OTTAWA, IL -Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig today announced that the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will seek early input into the development of its upcoming Multi-Year Road Program for Highway Improvements for Fiscal Years 2012-2017 by hosting 20 informational and feedback sessions in communities throughout the state.

The public meeting for the Kankakee Urbanized Area will be held on September 7, 2010, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Kankakee City Library (4th floor conference room), 201 W. Merchant Street, Kankakee to give residents and businesses in the area a chance to better understand and weigh in on project priorities over the next five to seven years.

"With a robust construction season in full swing, we want to get an early start on our plans for our upcoming road program," said Secretary Hannig. "It is important to us that we hear from the public about the projects that are important to their communities."

The proposed Multi-Year Program (MYP) is based on conservative estimates of local, federal and state funding, including funding from Governor Quinn's Illinois Jobs Now! capital program, enacted in 2009. The Multi-Year Program for the current FY 2011-2016 totals about $12.84 billion and focuses on maintenance of the current road system.

The public meeting will be conducted on an informal basis and no formal presentation is planned. IDOT staff will be present to answer any questions related to the state highway program, planning and project development process.

The public will have an opportunity to comment on the development of the proposed MYP, existing programming procedures, and other information. The meeting also will provide information to prospective contractors about programs in place to assist small business enterprises, including businesses owned and operated by minorities and women, and other programs undertaken by IDOT.

Comment sheets will be provided for those in attendance who wish to provide a written statement. Comments received at this meeting or sent to District 3 Office by close of business on November 1, 2010, will be included in the meeting record. The same material will be available for review and inspection at the District 3 Office at 700 East Norris Drive in Ottawa, Illinois, 61350 after the mentioned meeting dates.

These meetings will be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Anyone needing special assistance should contact Tom Magolan at 815-434-8472. Persons planning to attend who will need a sign language interpreter or other similar accommodations should notify the Department through its TTY/TTD number at 800-526-0844 at least five days prior to the meeting.
 

• I-94 at Westnedge Avenue in Kalamazoo/Portage, Kalamazoo County, will have two lanes maintained in each direction. The following ramps are closed:
  • Westbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge Avenue;
  • Eastbound I-94 to southbound Westnedge Avenue;
  • Eastbound I-94 to northbound Westnedge Avenue;
  • Northbound Westnedge Avenue to eastbound I-94; and
  • Southbound Westnedge Avenue to eastbound I-94.

•  I-94 Business Loop in downtown Benton Harbor, Berrien County, will have one eastbound lane open with westbound traffic detoured.
• I-196 from 118th Avenue to 130th Street, Allegan County, will have single-lane closures.
• M-40 in downtown Paw Paw, Van Buren County, will have one lane open in each direction.
• M-60 west of Cassopolis, Cass County, is closed at Farm Lane Road and traffic is detoured on M-62 and Hospital Street.
• M-86 north of Bronson, Branch County, is closed from Farrand Road to Babcock Road, and there is a posted detour on county roads.
• M-96 Kalamazoo River mill race bridge in Augusta, Kalamazoo County, will have one lane open with an alternating signal.

MDOT says: Construction work zones need your undivided attention.

• Northbound I-294 traffic over the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) is reduced to three lanes shifted to the right with a work zone on the left for bridge rehabilitation work.  The southbound bridge over I-88 maintains four lanes in a split configuration with two lanes shifted to the left and two to the right with a work zone in between.  There is no impact to entrances or exits. 

• The eastbound Edens Spur is reduced to one lane between Waukegan Road and the Edens Expressway for bridge and pavement rehabilitation and resurfacing work.

• Southbound I-355 traffic between the Army Trail Toll Plaza and Butterfield Road is shifted into a construction express lane configuration with two local lanes to the right and an express lane traveling on the left shoulder. 

• Between the Army Trail Toll Plaza and Butterfield Road, southbound traffic planning to exit at North Avenue, Roosevelt Road, Butterfield Road or Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) must remain in the local lanes.  The next available exit is Ogden Avenue.
• Northbound traffic between Butterfield Road and the Army Trail Toll Plaza is shifted to the right with a work zone on the left.

