Travel Midwest High Priority Announcements
RSS 2.0 News Feed:
Full closures of I-74 set overnight Sept. 21
The Illinois Department of Transportation announces that intermittent full closures of Interstate 74 in both directions over French Creek, about 5 miles west of Brimfield in Knox County, are set overnight Sept. 21.
The closures are necessary for crews to place new bridge beams and will begin at 10 p.m. Sept. 21, with work expected to be complete by 6 a.m. Sept. 22. Dynamic message signs will be in place to remind motorists about the closures, and Illinois State Police will be present before the closures begin.
Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment.
Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,300 miles of highway and 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck as part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Year One included approximately $2.7 billion of improvements statewide on 1,706 miles of highway, 128 bridges and 228 additional safety improvements.
Visit http://www.gettingaroundpeoria.com for updated traffic information and views from dozens of traffic cameras in Peoria and surrounding areas.
9/15/2020 4:05 PM
(Updated 9/15/2020 4:27 PM)
Eisenhower to Kennedy Ramp Closing Thursday
“Texas U-turn” detour will utilize Taylor Street interchange via outbound Dan Ryan
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that as part of the ongoing Jane Byrne Interchange reconstruction, the ramp from the inbound Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) to the outbound Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) will close for four months starting at 8 p.m., weather permitting, Thursday, June 11. The closure, originally scheduled for June 1, was postponed.
“With infrastructure improvements an essential service, we are committed to keeping this construction season on schedule as much as possible,” said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “The Jane Byrne is among our top priorities. Although traffic volumes are down, please plan ahead and be patient driving through the work zone. Buckle up, put down your devices, give the road your undivided attention and slow down.”
The inbound Eisenhower to outbound Kennedy serves approximately 25,000 vehicles a day, according to data collected prior to this year. The new ramp eventually will accommodate two lanes and shoulders, replacing a single lane and inadequate shoulders, substantially improving safety and congestion.
While the ramp is being rebuilt, inbound Eisenhower drivers wishing to access the outbound Kennedy will do so via the outbound Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94) and a “Texas U-turn” detour at the Taylor Street interchange.
When the ramp is closed this Thursday, the inbound Eisenhower lane configuration will be flipped, with the two left lanes connecting to Ida B. Wells Drive and the two right lanes to the outbound Dan Ryan. The far-right lane will be reserved for the outbound Kennedy detour. In this new configuration, the detour will be a dedicated lane separated by a barrier wall to restrict merging into the regular Dan Ryan lanes and requiring drivers to use the Taylor Street interchange.
To prepare the detour, Taylor Street between Union Avenue and Ruble Street closed to local traffic in late May. A detour directs eastbound Taylor Street traffic to Halsted, Harrison and Clinton streets. Westbound traffic is detoured to Jefferson, Harrison and Halsted streets. The south sidewalk will remain open for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Additionally, the inbound Dan Ryan will not be accessible from Roosevelt Road, with a detour utilizing Halsted and Adams streets to access the expressway.
A map of all the detours is posted at www.janebyrneinterchange.org.
The new inbound Eisenhower to outbound Kennedy ramp, as well as Taylor Street, will reopen in October.
Other significant impacts at the Jane Byrne this year include:
- Outbound Ida B. Wells Drive to the outbound Kennedy closed this winter and reopens by the end of this year.
- Jackson Boulevard over the Kennedy closed this spring.
- Adams Street over the Kennedy will be closed this summer, the last of the 11 local street bridges at the interchange to be replaced. It reopens in 2022 with the new Jackson Boulevard bridge.
- Improvements will begin later in 2020 on the mainline lanes of the Kennedy and Dan Ryan through the interchange, which include the construction of new collector-distributor ramps that will relocate the left-hand entrance ramps at Jackson and Adams. Three lanes will remain open in both directions, but traffic will be shifted.
6/9/2020 1:49 PM
(Updated 6/24/2020 12:42 PM)
Next Phase of Byrne Improvements begins Friday with Closure of Jackson Boulevard over Kennedy
Progress continues this year with several ramp, mainline Kennedy, Ryan improvements
The Illinois Department of Transportation is reminding the public that the next major phase of the Jane Byrne Interchange project will begin with the upcoming closure of the Jackson Boulevard bridge over the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94). The bridge project marks the first of several traffic impacts this construction season that will result in safer, smoother travel through the interchange.
“This coming year will see significant progress with the reconstruction of the Jane Byrne Interchange, and we look forward to the many improvements to come,” said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “We appreciate the public’s continued patience. We ask that they drop their devices, be on the alert for changes in traffic patterns and give their undivided attention going through this and all other work zones.”
To remove the existing bridge over the expressway, Jackson Boulevard between Halsted Street and Des Plaines Avenue will close starting, weather permitting, at 5 a.m. Friday, March 27.
