Prices at the pump will increase July 1st at Lake County gas stations such as this Speedway on Northwest Highway in Lake Barrington.
The Lake County Board approved an ordinance that will add a four-cent-per-gallon gas tax to address a $1.7 billion transportation project backlog in the county.
The new ordinance will provide an estimated $10 million dollars each year in new transportation infrastructure investments.
Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart said the investment will allow the county to address “critical transportation needs” that residents have been asking about.
Those include railroad grade separations, road widenings, safer turn lanes and other improvements which will aim to reduce congestion, carbon emissions and improve traffic safety.
“Many of these projects, if left unaddressed, pose significant traffic congestion and safety issues,” Hart said.
The ordinance goes into effect July 1 and all of the revenue will stay in Lake County. It is required to be solely dedicated to improving the county’s transportation system.
In 2019, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law a $45 billion infrastructure plan, which included doubling the gas tax from 19 cents per gallon to 38 cents per gallon.
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