The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that lane closures on eastbound Interstate 80 are scheduled for this weekend.

Bridge deck repairs and pavement patching will take place in the eastbound lanes between Wheeler Avenue and Richards Street in Joliet starting at 10 p.m. Friday.

At least one eastbound lane will remain open at all times during the work and westbound lanes will not be effected at this time, IDOT said in a news release.

This is the fourth and final scheduled weekend closure for this stretch of I-80. The work is expected to be completed with all lanes reopened by 5 a.m. on Monday, IDOT said.

Heavy traffic congestion is expected during the work, and IDOT recommends that drivers heading eastbound should “consider alternative routes to avoid the area.” Drivers of heavy or wide trucks are instructed to find other interstate routes, as local roads cannot accommodate them.

The weekend work is necessary “to keep the structures in acceptable condition while the larger I-80 corridor improvement is under construction,”, IDOT said in the release.

Scheduling the work over weekends is intended to limit the frequency of emergency closures in the area, and ensure the repairs are completed as safely and as possible while allowing the public the chance to plan ahead, IDOT said.

The ramps from eastbound I-80 to northbound Center Street and from northbound and southbound Chicago Street to eastbound I-80 will remain closed during the reconstruction. IDOT reminds drivers to continue using the posted detours.

As the project continues, ongoing lane shifts, overnight lane closures, and delays should be expected.

Drivers are reminded to allow extra time for travel through the area and are asked to pay close attention to workers and signs in construction zones, and to obey posted speed limits.