Brandon Road bridge closed in Joliet Township

The Brandon Road bridge in Joliet Township has been closed again for mechanical repairs.

The Illinois Department of Transportation did not have a reopening timeline when announcing the bridge closure on Monday.

“The closure is necessary to replace a mechanical component on the bridge that failed Saturday morning,” IDOT said in a news release.

The drawbridge over the Des Plaines River is raised and lowered to allow barges to pass beneath it.

“The evaluation of the necessary repairs is ongoing,” IDOT said. “A more definitive timeline for when the bridge can reopen will be announced later.”

IDOT advised motorists to use the McDonough Street bridge in Joliet as an alternative route.

The drawbridge has been closed repeatedly over the past several years for mechanical problems typically related to the center lock mechanism that connects and releases the two sections of the bridge as it is raised and lowered.

The bridge was closed in December for two weeks to repair the center lock.