After nine months of construction, I-255 to fully reopen
After roughly nine months of construction, a seven-mile stretch of Interstate 255 will reopen Saturday.
The project, which was finished almost a month ahead of schedule, including rehabilitated and resurfaced two sections of highway reaching from Collinsville Road to Illinois 15. Saturday will mark the finalization of the second phase of the project, the stretch of road from Interstate 64 to Illinois 15.
The first phase of the project began in February and was finished in July.
The project was expected to cost $67 million from the Rebuild Illinois capital program, a $45 billion project to restore the state’s aging transportation system. However, officials said the time saved from closing portions of the road completely saved the state $14 million.
Those funds are expected to go into other road projects in the metro-east.
“Rebuild Illinois is bigger than one project,” said Gov. J.B. Pritzker. “We’re not resting on our laurels. Many other major projects are on deck for 2021 for the metro-east.”
Work also included “significant bridge repairs,” safety improvements and draining upgrades.
For years, officials designated I-255 as one of the worst stretches of highway in Illinois. Earlier this month, St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern compared driving on the road before its restoration to “driving on the moon.”
Pritkzer said the restoration of the seven mile stretch is a historic moment for Illinois’ infrastructure. The project came as a result of the Rebuild Illinois capital program.
This story was originally published October 30, 2020 at 10:11 AM.