LOCKPORT, IL — The Ninth Street bridge leading into downtown Lockport is set to be replaced, starting in early 2029, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. The bridge, also known as Illinois 7 or Renwick Road, serves as one of the main ways to enter Lockport from the west.
The high-level bridge goes over several waterways as it heads into downtown Lockport. The bridge was constructed in 1971, Lockport City Administrator Ben Benson told Patch.
Traffic will “certainly be a challenge in this period of construction,” Benson said. The only other nearby Des Plaines River crossings are in downtown Joliet or 135th Street bridge in Romeoville.
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The replacement is not a City of Lockport project; it will be handled by IDOT.
Benson said there are several regional transportation issues like this project that need visioning and planning to keep up. He added that the City would like to include a bike path accommodation to connect to Lewis University.
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“The City of Lockport, Village of Romeoville and Lewis University have launched our own Phase 1 data to explore this option,” he said.
According to IDOT documents, the reconstruction of the bridge has an estimated cost of $28,140,000. Other costs will include:
A detour will be required to complete construction, and the project is estimated to begin in early 2029, with a completion of late 2030, according to IDOT. The replacement is part of the Rebuild Illinois program, and is one of seven major projects planned in Will County from 2025 to 2030.
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The intersection at Renwick and Route 53 will also undergo improvements; those improvements will begin on Sept. 16, and finish in late 2025.
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