A Commitment to Sustainability

Sustainability is built into everything we do at the Illinois Tollway. From LEED-certified facilities to environmentally conscious de-icing efforts, the Tollway is constantly looking for ways to make our footprint leaner and greener. In addition to a comprehensive landscaping plan, the Illinois Tollway looks to inject green construction practices and environmentally friendly materials throughout our 294-mile system.  
 
It’s all part of the Tollway’s commitment to reduce the impact of our roads on the environment.
 
To protect water quality and better manage stormwater runoff from roads, the Tollway builds detention ponds and bioswales that include native plants and natural features to filter water and remove road salt and other impurities. The Tollway is building drainage systems on new bridges over key waterways like the Fox River and Des Plaines River that channel stormwater into these filtering structures and prevents it from running directly into the rivers. 
 
We also work to offset the impact of road construction by restoring and improving wetland areas to store floodwaters, recharge groundwater supplies and filter sediments and pollutants from runoff. Trees are springing up along the Tollway system as part of our initiative to plant 58,000 saplings to increase the regional tree canopy, provide habitat for birds and insects while beautifying roadsides.
 
To find out more about Tollway environmental initiatives, visit out our new webpage dedicated to highlighting our sustainability efforts.  We’ll be continually be adding information and highlighting new initiatives so check it out here!