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I-80 Rebuild in Illinois

Started by paulthemapguy, April 06, 2021, 02:15:45 PM

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paulthemapguy

It's time to start a topic about this.  A massive hot-button issue in the Joliet, Illinois, area is the notoriously decrepit Des Plaines River bridge in the heart of Joliet.  An infamous bridge inspection last year revealed a rating of 6 out of 100 (anything below 30 is a critical failure requiring immediate repairs).  Repairs were made last summer to keep the bridge standing, but the clear need for a reconstruction of the bridges is definitely there.

The reconstruction project is a 16-mile long section of I-80 from Ridge Road in Minooka to the US Route 30 interchange in New Lenox, which is currently being rebuilt.  The bridge is only part of the project, which encompasses the bridge, a section of mainline pavement also in dire need of repair, and outdated interchange designs that could really use some reconfiguration.  The project website is available for the public to view here: http://i-80will.com/

I viewed a presentation (a 30-minute video) on the Phase I process of the project.  I'm trying to find a link to that presentation that anyone can view, but I haven't been successful yet.

Because of the scope and prominence of this project, the eventual price tag is forecasted to be around 1.0-1.1 billion dollars.  Check out the website for now, and I'll see if I can get some more links to information for roadgeek comment.  It looks like the new bridges will be twin bridges about 300 feet north of the current bridge locations.  The proposed alterations to interchange ramp configurations I found to be surprisingly intriguing.  I may take screenshots of the video I can view to show stuff like this.  Questions? Comments? Concerns? Other info you'd like to see about this?
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Joe The Dragon


JoePCool14


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Crash_It

Quote from: paulthemapguy on April 06, 2021, 02:15:45 PM
It's time to start a topic about this.  A massive hot-button issue in the Joliet, Illinois, area is the notoriously decrepit Des Plaines River bridge in the heart of Joliet.  An infamous bridge inspection last year revealed a rating of 6 out of 100 (anything below 30 is a critical failure requiring immediate repairs).  Repairs were made last summer to keep the bridge standing, but the clear need for a reconstruction of the bridges is definitely there.

The reconstruction project is a 16-mile long section of I-80 from Ridge Road in Minooka to the US Route 30 interchange in New Lenox, which is currently being rebuilt.  The bridge is only part of the project, which encompasses the bridge, a section of mainline pavement also in dire need of repair, and outdated interchange designs that could really use some reconfiguration.  The project website is available for the public to view here: http://i-80will.com/

I viewed a presentation (a 30-minute video) on the Phase I process of the project.  I'm trying to find a link to that presentation that anyone can view, but I haven't been successful yet.

Because of the scope and prominence of this project, the eventual price tag is forecasted to be around 1.0-1.1 billion dollars.  Check out the website for now, and I'll see if I can get some more links to information for roadgeek comment.  It looks like the new bridges will be twin bridges about 300 feet north of the current bridge locations.  The proposed alterations to interchange ramp configurations I found to be surprisingly intriguing.  I may take screenshots of the video I can view to show stuff like this.  Questions? Comments? Concerns? Other info you'd like to see about this?


This repair and replacement is already on the books to happen in the next season or following one at the latest

ET21

Quote from: Joe The Dragon on April 06, 2021, 03:06:43 PM
Will tolling come up as an way to pay for it?

Nope, this is supposed to be the flagship project of the big infrastructure bill Priztker signed last year. All IDOT
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Clinched:
IL: I-88, I-180, I-190, I-290, I-294, I-355, IL-390
IN: I-80, I-94
SD: I-190
WI: I-90, I-94
MI: I-94, I-196
MN: I-90

edwaleni

Quote from: paulthemapguy on April 06, 2021, 02:15:45 PM
It's time to start a topic about this.  A massive hot-button issue in the Joliet, Illinois, area is the notoriously decrepit Des Plaines River bridge in the heart of Joliet.  An infamous bridge inspection last year revealed a rating of 6 out of 100 (anything below 30 is a critical failure requiring immediate repairs).  Repairs were made last summer to keep the bridge standing, but the clear need for a reconstruction of the bridges is definitely there.

