Traffic to Shift This Week for Devon Avenue Bridge Construction

Caption: Drivers traveling through a work zone on the Illinois Tollway are reminded to slow down and obey the posted construction zone speed limit.

Submitted by the Illinois Tollway

A traffic shift is scheduled this week to move all traffic onto the newly reconstructed portion of the bridge carrying eastbound Devon Avenue traffic over I-290 as part of the Elgin O’Hare Western Access (EOWA) Project.

On Friday, Aug. 15, traffic in both directions will be shifted onto the eastbound side of the Devon Avenue Bridge so work can begin to prepare for the removal and reconstruction of the westbound side.

Reconstruction of the Devon Avenue Bridge is needed to accommodate the new I-290 Interchange at Illinois Route 390. The new, four-lane bridge is scheduled for completion by the end of the year. Up to 25,200 vehicles a day use the Devon Avenue Bridge.

As Devon Avenue Bridge construction continues, traffic on Devon Avenue between Rohlwing Road and Bay Drive will remain reduced to one lane in each direction. Three lanes of traffic on I-290 will remain shifted to the outside shoulders, however bridge removal will require some temporary, overnight lane closures on I-290.

The public can follow the progress of the work on the Devon Avenue Bridge and other work on the EOWA Project via camera images offering birds-eye-views on the Illinois Tollway’s website www.illinoistollway.com.

As part of the EOWA Project, the Illinois Tollway is completely rebuilding the I-290 Interchange at Illinois Route 390, formerly known as the Elgin O’Hare Expressway. The Illinois Tollway began construction this spring on the high-speed flyover ramp bridge and ramps connecting westbound I-290 to Illinois Route 390 and eastbound I-290 to westbound Illinois Route 390.

The Illinois Route 390/I-290 Interchange Project is estimated at approximately $440 million and will include 17 ramps and 15 new bridges in the interchange area between Meacham/Medinah Road and Prospect Avenue and will create direct access with free-flow traffic movements to and from Illinois Route 390 in all directions. This piece of the project will relieve congestion on and around Thorndale Avenue, Rohlwing Road, Park Boulevard and Prospect Avenue. The new interchange will be complete in 2017.