• I-355 traffic in both directions between 83^rd Street and 75^th Street and between Maple Avenue and Butterfield Road is shifted to the right with a work zone on the left.

• www.illinoistollway.com – Projects by Roadway section – for details by road
• 1-800-TOLL-FYI – Daily lane closure information
• Roadway and electronic signs
• www.travelmidwest.com – Travel times
• Sign up for E-mail updates

• Up-to-the-minute traffic by road – www.nbcchicago.com
• Construction eNewsletter – www.illinoistollway.com

Each year, in the spring and fall, CDOT raises the movable bridges along the South and Main Branches of the Chicago River to accommodate recreational boats traveling to and from their storage yards and the Lake Michigan harbors.  Federal law requires that the city open the bridges for these boats.  CDOT coordinates with local boat storage yards each year to create a schedule that accommodates boats while creating the least amount of impact on downtown street traffic.

During these spring and fall "boat runs," bridges are raised sequentially, typically one at a time.  A bridge lift takes an average of 8-12 minutes.

Effective November 1, 2010 through April 15, 2011, the Chicago River Locks will remain closed for repairs. Therefore, there will be no bridge lifts in November.

Wednesday bridge lifts impact the downtown area between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

Saturday bridge lifts impact the downtown area between 9 and 11 a.m.

Click on the link below for the Fall 2010 bridge lift calendar.

Fall 2010 bridge lift calendar

• A truckers report,
• Bigger maps with collapseable navigator, layer and zoom controls, legend and a new info viewer, and
• Easier to read reports.

We hope you enjoy the web site's new look and feel.

Events are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, August 31, at the Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294/I-80); Wednesday, September 1, at the Belvidere Oasis on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90); and Thursday, September 2, at the Lake Forest Oasis on the Tri-State Tollway (I-94).

During the events tourism and visitor information will be available to point drivers in the direction of recreation and must-see destinations accessible along the Tollway. Event-goers can learn more about family vacation ideas around Northern Illinois. Tourism and travel organizations will have special vacation package giveaways. During the events, Illinois Tollway Oases vendors will be offering special discounts on food and samplings of delicious treats, including McDonald’s ice-cream cones, Taco Bell frozen fruit drinks and Kronos Gyros combo meals.

These are the final safety seat events scheduled to take place at the Tollway Oases this year, providing parents and caregivers the opportunity to get help along the road with safety seat inspections and installations. Previous events were held prior to the Memorial Day and Fourth of July holiday weekends. Information on additional safety seat events is posted on the Tollway Web site www.illinoistollway.com.

Child Safety Seat Inspection Events
Safety seat events are quick, easy and can make a big difference. Properly installed safety seats not only eliminate a potential distraction for drivers, but also significantly reduce the risk of injury or greater tragedy for children in the event of an accident. And yet, 80 percent of child safety seats in Illinois are installed improperly. The events also offer a convenient way for drivers to make sure they comply with Illinois law, which requires a person transporting a child under age 8 to properly secure the child in an appropriate child-restraint system.

To participate in the event, bring your child safety seats, children and the vehicle in which the child safety seats will be installed. Information on recalls and recall detection, correct positioning, correct sizing to protect the child most effectively, plus additional safety information and resources will be offered at these events.

“District 15 is committed to ensuring safety for drivers and young passengers on the Illinois Tollway. Even small errors can make the difference in whether a child is injured in a car accident,” said District 15 Commander John Jesernik. “Some of the more common problems our inspectors pinpoint include too much slack in harness straps, not properly anchoring the car seat, improper seat size for the child’s weight and the need for, or use of, booster seats for older children.”

Child Safety Seat Basics
The safest place for infants, toddlers and young children to ride is in the back seat with the appropriate child safety seat for their age and size. The Child Passenger Protection Act was established to protect the health and safety of children through the proper use of approved child-restraint systems.

