The Houbolt Road Bridge project in Joliet is moving forward with the next phase of its construction along the Interstate 80 corridor. Construction on I-80 started in the summer of 2021. At this point, it has replaced a lot of aging infrastructure that is over 50 decades old.
Construction Review states that this project is part of a $33.2 billion Rebuild Illinois initiative plan that involves redeveloping 16 miles of Interstate 80 over the next six years and the improvement of all types of transportation systems across the state.
The state's share of this public private partnership is $31 million and the City of Joliet will be in charge of overseeing the $33.5 million Houbolt Road project.
The Houbolt Road Bridge project involves:
- Widening of the road
- Reconfiguration of Interstate 80 interchange into a diverging diamond design
- A new toll bridge on Houbolt Road over the Des Plaines River
An inland port company named CenterPoint Properties will invest $170 million towards the development of this toll bridge.
The new toll bridge will provide a link between Interstate 80 and CenterPoint's intermodal facilities in Joliet and Elwood.
The Director of the Illinois Department of Transportation, Omer Osman, stated that the construction of Instate 80 is aimed at alleviating congestion and improving safety. These improvements will also:
- Reduce emission produced by traffic
- Shorten long commuting routes
- Ensure safety
- Bring more business to the neighboring communities
- Offer more opportunities to workers, logistic companies and industries that depend on the infrastructure of the area
Construction Equipment Guide reports the new bridge is already under construction and will connect I-80 and CenterPoint's intermodal facilities. As one of the nation's largest inland ports, those intermodal facilities are home to thousands of jobs and $75 billion in freight activity annually, including 65 million bushels of agricultural products exported each year.
According to Construction Review, developers are hoping that the weather will be favorable enough to allow the relocation of facilities this winter and they plan to continue the next construction phase of the Houbolt Road bridge project in the spring. Another portion of Interstate 80 as well as the interchange is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023, while Route 6 is scheduled for completion this October.
"Under Governor Pritzker, we are leveraging public resources to advance projects across all modes throughout the state in new and exciting ways. The Houbolt Road improvements are going to bring much needed relief to I-80 while delivering a crucial piece of the governor's larger vision to remake one of the country's major interstate corridors."
Illinois DOT Secretary | Omer Osman
Construction Equipment Guide states that the entire project, which is funded by an estimated $200 million in public and private funding, will create hundreds of construction and permanent jobs throughout the region according to Governor J.B. Pritzker.
