New Lanes Open On I-80 In Time For Thanksgiving Travel

NEW LENOX, IL — Just in time for the busy travel season that's expected for the Thanksgiving holiday, Illinois Department of Transportation officials announced Friday that a third lane on Interstate 80 is open in both directions in New Lenox.

The new lanes are open between U.S. Route 30 and Interstate 355. The improvements to I-80 are part of the $47 million interchange project in Gov. JB Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois capital program.

Other scheduled improvements along that stretch of I-80 include modernized traffic signals, drainage improvements, and the extension of a bicycle and pedestrian path along Route 30, according to IDOT. Bridges that carry I-80 over Route 30, Metra’s Rock Island District Line and Hickory Creek are also scheduled to be rebuilt, according to IDOT.

• Related: Gov. Pritzker Outlines 6-Year Construction Project For I-80

Of course, the improvements to I-80 are still an ongoing project, and IDOT is advising motorists to continue to expect some delays and to allow extra time for trips through this area.

The I-80 projects are part of Pritzker's $1.2 billion overhaul that will replace more than 50-year-old infrastructure over the next six years as part of Rebuild Illinois, according to IDOT.

Starting next year, construction will move to the section of I-80 from Ridge Road to the DuPage River, as Patch reported last month. Final engineering is also scheduled to be completed on the replacement of the Des Plaines River bridges next year, according to the Governor's Office.

In 2023, improvements are scheduled to begin from Ridge Road to Route 30. Construction of the Des Plaines River bridges, and Center Street and U.S. Route 52/Illinois Route 53 interchanges are scheduled for 2026 and 2027, according to the Governor's Office.

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