Infants should ride rear facing until at least 20 pounds and 12 months of age, longer if possible, to protect their developing muscles and bones. Rear-facing child safety seats protect the growing babies’ head, neck and back in a crash. Toddlers and young children up to 4 years old should ride in a child safety seat with an internal harness until they reach the maximum harness limit of up to 40 pounds.

A booster seat is the most effective way to position a safety belt properly on a young child's growing body. Safety belts are designed for adults who are at least 80 pounds and 4 feet 9 inches tall. Until age 8, most children have not developed strong hipbones and their legs and body are too short for the adult safety belt to fit correctly without use of a booster seat.

The Tollway Board of Directors concurred today with the recommendation made earlier this week by the Tollway’s Customer Service Working Group directing that violation notices be issued to Indiana residents covering a two-year period from July 2008 to June 2010.  In addition, Tollway leaders called for an independent third-party audit of the violation enforcement system to ensure that the necessary checks and balances are in place and to determine if additional improvements are needed.

Violation Notices Scheduled for Indiana Drivers

The State of Indiana elected to change the format of its license plates in 2007, prompting the Illinois Tollway to work closely with the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles to ensure accurate identification of vehicles with Indiana license plates.  However, despite this collaborative effort, the Tollway’s violation enforcement process failed to issue notices to Indiana customers in a timely manner.

What to Do With a Violation Notice

The Illinois Tollway sends notices to violators accumulating three or more toll violations over a two-year period. Violation notices require payment of all missed tolls and $20 fines are assessed for every unpaid toll.  I-PASS customers receiving violation notices are expected to bring their accounts up to date and pay missed tolls in return for a waiver of fines. Violators have 21 days to either pay the fines or request a hearing to contest the violation notices.  If notices or hearing findings are ignored, additional penalties can apply, including increased fines of $50 to $70 per violation and referral to collection agencies.

• For customers with I-PASS – If you were an I-PASS customer with an account in good standing at the time of the violations included on your notice, you may have received violations because your I-PASS account information is out-of-date. You do not need to schedule a hearing.  You have 21 days to call 800-UCI-PASS or visit a Tollway Customer Service Center to update your account. To resolve the violation notice, you will be asked to pay missed tolls and fines will be waived.

• For customers without I-PASS – You have 21 days to either pay the fines or request a hearing to contest the violation notices.  If notices or hearing findings are ignored, additional penalties can apply, including increased fines of $50 to $70 per violation and referral to collection agencies.  Violations can be paid online at www.illinoistollway.com, mailed using the enclosed form or dropped off at a Tollway Customer Service Center.

• For customers who seek to request a hearing – You have 21 days from the issue date of the violation notice to contest the violations by requesting an administrative hearing. An administrative hearing can be conducted in person or by mail. Administrative hearings are less formal than a state court trial but follow a basic structure to ensure fairness and due process of law. Administrative hearing dates can be requested by calling 800-UCI-PASS or submitting an e-mail online site at www.illinoistollway.com.

• For customers who seek to pay their violation notices – You have 21 days to either pay or request a hearing to contest the violation notices.  If notices or hearing findings are ignored, additional penalties can apply including increased fines of $50 to $70 per violation and referral to collection agencies.  Violations can be paid online at www.illinoistollway.com, mailed using the enclosed form or dropped off at a Tollway Customer Service Center.

CDOT, in conjunction with Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th), is conducting a test on Humboldt Dr through Humboldt Park aimed at calming traffic and improving pedestrian safety and comfort.

Starting the week of August 23, a portion of Humboldt Drive between North Ave and Division St will be temporarily reduced from 4 lanes to 3 lanes.  This segment of Humboldt Dr will have one travel lane in each direction, with a center lane used as a combination of left-turn lane and pedestrian refuge area.  This change will both slow vehicle speeds and reduce pedestrian exposure to approaching traffic. 

Engineers will study the effectiveness of these changes on driver behavior and pedestrian safety during the one-to-two-month test period.

