159th Street Reopens At Cicero; Road Project's 2nd Stage To Begin

OAK FOREST, IL — The Illinois Department of Transportation has reopened 159th Street at Cicero Avenue in Oak Forest a couple days earlier than planned, the city announced Wednesday. The street now will be a single lane in each direction — plus a turn lane — while construction continues, the city said.

Starting Friday, the second phase of the roadwork project will begin, according to the city. That phase will reduce Cicero to one lane in each direction between 157th and 161st streets.

Originally, IDOT had estimated that 159th Street would reopen June 2. But weather and other delays pushed that to Friday, July 20.

The construction is part of a three-stage project to replace a culvert and make other road improvements and has been going on since April. The project's final stage had been scheduled to start in August and wrap up in November.

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Construction work is being done to replace the culvert that carries 159th Street, as well as Cicero Avenue, over Midlothian Creek, according to IDOT. The project also will make intersection improvements, such as updating traffic signals.

IDOT has reopened 159th Street at Cicero Avenue after the first stage of a three-stage construction project. (Photo via the City of Oak Forest)