Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
Seal of the ISTHA
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Logo, using alternate name
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 1941 |
| Type | Independent |
| Headquarters | 2700 Ogden Avenue, Downers Grove, Illinois 41°48′22″N 88°03′04″W / 41.806111°N 88.051111°WCoordinates: 41°48′22″N 88°03′04″W / 41.806111°N 88.051111°W |
| Employees | 1,704 |
| Annual budget | $696 million |
| Minister responsible |
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| Parent agency | State of Illinois |
| Website | www |
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Illinois State Highway System
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The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) is an administrative agency of the State of Illinois, United States. The roads, as well as the Authority itself, are sometimes referred to as the Illinois Tollway. The system opened in 1958 in the Chicago area, and has subsequently expanded to include the eastern and central sections of Interstate 88 (I-88) extending into the northwestern part of the state. Beginning in 2005, the system was reconstructed to include more lanes and open tolling. Open tolling uses I-Pass transponders to collect revenue as vehicles pass antennas at toll plazas or designated entrance or exit ramps. As of 2016[update], ISTHA maintains and operates 292 miles (470 km) of tollways in 13 counties in Northern Illinois.
The Tollway's board of directors has eleven members. The Governor of Illinois and the head of the Illinois Department of Transportation serve as ex officio members of the Tollway Board. The remaining 9 members are named by the governor. No more than 5 appointed members may be of the same political party as the governor. The Authority has the power to collect and raise tolls, and is responsible for the maintenance and construction of tollway roads and related signage (including electronic message boards, used for driving time notices, Amber Alerts and other notifications). The Tollway also supervises and manages the seven Illinois Tollway oases. The close relationship between the governor and the near-majority of appointed board members has led to numerous allegations of endemic corruption throughout the tollway authority's lifetime.
The ISTHA's annual budget for fiscal year 2010 totals $696 million. The ISTHA has 1,704 full-time employees, of which 754 are toll collectors. As of January 1, 2010, ISTHA has $4,074,675,000 in bond debt, which have been rated Aa3, AA- and AA- by Moody’s Investors Service, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's, respectively. The ISTHA has the power to take lands by eminent domain, and ISTHA's employees are subject to conflict of interest laws enacted in 2005.
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