CDOT’s traffic and pedestrian safety programs will analyze speed and behavioral changes for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians as a part of the effort to improve safety for all public way users.

New Northbound Traffic Pattern in Place Thursday Afternoon, September 2
At 10 a.m. Thursday morning, September 2, the express lane close, with two local lanes traveling on the right.  By 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 2, shifts to three contiguous lanes on the right with a work zone on the left.
 
On Monday, August 30, southbound traffic shifted into a new configuration, with the work zone in the center lanes and traffic split just south of the Army Trail Toll Plaza.  There are now two local lanes traveling on the right and one express lane traveling on the left shoulder.  The next available exit for traffic traveling in the express lane is Ogden Avenue.  Traffic planning to exit at North Avenue, Roosevelt Road, Butterfield Road or the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) must remain in the local lanes.

Truck traffic and all drivers planning to pay with cash are restricted to the Local Lanes on the right while the Express Lane configuration is in place.

White County

Project: U.S. 24 asphalt resurfacing and sewer/curb reconstruction.
Details: Traffic is restricted to one lane at times by flaggers during daylight hours.
Timeframe: Through April 23, 2011

INDOT reminds drivers to use caution and consider worker safety when driving through a construction zone. For the latest news and information about INDOT, please visit www.in.gov/indot or www.trafficwise.IN.gov

Work on the bridges carrying I-55 over the Kankakee River will close the left lane of NB I-55 between Lorenzo Rd and North River Rd in the Wilmington area. The work is scheduled to run until mid-November. The following ramps will be closed as part of this work: entrance ramp from Lorenzo Rd to NB I-55 and the exit ramp from NB I-55 to North River Rd.  A detour for the closed ramps will be posted and will direct traffic to the best alternate route.

Bridge deck work near Channahon will require the left lane of NB I-55 to be closed between US-6 and I-80. The work, weather permitting, will run until August 27th, 2010.

Noise abatement wall construction on NB I-55 between US-30 and IL-126 in Joliet and Plainfield will require the right lane to be closed. Wall construction, weather permitting, will run until mid-November 2010.

Night-time lane closures will continue on NB and SB I-55 between Reed Rd and I-80 until late October.

Over the weekend, crews also will close the ramp from EB I-94 to WB I-696. Motorists can use the I-94 detour to access M-3 to connect with WB I-696. This work is in association with the $31 million investment to reconstruct the interchange. This year's work is expected to wrap up in late November.

The road will be restricted during daylight hours to one lane of traffic. Vehicles will be guided through the construction zone with a temporary signal that will allow traffic to pass safely through, one direction at a time. The restrictions are anticipated to be lifted in mid-October; however, the schedule is subject to change in the event of inclement weather.

INDOT reminds drivers to use caution and consider worker safety when driving through a construction zone. For the latest news and information about INDOT, please visit www.in.gov/indot or www.trafficwise.IN.gov. 

For more information on the project, visit  http://www.dot.state.il.us/

St. Charles Road Bridge Repairs
Traffic on the St. Charles Road Bridge over I-355 will be reduced to one lane from June 7th through September as the Illinois Tollway makes repairs on the DuPage County bridge. Crews will begin with pavement striping work and will shift one lane of traffic in each direction onto the eastbound side of the road. The westbound side of the roadway will be a work zone.

This traffic pattern will be in place for approximately six weeks, at which time traffic will be shifted onto the westbound lanes and the eastbound lanes will close for six weeks to complete bridge repairs. Repairs include removal and replacement of expansion joints, and repairs to the bridge decks and approach slabs.

I-355 Roadway Resurfacing & Bridge Repair Project
As part of the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) Roadway Resurfacing & Bridge Repair Project, 24 bridges with structures in both directions will be rehabilitated. Work on mainline Tollway bridges and crossroad bridges over I-355 includes expansion joint replacement, bridge deck repairs, approach slab repairs, beam repairs, and slope wall repairs. Also included are the flyover ramp bridges at the I-355 and Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) Interchange.

