Traffic changes slated for Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88)
Traffic shifts are scheduled to begin in December for the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) between I-290 and York Road. Traffic scheduled to shift to prepare I-88 for winter, work ending on York Road Bridge over I-88
Work to move traffic into its winter configuration on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) between I-290 and York Road is scheduled to begin next week on the I-88
Reconstruction Project in Oak Brook. The work includes the removal of the westbound counterflow lane traveling on the eastbound side of I-88.
Electronic message signs and construction signage will be put in place in advance to alert drivers to the traffic shift. Temporary lane closures and traffic shifts are necessary to provide a work zone and safely accommodate traffic. All work is weather dependent.
Beginning the week of December 3, overnight lane closures will be scheduled in both directions on I-88 and on the ramp connecting southbound I-294 to westbound I-88 to return traffic to its pre-construction configuration. The westbound traffic shift is scheduled to be removed first, which includes the elimination of the counterflow lane in which one lane of westbound traffic has been traveling on the eastbound side of I-88 since April. Upon completion of the shift, three lanes of westbound traffic will be open to customers. Crews will then begin work to remove the eastbound traffic shift. All work to move traffic into the winter configuration is expected to be complete during the week of December 17.
Over the winter, a portion of the westbound I-88 shoulder in the workzone will remain closed for median barrier wall work. In addition, the eastbound shoulder on the Roosevelt Road Bridge will remain closed for ongoing bridge work.
Traffic will remain in this configuration until the spring of 2019, when work will begin to reconstruct the eastbound side of I-88.
In addition, work on the York Road Bridge over I-88 is scheduled to be complete by mid-December. All traffic is currently traveling on the northbound side of the bridge, providing for one lane of traffic in both directions on York Road over I-88.
Work Zone Safety
The Illinois Tollway is committed to ensuring that the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) and York Road remain safe for both drivers and workers during construction, which is part of the agency’s overall commitment to roadway 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. On York Road, a 30 mph work zone speed limit is in effect throughout the construction season. On I-88, a 45 mph work zone speed limit will be in place.
Illinois State Police have zero tolerance for drivers speeding in work zones. The minimum penalty for speeding in a work zone is $375. Posted signs advise drivers of a $10,000 fine and a 14-year jail sentence for hitting a roadway worker.
I-88 Reconstruction Project
The I-88 Reconstruction Project will extend the life of the roadway, increase traffic capacity and provide safe and convenient travel for Tollway customers. In addition, to rebuilding and widening I-88, the two- year project also includes rebuilding and widening the York Road Bridge, repair and widening of the I- 88 bridges over Roosevelt Road, improvements on the ramps connecting I-88 and I-294 and noisewall construction adjacent to residential areas.
The project is being coordinated with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Village of Oak Brook, the City of Elmhurst, Village of Hillside, York Township and DuPage County, as well as local fire and police departments. The project is funded by the Tollway’s 15-year, $14 billion Move Illinois Program.
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 120,000 jobs and linking economies throughout the region. The first six years of Move Illinois are on schedule and within budget, delivering the new Illinois Route 390 Tollway and a rebuilt and widened Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) with its new SmartRoad corridor, as well as 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 new I-490 Tollway Project and reconstruction of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and planning for emerging projects.
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.
Click here to get information on Tollway construction closures Nov. 30 through December 3, 12018
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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.
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