I-80 Bridge Inspections: Here's What You Need To Know To Avoid Trouble

JOLIET — The Illinois Department of Transportation announced on Tuesday that routine inspections of the Interstate 80 bridges over the Des Plaines River in Joliet will begin, weather permitting, Monday, May 6.

To complete the inspections, daily lane closures will be required, starting with the westbound bridge until May 10, when inspections begin on the eastbound bridge. Inspections on both bridges are expected to be complete by May 17, weather permitting.

The closures will take place between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday and Saturdays, if necessary. A minimum of two lanes in both directions will remain open during inspections.

Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area.

The replacement of the Des Plaines River bridges and larger improvements to I-80 in Will County are a cornerstone project in Gov. JB Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois capital program, which will invest $33.2 billion in transportation infrastructure across all modes throughout the state.

The overall I-80 project will redesign and rebuild 16 miles from Ridge Road, in Minooka, to U.S. 30, in Joliet and New Lenox, while adding or extending through and/or auxiliary lanes to improve safety and reduce congestion. Interchanges will be rebuilt or improved at Interstate 55, Illinois 7, Center, Chicago, Richards and Briggs streets, with a new flyover ramp linking southbound I-55 to eastbound I-80 to improve traffic flow and safety. More than 30 bridges will be rehabilitated or replaced, including those over the Des Plaines River. The projected $1.3 billion project is anticipated to be substantially complete by the end of 2028, with landscaping, bridge demolition and miscellaneous work extending into 2029.