State’s bridges are safe
State’s bridges undergo rigorous inspections
By OMER OSMAN
The Herald News
March 22, 2019
At the Illinois Department of Transportation, our top priority is safe and efficient transportation. We take this mission extremely seriously and work hard every day to provide our travelers with the best experience possible.
Recently, we’ve heard concerns regarding the health of the Interstate 80 bridges over the Des Plaines River.
We hear you and want to ensure we are being fully transparent as we move forward.
First, all of the state’s bridges that are open are safe for travel. If there are any bridges we believe to be unsafe, they are immediately closed.
These particular bridges in Joliet undergo a rigorous inspection schedule that goes above and beyond federal requirements. The results, which are shared online with the public and reviewed for concurrence by the Federal Highway Administration, show that these are older bridges requiring a greater level of monitoring and maintenance.
The ratings that have been widely reported actually are the “sufficiency rating” that evaluate many different factors. The condition of the bridge is one factor, but others, such as lack of shoulders, insufficient number of lanes and older design, contribute to the low rating and do not indicate a bridge is unsafe. Older bridges, built in areas that have experienced rapid growth and without the benefit of modern engineering and design, typically receive among the lower sufficiency ratings.
Des Plaines Bridges News
State Plans Structural Overhaul Of I-80 Bridges Over Des Plaines River in Joliet
The state has made plans for making structural repairs on a couple of well-used bridges that need them.
A message from the I-80 bridge — get out the repair tools, Illinois
In what other state do highway billboards warn you to drive over a bridge at your own risk?
I-80 bridge in Joliet needs fixes, work slated for spring
The bridge on Interstate 80 that spans the Des Plaines River has garnered recent media attention after state inspectors in a report early last year described sections of it as “critical,” “intolerable” and a “high priority for replacement.”
Joliet Bridge Still Showing ‘Permanent Deformation’ Worrying Engineers
It’s a story we brought you first on CBS 2 about a bridge in Joliet with one of the worst structural ratings in the state.
State Rep. Walsh calls for emergency repairs to I-80 bridge
State Rep. Larry Walsh Jr., D-Elwood, released a statement Tuesday calling for emergency repairs to the Interstate 80 bridge over the Des Plaines River in Joliet.
IDOT insists I-80 bridge in Joliet is safe
The state on Thursday declared the Interstate 80 bridge over the Des Plaines River in Joliet is safe despite an inspection report describing sections as “critical,” “intolerable” and a “high priority for replacement.”
Deteriorating I-80 bridges at Joliet worry officials
The discovery of cracks in steel beams along Lake Shore Drive this week raised alarms about other problem bridges.
Think the shutdown of northbound Lake Shore Drive was bad? Will County bridges are even more alarming.
The discovery of cracks in steel beams along Lake Shore Drive this week raised alarms about other problem bridges.