Court Rules Cook County Misused $243M in Transportation Funds | Engineering News-Record
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A Cook County Circuit Judge in Illinois rules that Cook County misdirected $243 million in transportation revenues in 2023 that should have gone to transportation infrastructure needs.
ProjectsBusinessMidwestMidwest Construction NewsFinanceGovernment Infrastructure Court Rules Cook County Misspent $243M in Transportation Funds Road builders-led group win a legal victory in Cook County, Ill., argued transportation funds were not spent directly for infrastructure needs in 2023 as required by law By Annemarie Mannion Collage by Scott Hilling/ENR, original scales of justice and halftone dot images by Getty Images A Cook County Circuit Court judge sided with a coalition of construction industry judges when it decided that Cook County had misspent funds that should have been used for transportation infrastructure. January 30, 2026 A Cook County Illinois Circuit Court judge has ruled that the county violated the state constitution by using $243 million in transportation tax revenue during fiscal 2023 for non-transportation purposes, handing a legal win to a statewide coalition of construction trade groups. Judge Alison Conlon ruled Jan. 28 that the county’s spending violated the Safe Roads Amendment, also known as the transportation “lockbox” amendment, which requires that revenue from gas taxes, parking facilities, and vehicle purchases be used exclusively for transportation projects. Cook County had argued that the funds could support other government operations tied to traffic enforcement, including to pay for portions of the budgets of the County sheriff’s office, state’s attorney, juvenile probation dept., public defender, circuit court clerk, and courts....