The reconstruction project is a 16-mile long section of I-80 from Ridge Road in Minooka to the US Route 30 interchange in New Lenox, which is currently being rebuilt.  The bridge is only part of the project, which encompasses the bridge, a section of mainline pavement also in dire need of repair, and outdated interchange designs that could really use some reconfiguration.  The project website is available for the public to view here: http://i-80will.com/

I viewed a presentation (a 30-minute video) on the Phase I process of the project.  I'm trying to find a link to that presentation that anyone can view, but I haven't been successful yet.

Because of the scope and prominence of this project, the eventual price tag is forecasted to be around 1.0-1.1 billion dollars.  Check out the website for now, and I'll see if I can get some more links to information for roadgeek comment.  It looks like the new bridges will be twin bridges about 300 feet north of the current bridge locations.  The proposed alterations to interchange ramp configurations I found to be surprisingly intriguing.  I may take screenshots of the video I can view to show stuff like this.  Questions? Comments? Concerns? Other info you'd like to see about this?


The presentation video for the I-80 work in Joliet can be pulled up here:

http://i-80will.com/images/Presentations/I80%20presentation%20FINAL.mp4

Rick Powell

Quote from: JoePCool14 on April 06, 2021, 03:55:27 PM
Quote from: Joe The Dragon on April 06, 2021, 03:06:43 PM
Will tolling come up as an way to pay for it?
I don't think so.
The project is fully funded by the Rebuild Illinois capital improvement plan and is in IDOT's current Multi-Year Program. There are 3 roadway design sections plus the river bridge design section (which I am part of), and one of the roadway section consultants is also the program manager over the entire stretch.

Ryctor2018

I thought I read in the Chicago Tribune about President Biden's Infrastructure Plan that IDOT may use that money to pay for the Interstate 80 bridge. Doing so would free up the 1 Billion allocated for the I-80 project to other projects in the state.
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Rick Powell

Quote from: Ryctor2018 on April 07, 2021, 01:27:26 PM
I thought I read in the Chicago Tribune about President Biden's Infrastructure Plan that IDOT may use that money to pay for the Interstate 80 bridge. Doing so would free up the 1 Billion allocated for the I-80 project to other projects in the state.

This is the article, referring to a competitive bridge replacement grant program that IDOT could potentially apply for. The good news is that the Des Plaines bridges are funded regardless of whether IDOT successfully applies for the grant. Also, the federal infrastructure plan is not finalized either, and the grant and funding programs may not look the same when passed as envisioned today.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-prem-chicago-illinois-transportation-infrastructure-joe-biden-20210402-jwc6fjfoqzae7fgulpzxwnddg4-story.html

edwaleni

I have some really bad news for everyone waiting on this Biden Administration "Infrastructure Plan".

Less than 5% is actually designated for highways. The majority of the proposed bill is for social programs and climate change abatement.

Biden would allocate $180 billion to research and development. That includes yet more funding for climate causes, with $35 billion for climate research and development alone. It's part of his efforts to reverse a long trend of declining federal money going to R&D.

Half of the $40 billion allocated for upgrading research infrastructure would go to Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs), as well as Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). HBCUs and MSIs would also get $10 billion – and an additional $15 billion for creating over 200 centers at them to serve as research incubators.

The package would direct $400 billion towards home and community care for the elderly and disabled, expanding both access to services and benefits for workers in the space.

Biden proposed a $100 billion investment in broadband to ensure it reaches 100% coverage across the country while promoting price transparency.

Biden wants to invest $400 billion to strengthen and protect American businesses. The infrastructure bill builds on the president's "buy American" executive order in January and would encourage and promote domestic production of goods.

The housing sector can expect massive improvements from Biden's $300 billion investment to revamp homes, schools, and federal buildings across the country. 500,000 homes would be built and rehabilitated for low- and middle-income homebuyers, and jobs would be created to build 1 million affordable and accessible housing options.

Biden's plan would update community college infrastructure and invest $28 billion to modernize Veterans Affairs clinics and hospitals and promote more sustainable federal buildings.

So how much for transportation?

Put $621 billion into transportation infrastructure such as bridges, roads, public transit, ports, airports and electric vehicle development

So what does that 5% get you?

Among the administration's goals, it aims to revamp 20,000 miles of roads and highways and repair 10,000 bridges. The proposal calls to build a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers by 2030 and replace 50,000 diesel public transit vehicles.

