Former rec center pool now Illinois Tollway call center

A new customer service call center for the Illinois Tollway, staffed by Chicago Lighthouse, will handle more than 10,000 contacts a day.

The Illinois Tollway has opened a customer service call center in Student Center East, in a space under the bowling alley that once housed a campus swimming pool.

The new facility doubles the number of customer service work stations for the tollway to 200.

Located on campus under a 10-year, $3.7 million contract with UIC, the center will handle more than 10,000 customer contacts per day.

Paula Wolff, chair of the tollway authority, said the 22,000-square-foot call center in Student Center East replaces a facility in Lisle.

It will be staffed under a $61.5 million, five-year contract with the Chicago Lighthouse, which serves the blind and visually impaired.

The 200 positions will be filled by people who are visually impaired, have other disabilities or are veterans, said Janet Szlyk, Chicago Lighthouse president.

The new call center is located in the basement of Student Center East, in what was formerly a campus recreation swimming pool.

The tollway expects the volume of calls and email to increase after the all-electronic interchange at the Tri- State Tollway and Illinois 57 opens next fall, said executive director Kristi Lafleur.

Staffers will also process more than 27,000 toll and violation payments received by mail per month.

The new call center is located in the basement of Student Center East, in what was formerly a campus recreation swimming pool.