Rebuilding Southern Cook County – Major Projects Highlight Year Five of Rebuild Illinois (Springfield, IL) —Entering Year Five of Rebuild Illinois, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced multiple projects in the southern Cook County area are underway or starting soon, highlighting an ongoing commitment made possible by Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic, bipartisan capital program. Nine major projects represent a total investment of more than $180 million, improving safety, mobility and quality of life while sustaining and creating good-paying jobs throughout the region.
“Rebuild Illinois is revitalizing communities and neighborhoods by investing in projects and people in the southern Cook County area and throughout the state,” said Gov. Pritzker. “Through the largest capital program in state history, IDOT will be delivering improvements to build a more resilient, accessible and equitable system of transportation for generations to come, while creating jobs and enhancing local quality of life.”
The nine projects are all scheduled to be completed by 2025:
- Interstate 57 from Halsted Street (Illinois 1) to Interstate 294 (Tri-State Tollway) in Markham, Oak Forest, Country Club Hills, Matteson and Richton Park, ongoing resurfacing and patching with overnight lane closures. The project began in spring 2022 and is anticipated to be completed this fall.
- Wood Street/Ashland Avenue in Harvey, Dixmoor and Riverdale, reconstruction, including new curbs, gutters and lighting, improved capacity, modernized traffic signals, ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps and installation of a new storm sewer system. Construction began this spring and is anticipated to be completed fall 2024. A detour will be in place during construction.
- Cicero Avenue (Illinois 50/83) at Cal Sag Road, at 135th Street and at Midlothian Turnpike in Crestwood, intersection reconstruction and widening project, modernized traffic signals and ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps. Daytime lane closures are needed to complete construction. The project began this summer and anticipated to be completed by the end of this year.
- 183rd Street at Central Avenue in Tinley Park, traffic signal installation project which includes new pavement markings and pedestrian crossings. Lane closures and detour will be in place during construction. The project is anticipated to begin next spring and completed in summer 2024.
- 127th Street over Cal-Sag Channel in Alsip and Crestwood, upcoming bridge deck replacement project. Full lane closures will be needed to complete construction. The project is anticipated to begin this winter and completed in fall 2024.
- Lincoln Highway (U.S. 30) at Cicero Avenue in Matteson, upcoming signal modernization. Lane closures will be required to complete construction. The project is anticipated to begin later next spring and completed in fall 2025.
- Southwest Highway (Illinois 7) from 131st to 135th streets in Orland Park and Palos Park, upcoming reconstruction with drainage improvements. Lane closures will be required to complete construction. The project is anticipated to begin next spring and completed in spring 2025.
- Torrence Avenue (U.S. 6) from Harding Avenue to 173rd Street in Calumet City, Dolton and Lansing, upcoming resurfacing project, including ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps. Daytime lane closures will be required. The project is anticipated to begin next spring and be completed in fall 2024.
- 159th Street (U.S. 6) from Carol Avenue to Torrence Avenue (Illinois 83) in Calumet City, South Holland and Harvey, upcoming resurfacing project, including ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps. Daytime lane closures will be required. The project is anticipated to begin next spring and completed in fall 2024.
“Illinois is leading the way by showing what progress and responsible budgeting look like. The work we are doing through the Rebuild Illinois program is proof that we can invest in projects that create economic opportunities, like the resurfacing of Torrence Avenue and 159th Street and balance our budgets at the same time,” said state Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago). “Responsible budgeting is why we are making the progress Illinois residents are seeing every day and we will continue to invest in education, health care, and public safety, all while creating economic opportunities for all Illinoisans. I look forward to continuing our work together.”
“When people in my district ask what Rebuild Illinois is doing for them, I point to projects in Matteson and Tinley Park to show them their dollars at work,” said state Rep. Debbie Meyers-Martin (D-Olympia Fields). “We are making our streets and our communities safer with every project.”
“When we invest in our infrastructure like we are on Torrence Avenue, we are not only investing in a higher quality of life. We are also creating good-paying jobs that sustain Illinois families,” said state Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr. “I hope that everyone who is interested in a career in the trades and public service will see the work we are doing and sign up for the many training opportunities to get involved. IDOT needs the best people so they can move efficiently to bring our infrastructure to the level it needs to be.”
Passed in 2019, Rebuild Illinois is investing a total of $33.2 billion over six years into the state’s aging transportation system, creating jobs and promoting economic growth. Rebuild Illinois is not only the largest capital program in state history, but also the first that touches all modes of transportation: roads and bridges, transit, waterways, freight and passenger rail, aviation, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.
Accomplishments through Year Four of Rebuild Illinois include approximately $12.1 billion of improvements statewide on 5,339 miles of highway, 533 bridges and 762 additional safety improvements. Visit https://idot.click/Rebuild-Illinois for information and highlights of other Rebuild Illinois projects happening throughout the state.
“These investments in the southern Cook County region will strengthen our system of multimodal transportation across the state,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “Remember: If you are driving in Illinois this construction season, you will be driving through work zones. When you see orange, stay patient, drop the devices and slow down.”
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