Judge Rules Federal Approval of Proposed Tollway Invalid

CHICAGO (AP) — A U.S. District Court judge in Chicago has ruled the federal government’s approval of the proposed Illiana Tollway linking northern Illinois and Indiana is invalid.

Judge Jorge Alonso ruled Tuesday the Federal Highway Administration’s 2013 endorsement of the project was “arbitrary and capricious” and in violation of environmental law.

The ruling is the result of a lawsuit filed by Illinois environmental groups which contended federal approval relied on faulty information and didn’t adequately consider environmental impacts. It claimed the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration and Illinois and Indiana officials relied on inflated population, job and traffic forecasts to justify the $1.5 billion, 47-mile highway.

Environmentalists also claimed reviewers failed to adequately consider potential harm to the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.

Illinois and Indiana have suspended work on the project pending a cost-benefit review.

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