Also in that 5% is the Federal Government making large wholesale purchases to replace most of their ICE fleet with EV's and increase funding for Amtrak to revamp services regionally and nationally.

Honestly with the money left the only thing those roads and highways will get is a fresh coat of stripe paint.


3467

It has an extra 100 plus billion for roads in top of the existing highway bill which is supposed to be extended as well this year.
I will not venture into the politics of the rest of the bill
Btw. A little math if Illinois got the same proportion as it does under the highway formula it would be an extra 400 to 500 million a year for 8 years.

Rothman

5% of what now?  Seems to be way more than 5% from the description.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

JoePCool14

Isn't the bill $2 trillion or something crazy high like that? If $600 billion is being spent on actual infrastructure, that's more than 5% (it's around 31%). Not commenting on the bill in general, just doing some maths.

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3467

Yes it's 2 trillion and 600 billion is infrastructure. I bothered to download the actual fact sheet. They did it like that because a lot of the details will be negotiated.
There are lots of incentives for electric cars medical manufacturing in the U.S. And promotion of other US.  manufacturing
It's an infrastructure and U.S manufacturing bill.. My source is the plan itself. I don't know what the source above is.

NWI_Irish96

Quote
in·fra·struc·ture
/ˈinfrəˌstrək(t)SHər/
noun
noun: infrastructure; plural noun: infrastructures

    the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.

The 5% figure that has been quoted is taking the $100 billion specifically earmarked for roads and bridges and dividing by the $2 trillion total.

If you actually read the definition of the word infrastructure, far, far more than 5% of this bill easily fits the definition.

Anybody who quotes the 5% figure to you is either deliberately lying to try and erode support for the bill or is too stupid to understand the definition of the word.
Indiana: counties 100%, highways 100%
Illinois: counties 100%, highways 61%
Michigan: counties 100%, highways 56%
Wisconsin: counties 86%, highways 23%

3467

Right cabiness 42. And this is an extra hundred billion over the regular road funding. That bill is up later this year.

paulthemapguy

Quote from: Rothman on April 08, 2021, 12:44:24 AM
5% of what now?  Seems to be way more than 5% from the description.

Thank you.

Also, transportation infrastructure is not the only kind of infrastructure.  So it isn't a misleading title even if only 5% of the funding goes to transportation infrastructure.  Not that I know a lot about it.

The 10-minute presentation isn't the same as the 30-minute presentation I watched.  The presentation I watched (trying to find a link) shed some light on the interchange modifications:

I-80 at I-55 will have a SB-to-EB flyover ramp (or "fly-under" since it will go under I-80 and over I-55) and a widened NB-to-EB ramp with C/D lanes between I-55 and the Houbolt exit (127).  It might not seem that many people would leave a SSW-oriented highway to go back ENE, but a lot of people come from IL-59 to get to I-80 eastbound.  The reverse of this overall movement (WB I-80 to IL-59 NB) is already easy with the extra C/D lane on NB I-55, but the current configuration creates weave issues for all the traffic going from SB IL-59 to EB I-80.

I-80 at IL-7 is to become a classic Parclo A4 (very similar to the I-80/US45 interchange farther east, with directional onramps and offramps that meet IL-7 at signals.  This will eliminate the horrible weaving issues created by people going from WB I-80 to WB McDonough Street, a common overall movement complicated by McDonough Street's close proximity to the interstate ramps.

I-80 at Center Street (exit 131) will become an at-grade interchange.  Although it's currently a neat directional-flow interchange with 3/4 access, it's very overbuilt for the low volumes on Center Street and Meadow Avenue.  The northern half of the interchange will have the classic diamond design, and the southern half will be a pair of ramps in the southwest quadrant of the interchange (half of what I call a "fountain interchange").

Here's an odd one: I-80 at Chicago Street (exit 132) will become a full "fountain interchange" (folded diamond), with ramps in the northwest and southwest quadrants, but with a twist.  The twist will be a jughandle for NB-to-WB traffic, that splits off of NB Chicago Street (IL-53/US52) south of the freeway, and connects with the at-grade junction, with the WB I-80 ramps, on the N side of I-80.  Vehicles, including a LOT of trucks, become backed up on NB I-80 trying to make the left turn onto I-80 EAST, though--this design doesn't remedy this situation.  The railroad underpass immediately to the east limits the options available to help NB-to-EB traffic, but we do still need a solution for NB-to-EB trucks*.  At least this jughandle will likely be a better alternative to the VERY tight cloverleaf ramp that exists there currently.

