Cass Street Bridge Will Close For More Than 1 Year: What Joliet Motorists Need To Know

JOLIET, IL — The Illinois Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday afternoon that the Ruby Street Bridge over the Des Plaines River in Joliet will reopen, weather permitting, on Wednesday, Sept. 10. But the bad news was buried a few paragraphs deep into the news release — the Cass Street Bridge in the heart of Joliet's downtown will be closing for more than a year.

Shortly after the reopening of Ruby Street, the Cass Street Bridge will close for a rehabilitation project, anticipated to be completed in late 2026.

A detour will direct Cass Street traffic to Scott Street (Illinois 53), Ruby Street (Illinois 53), Broadway Street (Illinois 53), Theodore Street (Illinois 7) and Plainfield Road (U.S. 30).

The $22.8 million Cass Street Bridge project consists of repairing the decks and approaches, replacing expansion joints and structural steel, electrical upgrades and miscellaneous mechanical repairs. The project also will replace deteriorated sidewalk and curbs and construct new ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps.

Since August 2024, the Cass Street bridge has been reduced to one westbound lane with posted weight restrictions on the bridge. After completion, all three lanes will reopen on the bridge with no posted weight restrictions, according to IDOT.

According to IDOT, the Ruby Street Bridge was closed in early July to accommodate the installation of a new aerial cable and control system, along with various electrical and mechanical upgrades and repairs. The work is part of an ongoing project to upgrade the downtown movable bridges that will allow them to be controlled from a central location, creating a more efficient system of lifting and lowering the bridges and increasing safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and marine traffic.