Construction continuing on I-57 bridge widening work over the CSX Railroad
A traffic shift is scheduled next week on I-57 between 147th Street and the CSX Railroad for ongoing bridge work, as part of work to complete the Tri-State Tollway (I-294)/I-57 Interchange Project.
Electronic message signs and construction signage will be put in place in advance to alert drivers to changes in traffic patterns and construction. Up-to-date information regarding closures will be available in the Illinois Tollway’s Daily Construction Alert. All work is weather dependent.
During the week of May 22, on northbound I-57, three nights of lane closures will be needed to shift one lane of traffic to the left and two lanes to the right to provide a work zone in the center. All lanes are scheduled to reopen by 5 a.m. each morning in advance of morning rush hour.
Traffic is scheduled to remain in this configuration for about a month. Once the work is complete, all northbound traffic will then shift to the left with a work zone on the right.
Southbound traffic is currently shifted to the right and will remain in this configuration through June when it is scheduled to shift to the left.
Tollway work is continuing to widen the CSX Railroad Bridge on I-57 as part of the I-294/I-57 Interchange Project. Pavement, and joint work will continue into 2023 at the I-57 bridge over the railroad. In addition, the Illinois Department of Transportation is resurfacing I-57 in this area.
This work is part of the second phase of the I-294/I-57 Interchange Project. In September 2022, the Tollway completed and opened four new ramps to connect southbound I-57 to I-294 and I-294 to northbound I-57, including a flyover ramp bridge. Additional work on this project includes the reconstruction of the I-57 median and the widening of the I-57 mainline, as well as drainage improvements, erosion and sediment control, retaining wall and bridge construction.
Maps and construction information about the Tri-State Tollway (I-294)/I-57 Interchange Project is available in the Project’s section on the Tollway’s website at www.illinoistollway.com.
The $719 million I-294/I-57 Interchange Project is funded by the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois Tollway.
The new interchange is improving travel by providing customers with completed access between the two interstates. For the first time, the new I-294/I-57 Interchange provides motorists with access between I-294 and I-57, including a new interchange at 147th Street. The complete interchange will reduce congestion on local routes, enhance economic development and improve regional mobility. The new interstate-to-interstate connection better serves commuters and freight operators while opening access for local communities.
Work Zone Safety
Construction zone speed limits are in effect in all construction zones 24/7 and drivers should continue to watch for changing traffic patterns and use caution, especially when workers are present.
The Illinois Tollway reminds motorists that the “Move Over Law” requires motorists to change lanes or to slow down and proceed with caution when passing any vehicle on the side of the road with hazard lights activated. If you see flashing lights ahead, please move over or slow down.
Illinois State Police have zero tolerance for drivers speeding in work zones or failure to comply with the Move Over Law. The minimum penalty for speeding in a work zone is $250 with up to a $25,000 fine and a 14-year jail sentence for hitting a roadway worker. Penalties for failure to slow down or move over for a vehicle on the shoulder with flashing lights includes up to a $10,000 fine, 2-year suspension of driving privileges and jail time, in extreme cases.
About Move Illinois
The Illinois Tollway’s 15-year, $14 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future, is improving mobility, relieving congestion, reducing pollution, creating as many as 152,000 jobs and linking economies throughout the region. The first 11 years of Move Illinois are on schedule and within budget, delivering the rebuilt and widened Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) as a state-of-the-art 21st century corridor and opening a new interchange connecting the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to I-57. Progress continues on projects addressing the remaining needs of the existing Tollway system, delivering the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project and reconstruction of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294).
About the Illinois Tollway
The Illinois Tollway is a user-fee system that receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and operations. The agency maintains and operates 294 miles of roadways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80) and the Illinois Route 390 Tollway.
