PEORIA, Ill. — The last time significant work was done to the Murray Baker Bridge was 2005.
The bridge will be closed March through October of this year for a $42 million face lift.
Paul Wapple, Public Information Officer with Illinois Department of Transportation, told WMBD’s Greg and Dan, by closing the bridge for seven months, the work will be done safer, cheaper and faster.
“The main scope of the work that’s gonna be done will be a replacement of the concrete deck. They’ll repair structural steel members. And, then painting of the structural steel as needed, and the replacement of roadway lighting and decorative lighting,” Wapple said.
Traffic snarls are to be expected while the Murray Baker Bridge is closed to traffic.
So, where will all those cars go?
“Through traffic in the Peoria metro area will be detoured onto I-474. Local traffic will be detoured on Illinois Rt. 40 through downtown Peoria and East Peoria,” Wapple said.
In addition to Traffic One reports on all of Midwest 360 Peoria’s media outlets, drivers can get the up-to-date information on roads at gettingaroundpeoria.com.