Five construction contracts totaling nearly $124.5 million for the rebuilding and widening of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) were approved today by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

The contracts give the go-ahead for work to begin this year on the eastbound lanes of the Addams between Rockford and the Elgin Toll Plaza.

“We’re trying to get out in front and keep everything moving on this (project),” said tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur.

The tollway board awarded two contracts totaling $56 million to Curran Contracting Co. of Crystal Lake, two contracts totaling $49.5 million to Plote Construction Inc. of Hoffman Estates, and one contract for $18.9 million contract to F.H. Paschen/S.N. Nielsen & Associates Inc. of Chicago.

All were low bidders, tollway Chief Engineer Paul Kovacs said. There were anywhere from four to seven bidders for each project, and bids came in approximately $42 million below the tollway’s estimates, he said.



When complete in 2016, I-90 will be widened to eight lanes from the Kennedy Expressway to Randall Road and six lanes from Randall Road to I-39, officials said.

The total estimated cost is $2.2 billion. To date, the tollway has approved more than $377 million in contracts with 29 construction and engineering firms, the agency said.

The contracts awarded Thursday also include $24 million worth of work to 27 subcontractors who are certified as disadvantaged, minority- and women-owned business enterprises, tollway officials said.

rwronski@tribune.com

Twitter @richwronski