DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – Temporary, overnight lane closures, including intermittent full closures, are scheduled to begin this week on the Tri-State (Interstate-294) at the Hinsdale Oasis for removal of the bridge beams on the over-the-road pavilion structure.
The temporary closures on I-294 are necessary to safely accommodate bridge beam removal, with work scheduled during overnight hours to minimize the impact on traffic, according to a news release.
Electronic message signs and construction signage will be put in place in advance to alert drivers. Up-to-date information regarding lane closures will be available in the Illinois Tollway’s Daily Construction Alert. All work is weather dependent.
Between Tuesday, July 5, and Friday, July 15, up to three nights of lane closures in each direction will be needed for beam removal, with work scheduled first on southbound I-294 and then on northbound I-294.
The overnight lane closures will be scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. with a single lane closure, followed by a second lane closure at 10 p.m. and a third lane closure at 11 p.m. Intermittent, full closures, each lasting 15 minutes, are scheduled to begin midnight and be complete by 4 a.m. All lanes will be reopened by 5 a.m. in advance of the morning rush hour.
The Hinsdale Oasis fuel stations and convenience stores operated by 7-Eleven remain open to provide services for both northbound and southbound travelers along I-294. During removal of bridge beams, the ramp will be open for fuel station access, except when overnight, full traffic stops are in place.
Removing the Hinsdale Oasis will allow I-294 to be widened to six lanes in each direction between the I-55 Interchange and the Reagan Memorial Tollway (Interstate-88) as part of the Tollway’s Central Tri-State Tollway Project. In 2019, the Tollway began advance work to prepare for roadway construction including the reconstruction of the bridges carrying Plainfield Road, the I-55 ramp and the BNSF railroad over I-294, as well as the relocation of the pedestrian bridge connecting the villages of Hinsdale and Western Springs.
The $4 billion Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project is reconstructing and widening the roadway between Balmoral Avenue and 95th Street to provide congestion relief, update old infrastructure to meet current and future transportation demand and address regional needs.
This work is part of the Tollway’s 15-year, $14 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.
More than 220,000 vehicles use the Central Tri-State Tollway daily.
Construction updates, project information, maps and detour information for work that is part of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project are available in the Projects section on the Tollway’s website at www.illinoistollway.com.
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