Starting now, you'll need to take the southbound bridge on I-55 near Hamel

After months of merging into one lane and traveling in both directions on the northbound bridge between mile markers 24 and 26 on Interstate 55, traffic will be taking the southbound bridge.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Friday that traffic had been switched to the southbound bridge.

The interstate will be restricted to one lane in each direction until decking on the northbound bridge has been replaced. Lane restrictions are expected to last through September.

The construction zone has been an especially deadly one, with four women being killed in one series of crashes and another woman being killed in a separate crash weeks later in 2017.

This story was originally published June 2, 2018 at 4:24 AM with the headline "Starting now, you'll need to take the southbound bridge on I-55 near Hamel."