Bridges currently under construction include the Tollway ramp bridge carrying traffic from northbound I-355 to westbound I-88, Finley Road bridge over both I-88 and I-355 between Ogden Avenue and Lacy Drive, the 75th Street Bridge over I-355, and the Tollway ramp bridge carrying northbound I-355 traffic to I-88.

Mainline Tollway bridges scheduled for repairs include: Jackson Drive, Ogden Avenue, Finley Road, 22nd Street, Foxworth Blvd., Oak Creek Drive, Roosevelt Road, IL Route 53, Fullerton Avenue, and Army Trail Road.

Crossroad bridges over I-355 scheduled for repairs include: 75th Street, 71st Street, Warrenville Road, Finley Road, Butterfield Road, Hill Avenue, Union Pacific Railroad, Crescent Blvd., St. Charles Road, Pleasant Lane and North Avenue.

- Layton Ave bridge roadway over I-94 from 13th Street to 20th Street until September 2010
- I-94 WEST (NB) exit ramp to Layton Ave WB until winter 2010
- I-94 EAST (SB) exit ramp to 20th Street/Layton Ave until 2012
- EB/WB Layton Ave entrance ramps to I-94 WEST (NB) until 2012
- 20th Street/Layton Ave entrance ramps to I-94 EAST (SB) until fall 2010

The following ramps are currently open at Layton Ave:
- I-94 WEST (NB) exit ramp to Layton Ave EB

Construction crews are rebuilding Layton Avenue in preparation for the upcoming Mitchell Interchange reconstruction and mainline construction work association with the project. 

During the closures at Layton Ave, motorists are encouraged to use College Ave or Howard Ave with 27th St or Howell Ave. Pedestrians needing access around the Layton Ave bridge closure are encouraged to use the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) Route 55 service. No fare is required for those boarding the bus between S. 6th St and S. 27th St on Layton Ave. Although, if the passenger wants to transfer to a different bus, they will need to pay full fare. For the latest information on MCTS routes and schedules, visit www.ridemcts.com.

Construction crews will be using this area to store equipment in the reconstruction of the collector distributor roads associated with the project.

INDOT suspects that cracks found on the bridge's concrete beams have compromised its load bearing capacity. To restore this crossing to traffic, INDOT plans to replace the bridge beams and concrete driving surface that form the bridge superstructure as a corrective measure as soon as possible. 

Traffic is being rerouted to State Road 53 (Broadway), a state maintained route, via 21st and 37th Avenues.

The bridge was constructed in 2004 as a design-build project to span the widened Borman Expressway.  INDOT is looking at various aspects of the design and construction to understand why problems appeared in the bridge only six years after it was constructed.  Crews will be inspecting other bridges constructed during the same timeframe in this immediate area as a precautionary measure to ensure the integrity of their condition.

The project's limits are on US-6, from Guiss St (0.5 mile west of IN-19) to west of Tomahawk Drive (1.2 miles west of IN-19).  The project includes constructing a center turn lane, storm sewer system, roadway drainage consisting of 200 pipe structures that include manholes, catch basins, inlets, and approximately 2 miles of curb/gutter and sidewalk that extend to the west of Tomahawk Dr. The sidewalk will be constructed on the north side of US-6.

• Removal and replacement of the bridge superstructure
• Rehabilitation of the substructure
• Removal and replacement of portions of retaining walls
• Existing pavement widening and resurfacing
• Reconstruction of curb, gutter and sidewalk
• Modernization of the traffic signals and lighting

Throughout construction, one lane of traffic in each direction will be maintained on the bridge. The available lanes of traffic will change as the work progresses toward completion. Both Montrose and Milwaukee Avenues are designated alternate routes.

The existing bridge was built in 1958.

Commercial Boat Traffic:Upon proper notification the bridge will be opened to all commercial boat traffic.

Recreational Boat Traffic: The bridge will be operated between 6:30 am and 8:30 pm when a recreational vessel is present to pass under the bridge according to the following schedule.

