What's going on with construction near the Peoria airport? Here's what we know

Dean Muellerleile, Peoria Journal Star
Updated ·2 min read
Traffic passes under the Airport Road overpass at Interstate 474 near Gen. Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport. The bridge is being rebuilt starting with the southbound span. Workers are nearly ready to install the steel beams.
Traffic passes under the Airport Road overpass at Interstate 474 near Gen. Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport. The bridge is being rebuilt starting with the southbound span. Workers are nearly ready to install the steel beams.

Construction continues along Airport Road at Interstate 474 near Bartonville.

All Airport Road traffic has been configured to use the existing northbound lanes. Traffic on westbound I-474 has been reduced to one lane. Eastbound I-474 has two through lanes.

A map of the affected area has been posted on the Peoria County Government Facebook page.

Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through the area. To avoid the work area, use of alternative routes should be considered.

Here's what we know about the project:

What is being done near the Peoria airport?

The project will remove and replace the Airport Road overpass of I-474, the Illinois Department of Transportation said. The original structure was built in 1978 and is due for replacement.

The southbound portion of the Airport Road bridge is to be replaced first, with the northbound to follow.

More: Here are 5 major road projects coming to Peoria in 2024

Currently, all Airport Road traffic has been routed to the existing northbound lanes, said Nick Volk, a construction field engineer with IDOT District 4.

There is no work being done on Airport Road itself right now, said Volk, but work has begun to remove the old southbound bridge. The new pier and abutments have been constructed, as have the concrete slope walls for the new southbound portion of the bridge. The main upcoming work will be the installation of the new beams.

The center pier of the southbound lanes of the Airport Road overpass at Interstate 474, currently under reconstruction, sits on naturally-formed base of underground rock.
The center pier of the southbound lanes of the Airport Road overpass at Interstate 474, currently under reconstruction, sits on naturally-formed base of underground rock.

How long will the project take?

Construction began March 11. The plan is to reconstruct the southbound portion of the bridge this year and the northbound portion in 2025.

All work is expected to finish in October 2025, Volk said. Airport Road is expected to remain open throughout the project.

How much will it cost? Where did the money come from?

The project has an awarded value of $9.4 million, Volk said. The funding is being paid 90% by the Federal Highway Administration and 10% by the state of Illinois. Rebuild Illinois capital program money is included in the project.

More: When does McClugage Bridge open? The latest on the massive IDOT project

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: What's being done near the Peoria airport? And when will it be done?