Illinois 116 to close for 2026

PEORIA – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that Harmon Highway (Illinois 116) just west of Peoria will close to all traffic Jan. 2.

The closure is necessary to remove and replace the Illinois 116 bridge over Kickapoo Creek, Kickapoo Creek Road, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific railroads. The bridge, built in 1935, features a main truss underneath the driving surface, making staged construction unfeasible.

The $23.2 million project will remove the old bridge and replace it with a new, four-span steel girder structure. Work also includes rebuilding the approaches, improving curbs, gutters and sewers, new guardrails, improvements to Kickapoo Creek Road under the bridge, and other miscellaneous items.

The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2026. A detour will be posted.

Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve 7,107 lane miles of highway and 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Six of Rebuild Illinois include almost $20.8 billion of improvements statewide to 21,309 lane miles of highway, 815 bridges and 1,181 additional safety improvements.

For more information on IDOT projects, click here. For IDOT District 4 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict4 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.