St. Clair County: I-255 closure begins Feb. 1

COLLINSVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation today announced that a project to rehabilitate and resurface 3.5 miles of Interstate 255 from Illinois 157 to Illinois 15 in St. Clair County will require a complete interstate closure for six months, beginning, weather permitting, on Saturday, Feb. 1.

By closing I-255, the project will be completed in six months instead of the two years that would be necessary if construction were staged. Additionally, the project will cost $65.4 million, or about $10 million less in taxpayer dollars than completing the work in multiple phases. Closing the interstate also reduces the risk to workers and motorists by eliminating traffic from an active construction site.

In addition to rehabilitating and resurfacing the roadway, the project, funded by Rebuild Illinois, will also include bridge repairs, safety improvements, new lighting, signing and drainage improvements.

Improvements to I-255 from Illinois 15 to Collinsville Road were completed in 2020. The work on I-255 from Illinois 157 to Illinois 15 is expected to be completed July 31.

Motorists should expect delays and are encouraged to use alternate and detour routes during this closure. Drivers are urged to reduce speed, be alert for changing conditions, obey all construction signage, and refrain from using mobile devices while approaching and traveling through the work zone.

Visit the project website, https://idot.click/i255-il15-to-il157, for more information, including project maps, detours, construction timeline and updates.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,200 miles of highway and nearly 9 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 Five of Rebuild Illinois include approximately $16 billion of improvements statewide on 6,541 miles of highway, 686 bridges and 986 additional safety improvements.

For IDOT District 8 updates, follow us on the social media platform X at @IDOTDistrict8 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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