Roadwork on closed down I-255 in St. Clair County to finish ahead of schedule
A section of Interstate 255 closed for more than four months for a $65.4 million roadwork project in St. Clair County is scheduled to reopen at 6 p.m. Saturday.
The reopening of 3.5 miles of I-255 from Illinois 15 to Illinois 157 will be about six weeks ahead of the previously anticipated finish date of July 31, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Friday.
This section of the highway was closed on Feb. 1.
There are two general contractors for the project: Keeley & Sons and Killian Corp., which are both located in the metro-east.
To pay for the project, the state is using Rebuild Illinois funds, which come from increases in the state's motor fuel tax, the cigarette tax and vehicle registration fees approved by lawmakers in 2019.
Crews have resurfaced the roadway that had pavement dating to 1984 when the highway was built, repaired bridges, added new lighting and made signage and drainage improvements.
By closing the highway instead of trying to do the work while keeping lanes open, the state expects to save $10 million.
This was the second of five phases to repair and improve I-255.
While this I-255 section is reopening, metro-east commuters will still have to deal with a new closure for bridge repairs on the northbound and eastbound lanes of Interstate 55 and Interstate 70 running through north Collinsville from this weekend until June 30.
This closure was scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Friday between Illinois 157 and Illinois 159. The southbound and westbound lanes will remain open during the roadwork.
In 2020, the state shut down sections of I-255 in the metro-east for nine months for roadwork. This $67 million project repaired a seven-mile stretch of the highway from Collinsville Road in southern Madison County to Illinois 15 in St. Clair County.
'The remaining three phases to improve I-255 will continue the work between the Mississippi River and Illinois 157,' according to a news release from the agency. 'Dates and timelines are still to be determined, but the projects are included in IDOT's latest multiyear program. No decisions have been made regarding additional full closures of the work zones.'
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