Will County Gazette

Routine inspections of the Interstate 55 bridges over the Des Plaines River near Channahon will begin on Monday, August 11, according to an announcement from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). The inspections are part of regular maintenance and are dependent on weather conditions.

To facilitate the work, daily lane closures will be in place. Inspections will start with the southbound bridges until about August 18, at which point work will shift to the northbound bridges. All inspections are expected to conclude by Saturday, August 23.

Southbound lane closures are scheduled between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday, with Saturdays included if needed. Northbound closures will occur from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. During all inspection periods, at least one lane in each direction will remain open for traffic.

In addition to inspections, pavement repairs on the northbound I-55 bridges will require additional lane closures during the weekends of August 15 and August 22. This repair work is set for Friday nights through Sunday mornings—specifically from 9 p.m. Friday to 9 a.m. Saturday and from 9 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday—weather permitting. At least one northbound lane will stay open throughout this period; southbound lanes will not be affected by these repairs.

Motorists traveling through this area should expect delays and plan extra time for their journeys. IDOT encourages drivers to consider alternate routes and reminds them to watch for flaggers and signage in construction zones, obey posted speed limits, and remain alert for workers and equipment.

IDOT's ongoing Rebuild Illinois initiative plans improvements for more than 3,200 miles of highway and nearly nine million square feet of bridge deck over six years, investing $33.2 billion across transportation modes (https://idot.illinois.gov/about-idot/stay-connected/rebuild-illinois). As of Year Six of Rebuild Illinois, almost $20.8 billion has funded upgrades statewide on nearly eight thousand miles of highways, over eight hundred bridges, as well as additional safety enhancements.

For further information about IDOT projects or current road conditions, visit www.gettingaroundillinois.com or follow IDOT on Facebook and X.

"Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,200 miles of highway and nearly 9 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation."

"Accomplishments through Year Six of Rebuild Illinois include almost $20.8 billion of improvements statewide on 7,897 miles of highway, 815 bridges and 1,181 additional safety improvements."