That solution for NB-to-EB trucks might come in the form of the new Laraway/Houbolt bridge, slated to begin construction this spring.  But I don't have faith that truckers will follow local, county, and state guidance to use that bridge, instead of the Google directions that will likely take them down Laraway and IL-53 north to eastbound I-80.  This new bridge is a separate private project--what ISN'T a separate project is the reconfiguration of the Houbolt interchange to a diverging diamond.
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edwaleni

"A billion here, a billion there....pretty soon we will get to talking about real money"

Rothman

Why buy only one when you can buy two for twice the price?
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Scott5114

Quote from: paulthemapguy on April 08, 2021, 11:51:18 AM
Also, transportation infrastructure is not the only kind of infrastructure.  So it isn't a misleading title even if only 5% of the funding goes to transportation infrastructure.  Not that I know a lot about it.

Yeah, it also includes funding to replace lead pipes in city water systems. Not transportation, but that's clearly infrastructure. Also provides funding for broadband Internet access in rural areas, which is a newer type of infrastructure, but still infrastructure.
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paulthemapguy

Images from the presentation I saw showing the reconfigured interchanges as a result of the project:

I-55 at I-80 with the new flyover ramp from southbound I-55 to eastbound I-80:


Int1 by Paul Drives, on Flickr

I-55 at IL-7 as a new Parclo A4:


Int2 by Paul Drives, on Flickr

I-55 at Center Street as a half-folded diamond:


Int3 by Paul Drives, on Flickr

I-55 at IL-53 with the NB-to-WB jughandle along the railroad tracks:


Int4 by Paul Drives, on Flickr
Avatar is the last interesting highway I clinched.
My website! http://www.paulacrossamerica.com Now featuring all of Ohio!
My USA Shield Gallery https://flic.kr/s/aHsmHwJRZk
TM Clinches https://bit.ly/2UwRs4O

National collection status: 361/425. Only 64 route markers remain

Henry

Quote from: paulthemapguy on April 13, 2021, 02:39:45 PM
Images from the presentation I saw showing the reconfigured interchanges as a result of the project:

I-55 at I-80 with the new flyover ramp from southbound I-55 to eastbound I-80:


Int1 by Paul Drives, on Flickr

I-55 at IL-7 as a new Parclo A4:


Int2 by Paul Drives, on Flickr

I-55 at Center Street as a half-folded diamond:


Int3 by Paul Drives, on Flickr

I-55 at IL-53 with the NB-to-WB jughandle along the railroad tracks:


Int4 by Paul Drives, on Flickr
In the first pic, while I like the idea of having a flyover for SB-EB traffic, I'd strongly prefer making the whole thing into a full stack, or even a turbine.

The last pic is very interesting in that it has a NJ-style jughandle for NB (on IL 53) to SB (on I-55) traffic. It's actually a great concept because it would eliminate a direct left turn onto the ramp itself and thus reduce the amount of backups at the second light. Quick question: are there any other freeway interchanges that use this particular design, or will this be the first of its kind?
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SSOWorld

Quote from: Henry on April 14, 2021, 10:50:06 AM
Quote from: paulthemapguy on April 13, 2021, 02:39:45 PM...snip...
In the first pic, while I like the idea of having a flyover for SB-EB traffic, I'd strongly prefer making the whole thing into a full stack, or even a turbine.

The last pic is very interesting in that it has a NJ-style jughandle for NB (on IL 53) to SB (on I-55) traffic. It's actually a great concept because it would eliminate a direct left turn onto the ramp itself and thus reduce the amount of backups at the second light. Quick question: are there any other freeway interchanges that use this particular design, or will this be the first of its kind?
Full stack? In Illinois?

Unheard of!!!
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Rick Powell

Quote from: Henry on April 14, 2021, 10:50:06 AM
Quick question: are there any other freeway interchanges that use this particular design, or will this be the first of its kind?

I dunno, the jug-handle intersection at 65th and Harlem Avenue in Bedford Park IL is not a freeway interchange, but accomplishes pretty much the same thing.
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