Tollway says ‘construction continuing’ systemwide despite interchange fumble

Despite a contract dispute throwing a major wrench into one key Illinois tollway project, construction continues throughout the system, officials said Wednesday.

A DuPage judge granted a temporary injunction last week preventing the tollway hiring a replacement for Judlau Construction to rebuild the southbound side of the I-88/I-290 interchange near Oak Brook.

Work on the southbound segment skidded to a halt in May after the agency terminated Judlau’s contract following an internal misstep involving bidding rules, according to court documents.

“While a final determination on the I-290/I-88 Interchange project is worked out, it is important to note that construction is continuing on other portions of I-290/I-88, and tremendous progress is being made as we continue to deliver the benefits of congestion relief and increase access through our interchange work,” tollway leaders said in a statement.

Judlau sued the tollway for breach of contract, noting it had already hired workers, bought materials and was actively excavating and grading.

Along with lengthy delays, pulling the plug on the contract will impact hundreds of jobs, cost millions, and create traffic hazards, Judlau contends.

The tollway originally declined comment, but said Wednesday it “prioritizes the safety of its customers, operational efficiency, and delivering projects on time — and our history demonstrates our ability to do so. We will ensure that the work is completed, with the safety of our customers continually at the forefront.”