Tri-State Tollway lane closures to begin Friday

An extended lane closure on the southbound Mile Long Bridge on the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) is scheduled to begin later this week as part of the Illinois Tollway’s ongoing work to construct a new southbound bridge structure.

The temporary lane closure is necessary to provide a safe work zone and accommodate traffic. Three lanes will remain open to traffic; however, delays are expected.

Beginning at 9 p.m. on Friday, June 10, and continuing through Tuesday, June 14, the right lane on southbound I-294 is scheduled to be closed to traffic between LaGrange Road and 75th Street. However, if needed, the closure may be extended through Thursday, June 16.

Electronic message signs and construction signage will be in place in advance to alert drivers. Up-to-date closure information will be posted on the Tollway website in the Daily Construction Alert. All work is weather dependent.

The lane closure will create a larger work zone for contractors pouring concrete to construct the southbound bridge deck on the Mile Long Bridge as part of the rebuilding and widening of I-294.

Construction information about the Mile Long Bridge Project and the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project is available in the Projects section on the Tollway’s website at illinoistollway.com.

As part of the $4 billion Central Tri-State Tollway Project, the Illinois Tollway is reconstructing the Mile Long Bridge that carries up to 150,000 vehicles daily over two major railroads, the Des Plaines River, the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal and the Illinois & Michigan Canal and local roads, and over several major distribution centers. The original bridge structures were built in 1958.

The $500 million Mile Long Bridge Project includes building two, new side-by-side 4,800-foot-long bridge structures designed to last 100 years and increasing capacity to five lanes in each direction. Construction of the new northbound structure was completed in 2020 and construction of the new southbound structure began in 2020. The entire Mile Long Bridge Project is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2023.

Both of the new bridges feature 27 spans supported by 26 piers, compared to the previous structures with 53 piers, reducing the impact on waterways, roadway and rail operations below. In addition, the bridges’ inside shoulders in both directions will be built to serve as Flex Lanes for transit, for emergency vehicles and as an alternate lane when warranted.

The Illinois Tollway is coordinating work on the Mile Long Bridge Project with the Village of Hodgkins, Village of Countryside, Village of Willow Springs, Village of Justice, Cook County, Forest Preserve District of Cook County, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Coast Guard, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, IDNR Office of Water Resources and the Illinois Nature Preserve Commission, as well as numerous businesses located near the Mile Long Bridge.