By Hillary Gavan
For StatelineBusiness

ROCKFORD -- Two major construction projects will slow drivers down in northern Illinois this year.

The stretch between Rockton and Newburg roads on Interstate-90 will be expanded to six lanes and the Cherry Valley interchange will be reconstructed this spring. The two projects will each take about two years to complete.

The first project to kick off will be the Cherry Valley Interchange Interstate-39/90 Reconstruction Project. Work will begin in February and will include constructing a new, two-lane flyover ramp bridge over eastbound I-90, constructing a new ramp bridge over I-90 for westbound I-90 traffic heading southbound on I-39, and rebuilding the Newburg Road Bridge over I-90.

The Illinois Tollway is also reconstructing and widening a 13-mile section of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, or I-90, from Newburg to Rockton Road, just south of the Wisconsin border. The project will provide congestion relief throughout the corridor by replacing the existing 50-year-old pavement and the expanding the roadway from two to three lanes in each direction, improving safety and mobility throughout the corridor.

Advance work for the project was completed in 2007.

"Last year we resurfaced the shoulders to prepare for work that will start this year," said Jan Kemp, Illinois Tollway spokesperson.

Mainline work will begin this spring and is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2009.

Kemp stressed that the road will remain open the during the project.

In 2008 all traffic will be shifted to the west bound side of the road while eastbound lanes are reconstructed. Daytime lane closures will be avoided whenever possible with the majority of lane closures restricted to overnight hours and occasional daytime closures during off-peak periods.

There will, however, be a reduced speed limit of 45 miles per hour in all construction zones.

"Use caution when workers are present," Kemp said. "Pay close attention in the construction zone to make sure there is enough distance between vehicles. Leave yourself enough time if you need to come to a sudden stop."

The reconstruction and widening of the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) and the Cherry Valley Interchange improvements are part of the Illinois Tollway's Congestion-Relief Program - Open Roads for a Faster Future, which will reduce travel times by rebuilding/restoring nearly all of the system, widening/adding lanes to many miles of existing roads, converting 20 mainline toll plazas to barrier-free Open Road Tolling, and extending I-355 south to I-80 in Will County. Open Road Tolling lanes are now available at all 20 plazas.

At the request of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the Illinois Tollway eliminated collection of tolls southbound at the interchange in 2003 and northbound in 2004 and made the commitment to rebuild the Cherry Valley Interchange at I-90/I-39 to allow faster, safer, and more efficient travel through an area that has historically been known for its traffic congestion. Work to reconstruct and reconfigure the Cherry Valley Interchange at I-90/I-39 will be complete by the end of 2009 and will provide congestion relief and reduce travel times.