JOLIET — Members of the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus applauded the construction of new Interstate 80 bridges over the Des Plaines River.
The project began in early May, and marks the final phase of the $1.3 billion, multiyear I-80 rehabilitation and modernization, which is part of the Senate Democrat-backed Rebuild Illinois capital program. This year, 13 miles of additional lanes, reconstructed interchanges, safety upgrades and capacity improvements on the I-80 corridor will be completed, which will leave only about 20% of the project unfinished.
The Des Plaines River bridges are the centerpieces and most complex elements of the I-80 improvements, which is currently IDOT’s largest active project. The existing bridges were built in the 1960s and will be replaced with two wider concrete structures 300 feet to the north. The new bridges are expected to be completed in 2028 and cost $164 million to build, with the old bridges being demolished in 2029.
“I’ve crossed this bridge countless times in my life. I am thrilled to see this work ready to begin. Residents have known these changes are needed for a while now, and the new bridge will offer increased efficiency, safety and reliability,” said State Senator Rachel Ventura (D-Joliet). “I am proud to see our state recognize the importance of this area’s potential and will continue to advocate for more improvements in the future.”
I-80 is one of three coast-to-coast highways in the country and connects Illinois to the rest of the nation. The highway carries approximately 80,000 vehicles per day through Joliet, with trucks making up about 25% of that number. The interstate also serves as the freight and logistics economy’s backbone, with 90,000 jobs tied to transportation and related industries in the region, according to the Will County Center for Economic Development. Freight passing through Will County has a value of well over $600 billion annually.
The project to transform I-80 includes redesigning and rebuilding 16 miles from Ridge Road in Minooka to U.S. 30 in Joliet and New Lenox. Rebuilt and improved interchanges will be at I-55, Larkin Avenue, Center Street, Chicago Street, Richards Street and Briggs Street. Through the I-80 improvements, more than 30 bridges will be rehabilitated or replaced, including the Des Plaines River bridges.
“Proper infrastructure is needed to ensure that our residents can get around safely,” said State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “The updated bridge will benefit Joliet and the surrounding areas in many ways, from making traffic more efficient to improving safety to bringing more jobs. This is a major project that will benefit the area immensely.”
As the final piece of the I-80 modernization gets underway, relief will soon be coming along the remainder of the project corridor. By the end of this year, a third lane will open in each direction on the 13 miles from Ridge Road to Illinois 7 (Larkin Avenue) and from Richards Street to U.S. 30. Newly rebuilt interchanges at I-55, Larkin Avenue and Briggs Street will be complete, including a new flyover ramp carrying southbound I-55 to eastbound I-80, improving safety and traffic flow.
Over the next six years, Illinois plans to improve more than 7,107 highway miles and nearly 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck as part of the Rebuild Illinois program. So far, improvements have been made statewide on 23,081 highway miles and 920 bridges, as well as 1,391 additional safety improvements.
