Thursday’s decision by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning's Policy Committee to add the project to its Go To 2040 agenda now sees the deal eligible for federal funds.
This followed the similar decision made on Wednesday by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, which effectively secures the future of the bi-state deal.
The RFPs are now expected from the Indiana (INDOT) and Illinois (IDOT) departments of transportation over the coming months, with INDOT already confirming to P3 Bulletin that it could issue its request before the end of 2014.
Four teams are shortlisted for the Indiana part of the plans after being shortlisted in March. The same number of teams are battling it out for the Illinois section after being shortlisted in January.