I-55 Lane Closures Make Way For Travel, Freight Improvements

WILL COUNTY, IL — Bridge repairs and pavement patching will start Sunday night on Interstate 55 lanes running through Will County, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Thursday.

About 4.5 miles of a northbound I-55 lane will close at 9 p.m. Sunday to accommodate a series of bridge deck overlays, shoulder reconstructions and full-depth patching repairs between Weber Road and Interstate 80. A southbound lane between Illinois 126 and U.S. 30, traveling through Joliet and Plainfield, will be closed similarly in two weeks, resulting in I-55 being reduced to two lanes until the project is complete in the fall.

There will also be occasional overnight lane closures scheduled as needed on the thoroughfares.

While parts of I-55 are already under construction, more Rebuild Illinois projects throughout Will County will begin in the coming months. Here's an overview of what to expect:

Interstate 55 at Madison Street

• Deck overlay and bridge repairs. All lanes of I-55 will be maintained throughout construction, with occasional overnight lane closures as needed. The project started earlier this spring and is anticipated to be completed in late 2023.

I-55 at Lemont Road

• The existing bridge will be replaced with a wider bridge, with the interstate reconstructed to accommodate the wider structure. All lanes of I-55 and access to Lemont Road will be maintained throughout the project. Work is scheduled to begin later this summer and be completed in fall 2023.

I-55 from Interstate 80 to U.S. 52 (Jefferson Street)

• The project will convert the existing Illinois 59 interchange into a diverging diamond interchange and add auxiliary lanes along both sides of I-55. Three lanes of I-55 in both directions will be maintained throughout construction, with one lane in each direction on local routes. Starting in spring 2021, a new bridge will be constructed as part of advanced work for the new diverging diamond interchange. The remainder of the work is scheduled to begin in winter 2021/2022 and is anticipated to wrap up in fall 2023.

I-55 from north of River Road to north of the I&M Canal

• A resurfacing project, with rumble strips installed on shoulders. Overnight lane closures will be required, with multiple weekend lane closures anticipated. The project started earlier this spring and is anticipated to be completed in late fall.

I-55 from south of I-80 to Weber Road

• Rehabilitation of the bridges that carry I-55 over U.S. 30, Canadian National Railroad and Mink Creek and the Materials Service abandoned railroad. Two lanes of I-55 will be maintained between the bridges throughout construction. Overnight lane closures are anticipated. The project started earlier this summer and is anticipated to be completed in late fall.

I-55 at Illinois 53 and I-55 at Joliet Road

• Both structures will be redecked and widened. Three lanes of I-55 in both directions will be maintained throughout construction and overnight lane closures are anticipated. Work is scheduled to begin later this summer and be completed in fall 2023.

I-55 at Weber Road

• Converting the existing interchange into a diverging diamond. The overall project, which includes adding a third lane to each direction of Weber Road between 135th Street/Romeo Road and 119th Street/Rodeo Road, wraps up in early 2022.

I-55 over the Kankakee River

• Bridge deck overlay and joint repairs. I-55 will be reduced to one lane in each direction from south of Lorenzo Road to north of River Road. The project is scheduled to begin this fall and be completed in summer 2022.

The improvements cost about $6 million as part of the Rebuild Illinois project that aims to restore highly used routes for people and freight through Will County and the entire state.

"Interstate 55 connects one end of the state to the other and in many ways is the backbone of our entire interstate system," Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman said in a statement. "This project will not only improve transportation for the Will County area, but it will make a vital corridor for the state’s economy easier to travel and safer for freight activity and tourism."

As part of Rebuild Illinois, IDOT plans to improve more than 3,500 miles of highway and 9 million square feet of bridge decks over the next six years. About $33.2 billion is being invested in all modes of transportation through the project, according to a news release. In its second year, $5.2 billion was used to improve 3,020 miles of highway and 270 bridges statewide.

IDOT officials said drivers should pay attention to flaggers and signs in the work zone and should allow time for possible delays.