Replacing the Des Plaines River bridges will be the most complex portion of the improvement work for I-80. And according to Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the I-80 upgrade is its largest current project. The existing bridges were constructed originally in the 1960s but are no longer fit for purpose. These are being replaced with two concrete structures located 91m to the north. The new bridges will be wider are due for completion in 2028, with the old bridges then being demolished in 2029.
The plan is to reconfigure a 21km stretch of the highway between Ridge Road in Minooka to US 30 in Joliet and New Lenox. According to IDOT, rebuilt and improved interchanges will be at I-55, Larkin Avenue, Center Street, Chicago Street, Richards Street and Briggs Street. In total, more than 30 bridges will be rehabilitated or replaced.
The I-80 route provides a critical east-west corridor and is one of the three coast-to-coast highways for the US says IDOT. Through Joliet, I-80 carries around 80,000 vehicles/day, about 25% of which are trucks.
Joliet Mayor Terry D’Arcy said, “The reconstruction of the Des Plaines River bridge and surrounding I-80 corridor will strengthen a critical transportation route that serves residents, businesses, and commerce throughout the country.”
