Joliet drawbridge stuck open: IDOT

The Jefferson Street bridge near downtown Joliet is stuck open after the west section of the structure stopped when it was lifting upward, according to an Illinois Department of Transportation official.

Some time after 3 p.m., the double-leaf movable bridge on Jefferson Street was in the middle of lifting upward when the west leaf stopped part of the way up and would not move, said IDOT spokeswoman Maria Castaneda.

She said IDOT has contractors on the scene trying to resolve the issue.

“We’re working on the bridge and hopefully we can get it resolved as soon as possible,” Castaneda said.

The bridge crosses the Des Plaines River and is one of five in the city and one just outside. The other city bridges are located at Ruby, Cass, Jefferson and McDonough streets. The Brandon Road bridge is located just outside Joliet in Joliet Township.

Last Friday, a driver traveling in the wrong direction on the Jefferson Street bridge crashed head-on into another car, according to Joliet Fire Battalion Chief Jim Blake.

The drivers of both cars were hospitalized for injuries, he said.