Brandon Road Bridge Closed 2 Plus Years: Senator Ventura Reveals When It Will Finally Reopen

ROCKDALE, IL — The Brandon Road Bridge has been closed for more than two entire years now as the Illinois Department of Transportation has not made fixing the two-lane drawbridge bridge one of its highest priorities — to the frustration of thousands of Joliet area motorists.

But just when the situation seemed hopeless, Joliet State Senator Rachel Ventura stepped forward this week, revealing how the "Brandon Road Bridge repairs are moving forward."

According to Ventura, "over the next 6 to 8 weeks, crews will install the aerial cable, motors, and brakes, followed by key structural steel and concrete work. Once operable, the bridge will be lowered for additional deck and stringer repairs. Some remaining work is weather-sensitive, but the project is on track for completion by early January 2026."

Ventura also wanted everyone to know that "separately, IDOT will begin patching and resurfacing U.S. 6 and Brandon Road starting Saturday, Nov. 15, with intermittent daytime lane closures through mid-December as part of the larger I-80 rebuild. Expect delays, plan extra travel time, and use alternate routes when possible. Please stay alert and follow posted work-zone signs to keep crews safe."

Back on Sept. 14, 2023, Joliet Patch reported that the Illinois Department of Transportation announced that the Brandon Road bridge over the Des Plaines River was now closed as a result of a mechanical component malfunction.

The bridge would remain closed to begin repairs, originally scheduled to start later that month, the state agency noted. The $3.4 million project includes repairing the bridge deck, joints and brakes, replacing mechanical components and structural steel. Additionally, as part of upgrading the downtown movable bridges to allow them to be controlled from a central location, new aerial cables and control system will be installed, along with various tender house upgrades.

The project was anticipated to be completed late 2024, according to IDOT.

In addition to the closing of the Brandon Road Bridge, the Illinois Department of Transportation has shutdown the Cass Street Bridge in downtown Joliet and that repair project may take more than a year.