A major road improvement project in Iroquois County gets underway a week from Monday. The Route 1 bridge replacement, running north and south through Watseka, will begin April 27th.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will build a new bridge over the Iroquois River. The project will continue through the end of the year.

Motorists travelling Route 1 will need to prepare for delays.

IDOT Resident Engineer Matt Strough said one lane will remain open during construction. A barrier wall will be in place. And narrow-lane restrictions will limit traffic in phases. Flagmen and signal lights will control north-south traffic.

Strough explained the new bridge will be raised 3.5 feet. Work will also be done on County Road 1950 N leading up to Route 1.

IDOT has been studying the project since 2008.

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