I-80 Construction Madness: Here's IDOT's Latest Info For Joliet

JOLIET, IL — The Illinois Department of Transportation issued a press release Wednesday morning indicating that bridge deck patching and repairs to Interstate 80 between Raynor Avenue and Gardner Street in Joliet will continue to require ramp and lane closures over multiple extended weekends.

This is the third of eight planned weekend closures along the corridor.

Starting at 10 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, lane closures will take place on eastbound I-80, between Raynor Avenue and Gardner Street. Additionally, the ramp from Chicago Street to eastbound I-80 will be closed.

At least one eastbound I-80 lane will remain open and westbound I-80 will not be impacted.

Eastbound I-80 motorists traveling through Joliet should consider alternative routes to avoid the area. Local streets are unable to accommodate heavy or wide trucks, so other interstate routes are encouraged. The ramp and all lanes are anticipated to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26.

IDOT also wanted people to know that the eastbound I-80 ramp to Richards Street is closed for reconstruction, with an anticipated reopening in late fall.

The posted detour directs traffic to exit Briggs Street and re-enter westbound I-80 to access the Richards Street exit.

The ongoing project work consists of patching, milling, resurfacing and pavement striping to keep the pavement in acceptable condition until the larger corridor project can begin. By scheduling the work over multiple weekends this fall, the unplanned, emergency closures that have occurred with increasing frequency in recent years can be minimized. Also, by planning the repairs, they can be performed more safely and allow motorists the opportunity to plan ahead and use alternative

Advance work on I-80 started last year with a $41.7 million project to replace the eastbound bridges over Hickory Creek, Richards Street and Rowell Avenue/Canadian National Railroad, and westbound over Richards Street, in Joliet, Rockdale and New Lenox, while widening eastbound I-80 from Gardner Street to Rowell Avenue. Once the eastbound improvements are completed later this year, similar improvements will begin in the westbound direction.