Construction on I-294 will cause delays
Detours scheduled through Mid-June on 79th Street Ramp, Archer Avenue for ongoing bridge work on the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project
Long-term closures and detours are scheduled in June for the ramp connecting westbound 79thStreet to LaGrange Road and on westbound Archer Avenue for pavement work as part of the reconstruction of westbound Archer Avenue Bridge over the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294).
Electronic message and construction signage will be put in place in advance to alert drivers on 79th Street and Archer Avenue to the construction work zones, ramp and road closures and detours. Up-to-date information regarding lane closures will be available in the Illinois Tollway’s Daily Construction Alerts. All work is weather dependent.
“The Illinois Tollway prioritizes the safety of both drivers and workers when planning for roadway maintenance and repairs,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director José Alvarez. “While roadwork detours are inconvenient for drivers, theclosures are necessary to provide a safe work zone for construction workers and completion of the work.”
On Tuesday, June 1, beginning at 7 a.m. the ramp from westbound 79th Street to northbound LaGrange Road is scheduled to close with a posted detour through mid-June. The posted detour will direct traffic to northbound Oak Grove Avenue, westbound Archer Avenue and on to northbound LaGrange Road.
On Monday, June 7, beginning at 7 a.m., a portion of westbound Archer Avenue between Oak Grove Avenue and 79th Street is scheduled to close and traffic continuing on Archer Avenue will need to take the posted detour that begins at Oak Grove Avenue. However, traffic traveling from westbound Archer Avenue to LaGrange Road will retain access.
The Archer Avenue detour will direct traffic via Oak Grove Avenue to 79th Street and then back on to westbound Archer Avenue. Traffic is scheduled to remain in this configuration through mid-June.
Once the pavement reconstruction is complete, traffic on westbound Archer Avenue and westbound 79th Street is scheduled to shift onto the new westbound bridge over I-294.
Work to remove the bridges over I-294 is scheduled to continue through the year. Construction will require ongoing overnight lane closures, as well as 15-minute full closures for bridge beam removal.
To accommodate the rebuilding and widening of I-294, the Illinois Tollway is reconstructing the eastbound and westbound Archer Avenue Bridges over I-294, the eastbound Archer Avenue Bridge over 79th Street and the bridge carrying westbound Archer Avenue over the ramp connecting southbound LaGrange Road to I‐294. Ramp and local road improvements on Archer Avenue and 79th Street will also be included as part of the construction. Work also includes drainage and lighting improvements and landscaping.
Construction updates, project information, maps and detour information for work that is part of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project are available in the Projects section on the Tollway’s website at www.illinoistollway.com .
Construction in this area is being coordinated with the Illinois Department of Transportation, Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways, Village of Justice and Village of Willow Springs as well as local fire and police departments.
The $4 billion Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project is reconstructing and widening the roadway between Balmoral Avenue and 95th Street to provide congestion relief, update old infrastructure to meet current and future transportation demand and address regional needs. This work is part of the Tollway’s 15-year, $14 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future. More than 220,000 vehicles use the Central Tri-State Tollway daily.
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. On I-294, a 45 mph work zone speed limit is in effect throughout the construction season.
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 120,000 jobs and linking economies throughout the region. The first nine years of Move Illinois is 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.
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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