Temporary overnight closures will take place next week on Butterfield Road (Illinois Route 56) under the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) in Berkeley and Hillside. The Illinois Tollway announced that these closures are necessary to allow for the removal of bridge beams as part of the Central Tri-State Project.
Closures are scheduled during the week of January 5, with multiple nights of intermittent, full stops lasting up to 15 minutes in both directions. The closures will start at 11 p.m. and end by 5 a.m. If work cannot be completed as planned, additional closures may occur the following week.
Further lane closures and full stops on Butterfield Road are expected later in January to complete the bridge beam removal process. Work is ongoing to remove and reconstruct the southbound I-294 bridge over Butterfield Road.
Electronic message signs and construction signage will be used to notify drivers about the overnight lane closures. According to the Illinois Tollway, “The overnight closures are needed to provide a safe work zone for bridge beam installation and minimize the impact on local traffic.” Updated closure information can be found through the Illinois Tollway’s Daily Construction Alert. All construction schedules depend on weather conditions.
Coordination for this project involves several agencies, including the Illinois Department of Transportation, Village of Berkeley, City of Elmhurst, Village of Hillside, and local fire and police departments.
The Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project is valued at $4 billion and aims to reconstruct and widen the roadway between Balmoral Avenue and 95th Street. This effort is designed to relieve congestion, modernize infrastructure for current and future needs, and address regional transportation requirements as part of Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future program. More than 220,000 vehicles use this stretch daily. Additional details about ongoing projects can be accessed at www.illinoistollway.com in the Projects section.
Construction zone speed limits remain active at all times throughout construction areas, with a posted limit of 45 mph on I-294 during construction season. Motorists are reminded that state law requires them to move over or slow down when approaching vehicles with flashing hazard lights along roadways.
“The Illinois Tollway reminds motorists that the ‘Move Over Law’ requires motorists to change lanes or to slow down and proceed with caution when passing any vehicle on the side of the road with hazard lights activated,” stated an agency spokesperson. “If you see flashing lights ahead, please move over or slow down.”
Illinois State Police enforce strict penalties for violations in work zones or failure to comply with move-over laws; fines start at $250 for speeding in a work zone and can reach up to $25,000 plus jail time if a worker is struck.
The Move Illinois capital program spans 16 years with an investment of $15 billion focused on improving mobility across Northern Illinois without using state or federal funds for maintenance or operations. The agency manages nearly 300 miles of toll roads across twelve counties in Northern Illinois—including major routes such as I-88, I-355, I-90, I-94/I-294/I-80—and continues upgrades like those seen on Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), new interchanges connecting key highways, as well as reconstruction projects like this one along Central Tri-State Tollway.
