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East Avenue, 55th Street, Joliet Road intersection project to begin Monday

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From staff reports

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Friday that intersection improvements on East Avenue at 55th Street and at Joliet Road, in McCook, Hodgkins and Countryside, will require lane closures beginning, weather permitting, Monday, March 7.

The $16.8 million improvement project involves reconstructing and realigning the existing intersections, installing modernized traffic signals, ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps, improving drainage and resurfacing East Avenue from 55th Street to Joliet Road.

Throughout construction one lane in each direction will remain open on East Avenue, Joliet Road and 55th Street. Access to residences and businesses within the work zone will be maintained throughout construction, which is anticipated to be completed in late 2023. 

Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for workers and equipment.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,535 miles of highway and 9 million square feet of bridge deck as part of the Rebuild Illinois capital program, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Two included approximately $5.2 billion of improvements statewide on 3,020 miles of highway, 270 bridges and 428 additional safety improvements.

For more information on IDOT projects, click here. Find traffic and road conditions at www.gettingaroundillinois.com. You also can follow IDOT on Facebook and Twitter.

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