Lawrence Avenue Bridge Construction To Begin After Labor Day, Run Through December

CHICAGO — Repairs to the bridge over the Des Plaines River at Lawrence Avenue are due to begin Tuesday, state transportation officials announced.

The bridge runs through the Cook County Forest Preserves' Robinson Woods, connecting Chicago and Schiller Park.

Lawrence Avenue will be reduced to one lane in each direction over the bridge, and lane shifts are expected on both sides of the 45 mph speed limit roadway.

The $1,144,000 project involves repairs to the deck of the bridge, replacement of its expansion joints and road resurfacing.

Construction on the bridge is expected to wrap up by late December, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Motorists should plan for delays and allow extra time for trips through the area.

Drivers are urged to pay attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones, obey posted speed limits, and watch for workers and equipment.

The project is part of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s ongoing effort to improve the state’s transportation infrastructure.

Over the next six years, IDOT plans to improve more than 3,200 miles of highway and nearly 9 million square feet of bridge deck as part of the Rebuild Illinois program, a $33.2 billion initiative to revitalize the state’s transportation system, according to department staff.

Since its launch, Rebuild Illinois has already invested $16 billion in improvements statewide, addressing more than 6,500 miles of highway and nearly 700 bridges, along with 986 additional safety improvements.

IDOT has produced an online map showing projects around the state planned for the current fiscal year, though it does not include construction dates or differentiate between ones that have already begun.