The second stage of construction on the Washington Street Bridge in downtown Naperville is slated to start on Tuesday, May 21, according to a news release from the City of Naperville.
Traffic shifts to east side of the bridge next week
All traffic on the Washington Street Bridge will soon move to the east side while crews remove and replace the bridge’s west side.
Road closed on Tuesday, May 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To facilitate the shift, traffic will be shut off on Washington Street between Aurora and Chicago Avenues on May 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. After the shift is finished, one lane of traffic in each direction will open on the east side.
The bridge’s sidewalks will be unavailable going forward, and pedestrians can cross the DuPage River on the Main Street Bridge until the project is complete.
All area businesses will remain open during construction.
Due to public safety concerns, recreational activities on the DuPage River that pass through the Washington Street Bridge are closed during construction. This includes kayaking, boating, canoeing, and floating.
Washington Street Bridge project timeline
Stage one of construction on the Washington Street Bridge started in the spring of 2023, as the structure’s east side was demolished.
In September 2023, city officials announced the project was two months behind the planned schedule.
Stage three will involve the completion of the bridge’s centerpiece, and the final stage includes the completion of the east sidewalk, railing, and other amenities. Along with the bridge replacement, project plans include the addition of a water main, a sanitary sewer system, an AT&T duct package, and an electric duct bank.
The city expects the project to be completed in late 2024 or early 2025.
Why is the bridge being replaced?
Replacement of the Washington Street Bridge has been in the works for over two decades.
Back in 2000, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) said the bridge’s top section was showing signs of distress. They recommended a new wearing surface to get another 10 to 20 years out of the bridge.
According to Naperville’s Director of the Transportation, Engineering, and Development (TED) Department Bill Novack, the bridge’s substructure and superstructure were in need of “complete replacement” for the past few years.
“The structure started to show some really bad signs in the last five years,” said Novack in April 2023. “We’ve had to inspect them more often. We are still inspecting it every month since we have live traffic on there, especially during construction.”
Naperville received funding from IDOT through the Federal Bridge Program, which will cover 80 percent of the cost of the replacement.
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