State Plans Structural Overhaul Of I-80 Bridges Over Des Plaines River in Joliet

BERNIE TAFOYA
March 29, 2019
CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO)

The state has made plans for making structural repairs on a couple of well-used bridges that need them: The I-80 bridges over the Des Plaines River in Joliet.

The bridges were built in 1965 and received major updates 21 years ago. But now, the bridge inspection reports indicate that they’re in serious need of work. They have sufficiency ratings of 7.4 or less, with 100 being the best.

“We’ll be out in the field, more than likely, in the next couple of months,” Tridgell said. “There’s some fabrication work that takes place prior to that. We’re going to be replacing some of the bridge bearings on the approach sections of the bridge and then some structural steel repairs, as well.”

In the meantime, he said, the bridges are safe and open to nearly 43,000 vehicles a day.

“They’re assuring us the bridge is structurally sound,” Joliet Mayor Bob O’DeKirk said. “That makes us all feel better.”

O’DeKirk said IDOT has been consistent that, if they felt the bridges were in imminent danger, IDOT would close them now.

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