143rd Street East Extension Set To Start In Coming Weeks: Village

PLAINFIELD, IL — The Village of Plainfield officially broke ground Monday on the 143rd Street East Extension project.

Mayor John Argoudelis and the Board of Trustees were joined by local and state officials, including 14th District Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Naperville), State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood) and State Representative Harry Benton (D-Plainfield) for a ceremony. Officials from the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Will County Governmental League were also present.

Work is split into two initial improvements: the east 143rd extension, taking place from 2024-25, and the west extension, planned for 2024. Monday's event celebrated the east extension. The west extension kicked off in March.

The highly anticipated project is transforming Plainfield by rerouting Route 126 onto 143rd Street, shifting traffic and trucks away from the downtown area typically bustling with both pedestrian and car traffic.

The east extension will form a direct route between Route 59 and Route 126. It'll include four lanes, just less than 7,000 feet of roadway, a bridge spanning the DuPage River, 2,000 feet of paths, and new traffic signals at the 143rd Street intersections with Plainfield-Naperville Road and Route 126.

Work on the east extension, happening in junction with other 143rd Street Corridor projects, is slated to begin in the coming weeks, with construction expected to continue into 2025. The road should reopen by the end of next year, officials said.

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Officials said the purpose of the project is to reduce congestion and improve mobility and connectivity within Plainfield and the surrounding areas.

The village received $50 million in grant funding through various federal, state and local funding partners "due to its significance in addressing regional transportation needs."

"It is a pleasure to be a part of this project," Argoudelis said in a statement. "It has spanned multiple administrations and our focus has never wavered on building this roadway. Today, we recognize and celebrate that this new highway will have a profound impact on the Village in multiple ways. It will be a great engine of industrial development that results in the diversification of the Village's tax base. It will also open our downtown to redevelopment opportunities without the heavy traffic — creating a higher quality of life for our residents."