A weekend-long ramp closure is set to begin Friday as part of toll plaza improvements underway at the Orchard Road interchange on Interstate 88 in the Aurora area, officials said.
A detour will be posted, according to an Illinois Tollway press release.
Electronic message signs and construction signage will be in place in advance to alert drivers to construction and any ramp closures and detours, officials said.
On Friday, full closure of the ramp connecting eastbound I-88 to Orchard Road is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. for median removal, paving and a stage change, the release said. The closure is scheduled to last through the weekend, with the ramp reopening by 5 a.m. on Monday, June 8, according to officials.
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Once the ramp reopens, traffic will be routed through the left plaza lane with a work zone on the right, officials said.
During the closure, a detour will be posted directing I-88 traffic to continue east to exit at Route 31 and then routing traffic north to Orchard Road, according to the release.
Currently the ramp is reduced to a single lane and is scheduled to remain in this configuration through summer, according to officials. The extended lane closures and detours are needed to accommodate the removal of the existing barrier walls and equipment followed by the installation of new tolling infrastructure, the release said.
Construction work will also include ramp pavement and shoulder work, as well as guardrail, electrical and signage improvements, officials said. An additional weekend-long detour at the site will be scheduled later this year.
Closures and detours are being coordinated with the Illinois Department of Transportation, DuPage County, Kane County and Aurora Township, as well as local fire and police departments, the Illinois Tollway release said.
Maps and construction information on the Orchard Road interchange work are available in the projects section on the Illinois Tollway’s website at illinoistollway.com.