returns to Springfield and passes HB 6585/SB 3435.”
The state has been without a budget for a year due to a stalemate between Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic leaders.
The Capitol Fax news blog reports that no more destructive work will be allowed starting Wednesday, June 22.
"If there is no budget authority by June 30 there will be a 'complete shutdown,'" the blog states. "All engineering will stop. State-let local projects will stop ... There will also be a shutdown of rail, transit, and airport projects."
The IDOT statement also notes that "the conversation about how individual projects will wind down is continuing."
Blankenhorn was named Illinois Secretary of Transportation by Rauner in January 2015.
