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Joliet — The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Thursday that it will be closing the Ruby Street bridge in downtown Joliet for two months starting on July 1.
According to the announcement, the closure is part of “ongoing efforts to upgrade the moveable bridges in downtown Joliet.”
The Ruby Street bridge is part of Illinois Route 53 and crosses the Des Plaines River. According to IDOT, the closure, while scheduled for July 1, is contingent on weather and the reopening of the Jefferson Street bridge (part of U.S. Route 30) in late June.
The Jefferson Street bridge was closed May 14 for emergency repairs to replace equipment and electrical components. IDOT said the repairs are “progressing,” with the bridge tentatively expected to reopen within the next three weeks.
Both bridges will not be closed simultaneously, IDOT said.
The Ruby Street closure is necessary to install new control systems, motors, and cables in the raisable bridge, IDOT said.
If construction goes according to schedule, the bridge is tentatively planned to reopen on Sep. 1, IDOT said.
During construction, a detour will direct northbound drivers to Scott Street via Cass Street, Plainfield Road, Theodore Street and IL Route 53/IL Route 7, IDOT said.
Southbound travelers will meanwhile be detoured via Theodore Street, Plainfield Road, Center Street, Jefferson Street and Broadway Street.
Trucks will have separate detours, IDOT said, with northbound trucks detouring via Chicago Street, Jefferson Street, Collins Street, Ninth Street, and IL Route 7/IL Route 53, and southbound trucks detouring via Plainfield Road, Larkin Avenue, U.S. Route 6 and McDonough Street.
The public is warned to expect delays and to allow for extra travel time if traveling through the area.
The Ruby Street announcement comes just a month after IDOT said the Cass Street bridge, which has been down to one lane since August 2024, could be closed for over a year. That construction is expected to begin in August or September.
IDOT asks drivers to “pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for workers and equipment.”
IDOT will share updates on the Jefferson and Ruby Street bridge projects and other ongoing construction on their Facebook and X pages.