Kane County presents five‑year transportation plan, warns of roughly $8 million shortfall

Kane County transportation staff presented the FY26 five‑year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) on Tuesday and urged the committee to approve the working financial plan while noting a looming funding gap several years out.

Tom Rickard, with the county Division of Transportation, described the TIP as both a multi‑year financial plan and a working document that incorporates the current adopted budget. He said the document shows more than $90 million in previously approved programs of support (POS) and roughly $596 million in projects across the five‑year horizon, of which about $398 million is already obligated by contract.

"A lot of that cash on hand again is projects that are already underway," Rickard said, noting many funds in the plan represent carryovers and prior commitments rather than new unrestricted revenue.

Rickard told the committee the county expects to face a funding shortfall in later years. "It's about $8 million that we have a funding shortfall a couple years out," he said, adding that the department is prioritizing maintenance and safety projects and has limited new grant applications to those with available matching funds.

He also described how some projects are partially or fully on hold because matching funds are not available, and he said the department will continue to pursue grant matches and other revenue but cannot add new projects beyond required maintenance without funding. Board members pressed for clearer displays of which projects are on hold and asked staff to continue pursuing additional revenue and to show district‑level impacts in the TIP exhibits.

After discussion, the committee moved and approved the TIP by roll call. Members who spoke during the discussion thanked staff for the detailed overview and urged further work to identify funding sources for partially held projects.

Rickard said the TIP will also be used as the basis for the FY27 program budget and that staff will return with a proposed FY27 budget incorporating carryovers and program budgeting adjustments.

Next steps: staff will refine exhibits requested by board members (including clearer district‑level listings of on‑hold projects) and will present the FY27 budget in a subsequent committee meeting.