Temporary, overnight lane closures are scheduled over the next two weekends on the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) between Archer Avenue (IL-171) and the Mile Long Bridge for sign truss removal. In addition, work to shift traffic in both directions has also been rescheduled to next week.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that drainage improvements on the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) at 31st Avenue, in Bellwood, will require overnight lane closures starting, weather permitting, Wednesday, Sept. 11.

Allowable hours for the closures are 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Fridays to Saturdays, and 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. Saturdays to Sundays.

The work is expected to be complete by the end of November.

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.

Click here to find details on other construction projects in IDOT’s District 1. Updates on the impacts to traffic are available at www.travelmidwest.com. 

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that repairs to the structural steel and deck on the bridge carrying Harlem Avenue (IL-43) over the Cal-Sag Channel, in Palos Heights, will require lane reductions and width restrictions starting, weather permitting, Monday, Aug. 12.

6/19 UPDATE: Equipment issues have been resolved and the project is now due to go into stage with the closure of the northbound I-55 lane by 5 a.m. Monday, June 24.

6/13 UPDATE: Due to delays in the delivery of equipment, the closure of a northbound lane on I-55 will not take place Monday. It is now scheduled to occur in early July, with I-55 still being reduced to one lane in each direction in early August. Work on the project site still will begin on Monday, however. Motorists are advised that the area will be an active work zone and should proceed accordingly.  

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that replacement of the bridge decks and other improvements to I-55 over the BNSF Railroad and Grant Creek south of Arsenal Road in Will County will begin June 17.
 
In order to complete the project, northbound I-55 initially will be reduced to a single lane to accommodate the widening of the shoulders.
 
After the shoulders are widened, the southbound bridge will be closed and I-55 reduced to one lane in each direction on the northbound lanes. The revised configuration is expected to be in place from August until late November, when I-55 returns to two lanes in each direction.
 
Work will resume next spring with the closure of the northbound bridge and traffic crossing over to the southbound lanes to again accommodate one lane in each direction.
 
There will not be a detour, but I-80 and IL-47 is the recommended alternative route. Digital message boards will be in place to display real-time traffic information.
 
The entire project is expected to be complete by fall 2020.
 
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.  Illinois State Police will be patrolling this work zone to enforce posted speed limits.

The Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Transportation have jointly determined that overweight vehicles will be restricted from using the Blatnik Bridge (I-535) as of June 4, 2019 The maximum vehicle weight will be set at 40 tons.

This decision is a result of an updated load rating analysis that is being completed on behalf of both agencies by an independent consultant.

“The bridge is safe,” MnDOT District Engineer Duane Hill said. “We are taking this step to ensure the bridge remains serviceable until we can replace it.”

WisDOT and MnDOT jointly manage the service of the Blatnik Bridge (I-535) and are working together to consider alternatives to replace the bridge as soon as 2028.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that the rescheduled routine inspection of the westbound I-80 bridge over the Des Plaines River, in Joliet, will require daily lane closures beginning, weather permitting, Tuesday, May 28. The inspection was originally scheduled the week of May 6, but postponed due to weather.

Daily lane closures will take place between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. A minimum of two lanes will remain open while inspections are taking place.

The bridge inspection is expected to be completed Thursday, May 30, weather permitting.

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.

Click here to find details on other construction projects in IDOT’s District 1. Updates on the impacts to traffic are available at www.travelmidwest.com.

The inspections are being done in conjunction with an upcoming yearlong maintenance project on both bridges. Any additional issues discovered during the inspections will be addressed once construction begins in the field later this summer.

The larger project, currently under contract, involves steel repairs and bearing replacements. The process for fabricating new parts as already begun, with work on the bridges expected to start in June or July. The repairs will be taking place under both structures, with any necessary lane closures scheduled at night to avoid disrupting traffic during the daytime hours.

The project will be finished next summer.

Click here to find details on other construction projects in IDOT’s District 1. Updates on the impacts to traffic are available at www.travelmidwest.com.   

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) announces that work will begin Monday, March 18, on an intersection improvement at US-20 and IN-2 in Rolling Prairie.

This project will see a “dogbone” interchange built at this location, eliminating the traffic signal and creating a bridge carrying motorists north-south with east-west traffic passing underneath. Roundabouts will be placed at the north and south ends of the newly-constructed bridge, creating the so-called “dogbone”.

During the project, the corridor will be closed to north-south (LaPorte to New Carlisle) traffic between CR N 500 E and Oak Knoll Road, while east-west traffic (Michigan City to South Bend) will be one lane in each direction from Oak Knoll Road to CR N 600 E.

State road detours must use state-maintained roads only. Drivers wanting to leave LaPorte on IN-2 must instead detour north on US-35, then north on IN-39 and east on US-20 back to the US-20/IN- 2 intersection. Drivers who would be approaching the US-20/IN-2 intersection from the New Carlisle side must instead utilize the US-20/US-31 bypass (St. Joseph Valley Parkway) by travelling south on the bypass, then west on IN-2 to reach the US-20/IN-2 intersection.

The project is expected to wrap up in mid-November.

Drivers in Northwest Indiana can monitor road closures, road conditions, and traffic alerts at any time via the District’s social media channels: www.Facebook.com/INDOTNorthwest or Twitter @INDOTNorthwest. Or visit http://www.trafficwise.in.gov for INDOT’s TrafficWise Traveler Information Service.