Houbolt Road bridge open, but Joliet project not done

The Houbolt Road bridge is open, but more work remains to be done to complete the connection between Interstate 80 and the CenterPoint Intermodal Center.

Construction crews continue to work on the widening of Houbolt Road north of the bridge and a new diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 80.

The widening of the road and new interchange will accommodate the expected increase of truck traffic using the bridge. That end of the project lags behind the completion of the bridge, which opened Thursday.

“We’re still on track for the third quarter for completion from Route 6 to Interstate 80,” Joliet Public Works Director Greg Ruddy said.

Ruddy said whether the work gets done closer to July or September may depend on weather. But trucks and other vehicles can use the route while the work continues.

“The road is being constructed under traffic, meaning vehicles could still go through there,” he said.

Joliet is overseeing the $32 million Houbolt Road widening and interchange end of the project. The state is funding $30 million of the project, and the city is funding another $2 million for work the city wanted added, including traffic signals at Mound Road.

Development is planned at Mound Road, including a potential truck stop.

One gas station with pumps for trucks already is built at Route 6 but is not yet open. Two more gas stations between the bridge and Interstate 80 are planned.

Until the Houbolt Road widening and interchange is completed, trucks that do use the bridge also could use an alternate path by turning onto Route 6 to get to Interstate 55.

That raises another issue for future widening of Route 6, which is a two-lane highway.

Channahon Mayor Missey Moorman Schumacher was at a ribbon-cutting for the bridge Thursday and said it emphasized the need for widening Route 6, a project that local officials have been pushing but which still awaits a green light from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Widening Route 6 is not part of the Houbolt Road project. But Schumacher noted that the highway already is lined with industry, and widening makes sense as more trucks come to the area.

“There’s going to be natural spillover,” Schumacher said, adding that Route 6 already is four lanes west of I-55.

Sections of Joliet and Channahon are on Route 6 between Houbolt Road and I-55.