$96M Weber Road Interchange In Romeoville, Bolingbrook Gets Top Honors

BOLINGBROOK, IL — A $96 million project to redesign and modernize the Weber Road Interchange is among two local projects to claim top honors in the Midwest as part of America’s Transportation Awards, officials announced on Thursday.

The Weber Road interchange redesign, along with the Jane Byrne interchange reconstruction in downtown Chicago were among those Midwest projects selected for the awards. Revitalization of the aged Byrne turned one of the nation’s slowest, most congested highway freight bottlenecks into a thriving multimodal corridor for businesses, residences, and other local attractions, officials said.

The innovative reimagining of the Weber Road interchange with a diverging-diamond design significantly improved mobility to accommodate rising traffic volumes, a population influx, and a burgeoning economy, state officials said in a news release.

“We pride ourselves on innovative infrastructure improvements that boost the overall quality of life for our residents,” Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman said in the news release. “These awards provide welcome recognition of these efforts and help remind the public that IDOT is constantly employing new and effective ways to modernize our infrastructure and improve access for all.”

Since the Weber Road interchange opened in 1990, the surrounding population in Bolingbrook and Romeoville has nearly doubled, state data shows. To accommodate the increase in traffic volume, the $96 million project focused on addressing immediate operational and safety concerns, with the centerpiece the widening of Weber Road and reconfiguring the interchange with Interstate 55 into a diverging-diamond design.

One of the biggest projects in state history, the reconstruction of the Jane Byrne improved safety and mobility across the region and at the neighborhood level, state officials said. The more than $800 million project involved rebuilding multiple bridges over the interchange to accommodate wider sidewalks and bike lanes. Additionally, the project transformed Peoria Street into an expansive walkway and rehabilitated the Chicago Transit Authority’s Blue Line station – adding an elevator for customers with disabilities.

“In addressing the transportation challenges of today and tomorrow, state DOTs demonstrate a strong determination to bring innovative solutions to their communities,” Jim Tymon, the executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials said in a news release. “The America’s Transportation Awards serves as a testament to their endeavors. These projects play a vital role in improving safety, enhancing mobility, and revitalizing transportation resources for drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit customers alike.”