A detour will direct vehicular traffic east on Jackson Boulevard, south on Halsted Street, east on Van Buren Street and north on Jefferson Street to reconnect with Jackson Boulevard.
Pedestrians should use the Van Buren Street bridge as an alternate route. Bicyclists will be detoured south on Halsted Street, east on Harrison Street and north on Clinton Street to reconnect with Jackson Boulevard.
The Jackson Boulevard entrance ramp to the outbound Kennedy also will close, with a detour directing traffic north on Halsted Street to enter the expressway via Madison Street. The inbound Kennedy exit ramp to Jackson Boulevard will close as well, with motorists directed to exit at Monroe Street and access Jackson Boulevard via Des Plaines Avenue.
The new Jackson Boulevard bridge is expected to open in 2022. The structure will have two lanes and a dedicated bike lane, as well as sidewalks on both sides, enhancing connections and improving safety for all transportation users in the surrounding neighborhoods.
For more information and to view a construction overview video, visit www.janebyrneinterchange.org.
Other significant impacts at the Jane Byrne this year include:
- The outbound Ida B. Wells Drive ramp to the outbound Kennedy was closed this winter and reopens by the end of this year.
- The inbound Eisenhower Expressway (Interstate 290) ramp to the outbound Kennedy will close later this spring and reopen in late 2020. A special detour will utilize the outbound Dan Ryan Expressway (Interstate 90/94) to connect to the Kennedy via the Taylor Street interchange.
- Adams Street over the Kennedy will be closed this summer, the last of the 11 local street bridges at the interchange to be replaced. It reopens in 2022 with Jackson Boulevard.
- Improvements will begin later in 2020 on the mainline lanes of the Kennedy and Dan Ryan through the interchange, which include the construction of new collector-distributor ramps that will relocate the left-hand entrance ramps at Jackson and Adams. Three lanes will remain open in both directions, but traffic will be shifted.
Additional details, schedules and impacts to traffic will be shared in advance, closer to the individual project start dates.
The overall reconstruction project at the Jane Byrne Interchange will improve safety and traffic flow for the more than 400,000 motorists who use it each day, while also enhancing mobility for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit users in the surrounding neighborhoods. For more information and to view a live camera feed of the work zone, visit www.circleinterchange.org.
Recently, IDOT unveiled a new mobile-friendly website that features a detailed project timeline with an interactive map, photo galleries and the ability to submit questions and comments to the project team via a “Contact Us” link. For more information, visit www.janebyrneinterchange.org.
The improved Jane Byrne Interchange will be complete in 2022.
3/26/2020 10:03 AM
(Updated 6/15/2020 8:43 AM)
Second Year of I-55 bridge Work in Will County to Begin
Extra safety measures in place for final year of two-year project, backups anticipated
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that a project to replace the bridge decks on I-55 over the BNSF Railroad and Grant Creek, south of Arsenal Road in Will County, resumes, weather permitting, Friday, March 6. Temporary northbound lane closures are scheduled the next two weekends with the permanent work zone anticipated to be in place March 16.
Starting at 9 p.m. Friday, March 6, northbound I-55 will be reduced to a single lane between River Road and Arsenal Road. All lanes reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, March 9. The same northbound closures and hours will be in effect, weather permitting, the weekend of Friday, March 13.
The weekend closures are necessary to make temporary pavement repairs so northbound I-55 can accommodate both directions of traffic when work resumes on replacing the southbound I-55 bridge decks.
That will occur on March 16 at 5 a.m., weather permitting, when I-55 will be reduced to a single lane in both directions between River Road and Arsenal Road. Later this construction season, I-55 will remain one lane in each direction but shift to the southbound lanes while the northbound bridge decks are replaced.
The entire project is due to wrap up and all lanes reopen in late fall.
Backups and congestion approaching the work zone should be anticipated at all times. Motorists must slow down, put down their phones and devices, avoid all distractions and give their undivided attention to traffic control signs and changing conditions in and around the work zone.
Special precautions again will be implemented to enhance safety. Signs will be posted several miles in advance in both directions. Temporary rumble strips also will be installed to alert approaching motorists. The work zone speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph, with Illinois State Police dedicating special patrols in the area at all times to enforce all traffic laws.
Additionally, a dynamic merge system, commonly referred to as a zipper merge, will be used this year to help manage congestion and reduce travel times through the work zone. Digital message signs will advise motorists when to move out of the left lane and prepare to enter the work zone. During uncongested traffic, motorists will be instructed to slow down and move to the right lane well in advance of the work zone. During more congested periods, drivers will be encouraged to use both lanes, taking turns merging into the open lane at the point the left lane is closed.
3/5/2020 9:54 AM
(Updated 6/15/2020 8:43 AM)