        Weekdays, Weekend

• 6:30 am, 6:30 am
• 7:30 am, no opening 7:30 am
• 8:30 am, 8:30 am
• 9:30 am, 9:30 am
• 10:30 am, 10:30 am
• 11:30 am, 11:30 am
• 12:30 pm, no opening 12:30 pm
• 1:30 pm, 1:30 pm
• 2:30 pm, 2:30 pm
• 3:30 pm, 3:30 pm
• 4:30 pm, 4:30 pm
• 5:30 pm, no opening 5:30 pm
• 6:30 pm, 6:30 pm
• 7:30 pm, 7:30 pm
• 8:30 pm, 8:30 pm

Between the hours of 8:30 pm and 6:00 am the bridge will be opened upon notification from a recreational vessel.

The MDOT Grand Region Office can be contacted at 616-451-3091.

NB IN-912 (Cline Ave)-Follow US-12 (Columbus Dr) West to US-12/20 (Indianapolis Blvd)  West to US-41 (Calumet Ave) South.

SB IN-912 (Cline Ave)-Follow US-41 (Calumet Ave) North to US-12/20 (Indianapolis Blvd) East to US-12 (Columbus Dr) East.

IN-912 (Cline Ave) is open to traffic from Ridge Rd in Highland, and Griffith to Michigan Ave in East Chicago.  Traffic can access the Casinos and Steel Mills from NB IN-912 (Cline Ave)-

• Majestic Star Casinos at Buffington Harbor-NB IN-912 (Cline Ave) to Us-12 (Columbus Dr) and follow signs
• Ameristar Casino-Continue North on IN-912 (Cline Ave_ north of US-12 (Columbus Dr) and follow signs for casino ramp
• Arcelor Mittal Steel Mill-Continue north on IN-912 (Cline Ave), north of US-12 (Columbus Dr) and follow signs for mill ramp at Michigan Ave

This lane configuration change will affect traffic to the Eisenhower significantly and drivers should expect major traffic delays. It is required to complete the construction of the inbound (SB) Kennedy Expressway exit ramp at Jackson Blvd.

• The far right lane on the inbound Kennedy Expressway will be closed from Washington Street to the Eisenhower Expressway. Traffic in this lane will be directed to exit at Washington Street.

The lane will remain closed until Fall of 2010 in conjunction with the Congress Parkway Bridge Rehabilitation.

As regular visitors to the site can attest, the scope of available information has been dramatically increased as the Gateway expanded staff for 24/7/365 coverage. Besides the addition of Michigan to the coverage area, the Gateway now boasts information from the Mississippi River to the Ohio border in the four state (Illinois-Indiana-Michigan-Wisconsin) coverage area.

The roadwork and incident information are augmented by impacts from special events such as parades, marathons, and other celebrations. The data on area Interstates and limited access highways is supplemented by arterial information. Though congestion and travel times are not available for these arterials, construction and incidents resulting in blockage are displayed to give drivers in the area the most comprehensive picture of traffic conditions and thereby aid them in making truly informed travel choices.

Inbound I-290 (EB) leading into Congress Parkway:  lanes will be reduced from four lanes to two lanes.

Outbound Congress Parkway (WB) leading to I-290: lanes will be reduced from four lanes to one lane.

Please visit  www.dot.il.gov/congresspkwy/index.html  for detailed information regarding this project.

Road closure info is also available by phone at 1-800-452-IDOT (4368).

In addition to the website, the campaign will also feature billboards, radio advertising and promotions to promote driving alternatives such as  public transit, vanpools, biking and rollerblading.

Join us in our pledge to increase awareness and promote safe driving in our work zones by displaying an orange ribbon.Together we can make our roadways a safer place to commute and work. With your help, we can see to it that a construction zone is not an end zone.

1. Choose the roadway segments about which you want to be notified
2. Select the two times of day when you want to receive alerts
3. Select the days of the week you want to receive alerts
4. Customize alerts so you will receive them only if the average speed on the road is below what you select
5. Customize the type of data you want to receive: incidents, construction, congestion and/or travel times