Downtown Joliet Bridge To Close For Months

JOLIET, IL - One of downtown Joliet's most traveled drawbridges, the Jefferson Street bridge, will be shut down for operations for two months, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced on Monday. A two-month full closure will take place on Jefferson Street bridge (eastbound U.S. 30) over the Des Plaines River beginning July 9.

"The closure is necessary to make structural steel repairs," a press advisory notes. "The structure that carries Jefferson Street over the Des Plaines River will be fully closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic."

The detour routs will send traffic eastbound U.S. 30 traffic to go south on Raynor Avenue (U.S. 52), east on McDonough Street (U.S. 52), and north on Chicago Street (Illinois 53) to meet back with U.S. 30. Marine traffic will not be impacted.

"Jefferson Street bridge is expected to reopen to traffic in September 2018, weather permitting. The bridge closure is the first of two stages of repairs on Jefferson Street bridge. An additional closure will be necessary early next year to complete mechanical repairs," IDOT announced.

Image via John Ferak/Joliet Patch Editor