IN THE NEWS

Construction: Overnight lane closures on I-80 at Wheeler Avenue begin July 18 

 

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that as part of ongoing efforts to replace the bridge carrying Wheeler Avenue over Interstate 80, in Joliet, overnight lane closures, accompanied by 15-minute full expressway traffic stops, are scheduled to take place beginning, weather permitting, Tuesday, July 18. The closures are necessary to safely remove the existing Wheeler Avenue bridge over the expressway.

 

To complete the work, motorists should expect various overnight lane closures in both directions of I-80 near Wheeler Avenue. The closures are scheduled to take place from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, from 10 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday and from 9 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday, with full stops for no longer than 15 minutes at a time starting at 1 a.m. each night. The work is anticipated to be completed by 5 a.m. Friday, July 28.

 

The $5.7 million project will replace the existing bridge with a new structure that will accommodate the widening of I-80. New storm sewers and ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps also will be installed. The project is anticipated to be completed in December.

 

Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for workers and equipment.

 

The overall I-80 improvement project will redesign and rebuild 16 miles from Ridge Road, in Minooka, to U.S. 30, in Joliet and New Lenox, while adding or extending auxiliary lanes to improve safety and reduce congestion. Interchanges will be rebuilt or improved at Interstate 55, Illinois 7, Center Street, Chicago Street, Richards Street and Briggs Street, with a new flyover ramp linking southbound I-55 to eastbound I-80 to improve traffic flow and safety. More than 30 bridges will be rehabilitated or replaced, including those over the Des Plaines River.

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Website launched to keep public informed on I-80 

 

The Illinois Department of Transportation has launched a new website, I80will.org, to provide the public with the latest information on the $1.2 billion reconstruction of Interstate 80 through Will County, one of the cornerstone projects of Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. View the article.

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Gov. Pritzker Advances Vision to Rebuild I-80 

 

Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) were joined by local officials today to announce the next phase of construction on the new Houbolt Road bridge and interchange, a critical piece of the governor's $1.2 billion commitment to improve and modernize I-80. View the article.

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$1.2 Billion, 6-Year Corridor Improvement Project Announced for I-80 Will County

 

Come 2028, the 50-year-old Interstate 80 corridor in Joliet and Will County will be transformed into a modern, safe roadway that motorists can depend on following completion of a massive $1.2 billion reconstruction project. View the article.

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Illinois Lays Out Timeline for I-80 Project

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After preliminary work that began in 2021, reconstruction of a 16-mile stretch from Ridge Road in Minooka east to U.S. 30 near Joliet will begin this year with work from Ridge Road east to the DuPage River. View the article.

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Houbolt Road Extension Advances

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This new access route for trucks is the result of years of collaboration and thoughtful planning, and will ensure the industry remains a driver of jobs and revenue for Will County while protecting our community. View the article.

 

IDOT Engineer Discusses I-80 Project Plan

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Illinois Department of Transportation Engineer John Baczek discusses the timeline and cost of the six-year plan to rebuild I-80 along a 16 mile stretch from Ridge Road in Minooka to U.S. 30 in New Lenox. View the article.

 

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