On October 4, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) started construction on the Interstate 55-Weber Road interchange and other capacity improvements.
The $68-million project in Romeoville and Bolingbrook is designed to improve travel times and cut down on crashes in a high-growth area, the IDOT said in a statement.
“This project will solve a longtime issue with safety and congestion along Weber Road, while helping to promote and manage economic activity and job creation in one of the state’s fastest growing areas,” Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn said in a press statement. “These improvements will go a long way toward addressing transportation issues, but also enhance the quality of life for local residents.”
Improvements, scheduled to begin in late spring, include adding a third lane to each direction of Weber Road between 135th Street/Romeo Road and 119th Street/Rodeo Road, with modernized traffic signals and a barrier median.
The Weber Road interchange with I-55 will be rebuilt in a diverging diamond design, the second by IDOT in the Chicago area. To accommodate the new design, a second Weber Road bridge will be built over I-55.