The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) recently notified the city that it will begin construction on the U.S. Route 20 bypass and McLean Boulevard intersection Monday, March 5. Construction is expected to last at least three years. While it was originally anticipated that no ramp closures would occur with this project, IDOT advised last week that beginning the week of March 5, the eastbound entrance ramp to U.S. Route 20 will be closed Monday-Friday from 9 AM – 5 PM for ninety days.
The official detour for this ramp closure will be W/B Weld Road to E/B Route 20 ramp at Randall. With the exception of intermittent lane closures, IDOT has committed to maintaining two lanes of traffic in each direction throughout construction on McLean. Heavy congestion in the area is still expected.
To accommodate the anticipated increased use of the Lillian/South/Walnut arterial route the city is enacting several measures to assist traffic flow and eliminate existing backups. These measures are being taken to address the safety of commuters first and foremost, followed by the least amount of inconvenience. They are being temporarily implemented and may be altered as construction continues.
Informational signage and message boards around the area will alert residents of the new traffic pat-terns.
Measures to be implemented Friday, March 2, include:
o Remove east and westbound stop signs at South Street and Edison Avenue
o Close access to South Street at Walnut Avenue
o Remove the stop sign for westbound Walnut Avenue
o Stop all traffic at South/Wilcox/Erie five-way intersection
o Stop all traffic at South Street and Vine Street
Additional steps are being taken to coordinate other construction projects around this area to minimize congestion.