 | 11/13/2008 Entrance Ramps at IL Route 31 to Reopen For
Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) Rebuild & Widen Project
Eastbound Entrance to Reopen by Monday Morning, November 17;
Westbound Entrance to Reopen by Friday Morning, November 21
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – The reconstructed eastbound entrance ramp to the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) from IL Route 31 will reopen to traffic on schedule and in time for the morning rush hour on Monday, November 17 as part of the mainline Rebuild & Widen Project between the Aurora Toll Plaza and Orchard Road. In addition, the reconstructed westbound entrance ramp from IL Route 31 to I-88 is scheduled to reopen for the morning rush hour on Friday, November 21. The Rebuild & Widen Project is nearing the halfway completion mark with completion of the eastbound lanes and full opening of the new eastbound Fox River Bridge scheduled in December.
Multiple Rebuild & Widen Projects are already underway along a 23-mile stretch of the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) from Oak Brook to North Aurora. The 2008 work involves four separate rebuilding and widening projects with all work scheduled for completion in 2010 as part of the Illinois Tollway’s $6.3 billion Congestion-Relief Program – Open Roads for a Faster Future.
IL Route 31 Eastbound Entrance Ramp Reopens by 5 a.m. on Monday
Overnight lane closures are scheduled on Sunday, November 16, for pavement striping in order to reopen the newly reconstructed eastbound entrance ramp from IL Route 31. When all lanes are reopened by 5 a.m. on Monday, November 17, the ramp will be open and ramp traffic will be directed over the right side of the nearly-completed eastbound Fox River Bridge into the cash side of the Aurora Toll Plaza.
Traffic entering eastbound I-88 from IL Route 31 will be directed through the cash side of the Aurora Toll Plaza until early December when the full bridge is scheduled to open to traffic.
Three cash toll booths are available at the Aurora Toll Plaza and a temporary I-PASS Only lane will be constructed to accommodate I-PASS customers during this brief transition. Eastbound traffic entering from IL Route 31 will have access to the Open Road Tolling lanes in December once the new Fox River Bridge is fully opened to traffic.
IL Route 31 Westbound Entrance Ramp Reopens by 5 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 21
Overnight lane closures are scheduled on Thursday, November 20, for pavement striping in order to reopen the newly constructed westbound entrance ramp from IL Route 31. When all lanes reopen by 5 a.m. on Friday, November 21, the westbound entrance ramp will be open to traffic.
Work Zone Safety
Drivers must follow the local speed limits posted on the detour routes to ensure safety. A 45 m.p.h. speed limit is in effect 24/7 in all Tollway mainline construction zones, whether or not workers are present.
Drivers should continue to watch for changing traffic patterns and use caution, especially when workers are present. Illinois State Police have zero tolerance for drivers speeding in work zones. The minimum penalty for speeding in a work zone is $375. Posted signs advise motorists of a $10,000 fine and 14-year jail sentence for hitting a roadway worker. Keep Workers Alive – Drive 45.
Know Before You Go
The Tollway offers a variety of ways for drivers to get the latest information on construction and traffic on our roads.
- www.illinoistollway.com – Construction Section – for details by road
- 1-800-TOLL-FYI – daily lane closure info
- Roadway and electronic signs
- www.gcmtravel.com – travel times
- Sign up for E-mail updates
- Up-to-the-minute traffic by road – www.nbc5.com
- Construction eNewsletter – www.illinoistollway.com
Part of Tollway’s Congestion-Relief Program
The Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) Rebuild & Widen Project is part of the Tollway’s $6.3 billion Congestion-Relief Program, Open Roads for a Faster Future, which will reduce travel times by rebuilding/restoring nearly the entire system, widening/adding lanes to many miles of existing roads, converting 20 mainline toll plazas to barrier-free Open Road Tolling, and extending I-355 south to I-80 in Will County.
About the Illinois Tollway
The Illinois Tollway maintains and operates 286 miles of interstate tollways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) and the Tri-State Tollway (I-94, I-294, I-80). Tollway customers save time and money with I-PASS electronic toll collection - Get I-PASS & Get Going!
All Work Is Weather Dependent.
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