Ruby Street bridge in Joliet Closes Today

The Ruby Street Bridge over the Des Plaines River in Joliet closes today. The closure is part of ongoing efforts to upgrade the movable bridges in downtown Joliet. The Ruby Street Bridge will be shut down for one week.

Meanwhile, the road closure of eastbound US Route 30 (a.k.a. Plainfield Road and / or Center Street) between Taylor Street and Western Avenue will temporarily reopen on Thursday, October 24, 2024 due to IDOT’s closure of the Ruby Street bridge.  The road will be reclosed for water main work and the prior detour reestablished as of Wednesday, October 30, 2024.  The water main work on US Route 30 (a.k.a. Plainfield Road and / or Center Street) is anticipated to be completed by December 20, 2024.

The closure is necessary to accommodate the installation of new aerial cables that are weather dependent and to prepare the bridge for additional upgrades, anticipated to get underway later this year. Details and impacts to traffic will be shared in advance, closer to the closure date.

A detour will direct motorists to northbound Scott Street (Illinois 53) via Cass Street (U.S. 30), Plainfield Road (U.S. 30), Theodore Street (Illinois 7) and Illinois 53/Illinois 7. Southbound traffic will detour via Theodore Street (Illinois 7), Plainfield Road (U.S. 30), Center Street, Jefferson Street (U.S. 30) and Broadway Street (Illinois 53). Trucks should follow the posted detours.

The overall project also will upgrade the bridge control system and tender house. Allowing the bridge to be controlled from a central location, creating a more efficient system of lifting and lowering the downtown bridges and increasing safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and marine traffic.