Pedestrian Bridge Installation Will Close I-55 Lanes For 6 Weeks

SHOREWOOD, IL — Northbound and southbound lanes of I-55 at Black Road will be closed for six weeks beginning Monday as work continues on the installation of a pedestrian bridge that will connect a pair of regional Forest Preserve District trails in Will County.

The lanes of the expressway will be closed using concrete barrier walls and traffic will be shifted to use the outer two lanes and the shoulder, officials from the Forest Preserve District of Will County and the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Thursday.

Motorists can expect delays and should allow for extra time when traveling in the area, officials said. Drivers are also urged to pay attention to flaggers and work zone signs, obey the posted speed limits and be on alert for workers and equipment. No street closures are expected at this time, officials said.

Work on the I-55 pedestrian bridge is expected to be completed later this year. The project will include the installation of a second pedestrian bridge over the DuPage River. The two bridges on the south side of Black Road will connect the Forest Preserve’s DuPage River Trail in Shorewood and the Rock Run Greenway Trail in Joliet.

Officials said that the Black Road trail connection project also will provide an important link to more than 50 miles of regional trails including the I&M Canal Trail and the Old Plank Road Trail.

Grants from the federally funded Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program are providing 80 percent of the project's cost, with the Forest Preserve contributing 20 percent as a local share, according to a news release.

Officials said that the project will include new asphalt segments along both the north and south sides of Black Road and east of I-55. Traffic signal modifications will also be added on the East frontage road to make is safer to people to cross Black Road from north to south. Officials added that concrete decking will need to be poured on each bridge before they are available for pedestrian use.