CHERRY VALLEY, Ill. (WIFR) – A multiyear project to improve Interstate 39 between Mulford Road and Harrison Avenue in Cherry Valley is underway, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Tuesday.
The project starts with pre-stage widening through Nov. 21, keeping two lanes open each way. IDOT says drivers should expect occasional nightly lane closures.
Expanding I-39
Road work will resume in spring 2026 for the $125.9 million project. Crews will rebuild the road and expand I-39 from four to six lanes in each direction, including an accessory lane.
Bridges will be rebuilt and expanded over Harrison Avenue/U.S. 20 as well as the Union Pacific and Canadian National railroads. While work is ongoing, two lanes will be open in both directions. Construction is expected to wrap up by October 2028.
Rebuild I-39 Corridor project
The work on I-39 is part of a larger, multi-year project to improve I-39 between the U.S. 20/Harrison Avenue interchange and Blackhawk Road. Already, crews have completed a project to reconstruct the I-39 and U.S. 20 interchange. Work to convert the Harrison Avenue/U.S. 20 and I-39 interchange from a cloverleaf to a diverging diamond design is ongoing, with the majority of the project expected to be finished by the end of 2025 and final touch-up work to be completed by spring 2026…