Terrible News For Seil Road Bridge Motorists In Shorewood

SHOREWOOD — The Village of Shorewood issued a press release on Monday revealing that the Seil Road bridge inspection results from the Illinois Department of Transportation concluded that the bridge must be reduced to one lane operating in the middle of the bridge.

This closure may start on Wednesday weather permitting.

This inspection report follows a 5-ton weight limit restriction that was put into effect in May 2023. This limit prohibits the use of the bridge by all vehicles exceeding 5 tons and requires that the bridge undergo annual inspections.

According to the village staff:

As a result of the lane reduction, traffic will only be permitted to travel westbound across the bridge. No eastbound traffic will be permitted on the bridge.

The detour route for eastbound Seil Road traffic will travel south on River Road to eastbound Mound Road to northbound Frontage Road back to Seil Road.

"We encourage all traffic other than local residential traffic to avoid using the bridge and follow suggested detours," Shorewood village staff noted.

The Shorewood Police Department has been tasked with enforcing the new restrictions and will monitor detour routes and the use of residential streets in the area. Traffic control devices and signage will be installed to keep traffic in the center of the bridge.

The village said it had already started the engineering process to replace and reconfigure the Seil Road bridge and roadway prior to the reports from IDOT. This replacement is part of Shorewood's five- year Capital Improvement Plan, and the Village is looking into ways to expedite improvements in light of the current situation.

Monday's press release did not give any indication if the Seil Road bridge will ever be allowed to return to two lanes of traffic, again.