Brandon Road bridge open again

Joliet Township bridge shut down since Sunday

The Brandon Street Bridge sits closed on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, in Joliet, Ill.

The Brandon Road bridge is open again.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced shortly after 11:30 a.m. Friday that the drawbridge over the Des Plaines River in Joliet Township is back in service.

The bridge had been shut down since Sunday when a bracket broke in the center lock mechanism. A repair part arrived on Thursday when repairs and testing of the bridge were done before it was reopened.

The 1930s-era bridge has been shut down several times since 2016 due to problems with the center lock mechanism. It had been closed for 15 months before being reopened in April due to the need to fabricate repair parts for the center lock, according to IDOT.

A replacement part for the bracket that broke Sunday was available and did not need to be fabricated, IDOT said.