County Line Road ramp closure needed to safely accommodate bridge beam placement
Temporary, overnight ramp closures are scheduled to begin this weekend on the ramp connecting northbound County Line Road to northbound I-55 as part of ongoing bridge replacement work on the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project. Closures are scheduled to continue into late September.
Electronic message and construction signage will be put in place in advance to alert drivers on I-294, I- 55 and County Line Road to the construction work zones and closures. The closures are necessary to provide a safe work zone. Up-to-date information regarding lane closures will be available in the Illinois Tollway’s Daily Construction Alerts. All work is weather dependent.
Starting on Saturday, September 17, the ramp connecting northbound County Line Road to northbound I-55 will be closed nightly on Saturdays and Mondays through Thursdays from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following mornings. No detour will be posted. Up to eight days of closures will be needed to complete the work.
In addition, on I-55 nightly lane closures, including intermittent full closures, each lasting 15 minutes, will also be needed.
The closures are necessary to accommodate bridge beam placement part of ongoing bridge reconstruction at the I-55 Interchange on I-294.
Construction in this area is being coordinated with the Illinois Department of Transportation, Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways, Village of Burr Ridge, Village of Countryside and Village of Indian Head Park, as well as local fire and police departments.
In 2022, the Tollway’s work at the I-55 Interchange will continue the rebuilding and widening of I-294 between 75th Street and I-55. As part of this work, the ramp connecting I-55 to northbound I-294 will be reconstructed, along with the northbound I-294 bridges over I-55, Wolf Road, Joliet Road and Flagg Creek. Additional work includes the reconstruction of the Plainfield Road Bridge over I-294 and the northbound ramp to the Hinsdale Oasis. Construction in this area is scheduled to be complete in 2025.
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.
The Illinois Tollway reconstruction of ramps and bridges in the I-55 Interchange area are necessary to accommodate the rebuilding and widening of I-294, as well as to reduce congestion, improve safety and address operational issues as well as infrastructure conditions.
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 and I-55, 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 10 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.
