I-55 interchange has benefits for Shorewood, too

The new Interstate 55 interchange project at Route 59 will improve access to Shorewood, too.

Shorewood Mayor Clarence “CC” DeBold joined Gov. JB Pritzker and other officials in an event last week celebrating the project already underway and targeted for completion in 2025.

DeBold noted the benefits for Shorewood from the interchange improvement, which is largely seen as a boost to the Rock Run Crossings project on the other side of I-55 in Joliet.

DeBold noted that “discussion of a full interchange at I-55 and Route 59 has been going on for years” and said its completion will improve access for Shorewood on the west side of the interstate as well.

The interchange has gotten most of the attention. But it’s not the only improvement coming with what is pegged at a $93 million project.

“This project is going to bring a variety of improvements for Shorewood,” DeBold said.

The interchange itself will be a diverging diamond interchange with increased capacity to handle traffic in what engineers consider a safer format.

New auxiliary lanes at both the Route 59 and Route 52 (Jefferson Street) interchanges also will be a feature that should improve safety at both locations while making it easier to get on and off the interchanges.

The Route 59 intersection at Seil Road, which runs west into Shorewood, also is being upgraded.

Pritzker pointed to features of the project that may make it more resident friendly.

“We’re creating access for our pedestrians, too,” Pritzker said, pointing to a sidewalk and trail network that will be built for those who want to cross I-55 on foot. Noise walls along I-55 also will be built, he said.

The project started earlier this year with earthwork and early construction of the interchange, which will build up in the coming months, said Illinois Department of Transportation officials at the event on Friday.

IDOT Region One Engineer Jose Rios said motorists will continue to have access to the existing interchange during the course of construction

“We can continue to use the existing structure that is there, which is relatively new, and put this new structure in place,” Rios said. “You’ll just see a continuous flow of construction.”

The existing interchange was built about 10 years ago but does not provide access to the undeveloped Joliet side of I-55. Joliet officials and Cullinan Properties, which is developing the 309-acre Rock Run Crossings, pushed for the new interchange to open up the site to interstate access.

While officials at the event made no reference to Rock Run, a press release from the governor’s office that came out later did mention the Cullinan plan saying it and other developments that will benefit from the interchange will have a $1.4 billion economic impact and generate $53 million in state and local taxes.