SPRINGFIELD - While they might be nice to have, refurbished roads, bridges, schools, prisons and university buildings can be expensive.

Such has been one problem for Illinois lawmakers in the past year.

Now that the General Assembly has finished its work on a bailout of Chicago-area mass transit systems, lawmakers have begun looking at the next big target: a statewide construction program.

Lawmakers from across the state want everything from new tracks for Chicago's famous elevated trains to new buildings at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

But, the sticking point is how to pay for all of it.

SIU spokesman Dave Gross said university President Glenn Poshard has lobbied lawmakers about his school's projects but mostly has left questions over funding up to policymakers.

"He's mostly talking about the need," Gross said.

The method of paying for all the new goodies that's been most widely considered is the politically tricky idea of expanding gambling. Ideas ranged from adding slot machines to existing state casinos to opening several new casinos.

Some lawmakers who want the benefits of a construction plan don't like the idea of expanding gambling. But so far, they haven't come up with an alternative.

State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, said he won't vote for gambling to pay for new roads and schools but doesn't have a specific different idea he's backing.

"I would try to keep an open mind about different alternatives," he said.

State Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, said he opposed expanding gambling until last year.

Luechtefeld said he voted for new casinos because he thought it was the only option to fund a construction plan.

"You've got to vote to pay for it," Luechtefeld said.

He thinks it's unfair to cast the popular vote for big-money projects without making the more dangerous vote to get the cash.

Bradley said he would consider doing just that. He said that after carrying a well-publicized proposal to end all Illinois gambling, he couldn't turn around several years later and vote to expand it.

Still, Bradley said the projects are important.

"But I am going to vote for the capital program," he said.

Mike Riopell can be reached at mike.riopell@lee.net or 789-0865.