The long-awaited drainage repair and street improvement project on Dixie Highway will begin soon, according to Homewood officials.
In a Facebook post Monday, Feb. 23, the village announced that the Illinois Department of Transportation plans to begin work in March. Construction is expected to continue through October.
The main purpose of the project is to replace broken drainage tiles just north of the viaduct. The broken drainage system contributes to frequent flooding in the viaduct whenever the village receives heavy rain.
The plan also calls for new pavement and lane restructuring from Spruce Road to Park Avenue.
“Although the project was originally scheduled for 2027, IDOT has accelerated the timeline after determining that the drainage issues needed to be addressed sooner to help reduce repeated flooding,” village officials said in the post.
The viaduct will be fully closed for a minimum of 90 days. The timing of the closure is not yet known. Detour routes will be posted in advance. Public Works will have message boards and signage to direct for detours.
IDOT is responsible for the project, but village officials promised to share information on Facebook, in the village’s digital newsletter and through the village app.
“The good news is that while the temporary closure will be inconvenient and probably on the annoying side for many, this project is expected to provide a long-term solution to flooding under the viaduct and to improve roadway safety, drainage performance and overall reliability once construction is complete,” village officials said.
Related stories:
- IDOT, Homewood in talks about addressing Dixie Highway viaduct flooding problem (April 17, 2017).
- Help might be coming for flood-prone Homewood viaduct (July 25, 2023).
- Homewood supports IDOT traffic-calming plan on Dixie (March 17, 2024).
