Joliet, IL – Drivers traveling through the Joliet area should prepare for significant delays beginning Wednesday as lane closures take effect on U.S. 6 for the ongoing Interstate 80 reconstruction project.
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, weather permitting, Wednesday, July 15, marks the start of lane reductions on U.S. 6 from McDonough Street to east of Brandon Road. By 7 a.m., the highway will be reduced from two lanes to one lane in each direction, with additional lane shifts approaching the I-80 bridge.
IDOT said the restrictions are necessary so crews can safely construct a new bridge pier for the replacement I-80 bridge over U.S. 6 and the Des Plaines River. The lane reductions are expected to remain in place through the end of the year.
Motorists are encouraged to allow extra travel time, watch for changing traffic patterns, obey posted speed limits and follow directions from flaggers and work zone signage.
The U.S. 6 restrictions are part of the larger I-80 reconstruction project, which includes rebuilding and redesigning approximately 16 miles of Interstate 80 between Ridge Road in Minooka and U.S. 30 in Joliet and New Lenox. The project also includes new and improved interchanges, a flyover ramp connecting southbound I-55 to eastbound I-80, and the rehabilitation or replacement of more than 30 bridges.
Construction is expected to continue through 2028, with landscaping, bridge demolition and other finishing work extending into 2029, according to IDOT.
Additional project information is available at BuildI80.org.
