January 11, 2021

IDOT in 2020 Rebuilding Illinois, improving safety, keeping people and resources moving during pandemic

The Illinois Department of Transportation, under the leadership of Gov. JB Pritzker and Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman, met the challenges of COVID-19 in 2020, ensuring the state’s supply chain stayed functioning, keeping projects on schedule and delivering the first full year of the historic Rebuild Illinois capital program. “This year tested our agency like no other in our history,” Osman said. “I’m extremely proud of the role IDOT played during this pandemic to keep Illinois safe in 2020. Despite the challenges, the work we accomplished this past year will have a positive impact for generations to come.” Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,300 miles of highway and 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Year One included approximately $2.7 billion of improvements statewide on 1,706 miles of highway, 128 bridges and 228 additional safety improvements Click here for more details.

Major Projects Jane Byrne Interchange Interstate 255

IDOT 101: Get it together during winter weather

With the snow and ice season in full swing, it is important for motorists to be mindful of winter driving skills and build extra time into their schedules in the months ahead. As part of the “Winter Weather – Get it Together” campaign, travelers are encouraged to follow the tips in this short video. Click here for more winter weather tips.

Heavy haul in the Metro East

District 8 helped Phillips 66 move three reactor vessels to its Wood River refinery on Dec. 15 and 21. One was 52 feet long and 500,000 pounds. The other two were more than 200 feet long and more than 3 million pounds. Fabricated in Italy, the shipment came across the Atlantic Ocean and up the Mississippi River from the Port of New Orleans before being moved through the Metro East. The reactors will upgrade an existing process unit to enable better gasoline and diesel yields.

District Updates

Work in District 1 to reconstruct Weber Road in the Will County villages of Romeoville and Bolingbrook, including its interchange with Interstate 55, has entered the project’s next stage. All traffic has been shifted to the newly widened lanes of southbound Weber Road and the new bridge over I-55.   Work will now focus on reconstruction of Weber’s northbound lanes and rehabilitating the existing bridge over I-55 in preparation to convert the existing diamond interchange into a diverging diamond interchange. The project will result in improved safety, increased capacity along with reduced traffic delays and decreased maintenance needs.   The $48 million project is estimated to be completed in mid-2022. Click here to learn more about the project. In District 6, a new overpass opened in December that will improve safety and keep commerce flowing in Williamsville. It carries Valor Parkway over the Union Pacific Railroad and provides direct access to Old Route 66. The project is made possible by efforts to enhance passenger rail service on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor.   The $9.1 million project, which IDOT invested $2.2 million and the Illinois Commerce Commission provided $5.1 million, assures access through Williamsville without delays from passing trains. ‌

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Get Local Updates

idot.illinois.gov

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