May 16, 2024
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I-80 lane closures planned at Shorewood bridge

River Road bridge over I-80 is being replaced

By Bob Okon

An Interstate 80 sign was on display two years ago when Gov JB Pritzker was in Joliet to promote the $1.3 billion reconstruction project that runs from Minooka to New Lenox.

Interstate 80 traffic through Shorewood will be brought to a stop for up to 15 minutes at 1 a.m. on two upcoming nights.

The short closures will take place to allow continued replacement of the River Road bridge over I-80, the Illinois Department of Transportation said in a news release issued Monday.

The closures will start on Wednesday if weather allows construction to proceed. Steel support beams will be installed for the new bridge.

Traffic also will be narrowed to one lane during the overnight construction.

The schedule is:

• At 8 p.m. Wednesday, eastbound traffic approaching River Road will be reduced to one lane. At 1 a.m. Thursday, eastbound traffic at that area will be brought to a full stop for up to 15 minutes but no longer. All lanes will reopen at 5 a.m.

• At 8 p.m. Monday, eastbound traffic again will be reduced to one lane approaching River Road. Eastbound traffic in that area again will be brought to a full stop at 1 a.m. on Tuesday, April 30 for no longer than 15 minutes. All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m.

• The April 29-30 closures also will affect westbound traffic, which will be reduced to one lane starting at 9 p.m. Monday with a full closure occurring at 1 a.m. on April 30 for as long as 15 minutes. All westbound lanes also will reopen by 5 a.m. on April 30.

The construction of a new bridge at River Road is a $6.3 million project that is expected to be completed in November, IDOT said.

It is part of the $1.3 billion I-80 reconstruction project that runs 16 miles from Ridge Road in Minooka to U.S. 30 in New Lenox.