The Balmoral Avenue ramp to southbound I-294 closes at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, for overnight bridge repair work.

The closure is the first in a series of overnight lane and ramp shutdowns on the Tri-State Tollway that the Illinois Tollway expects to run through October and beyond, affecting Downers Grove-area commuters who rely on the interchange. The Tollway announced the schedule Tuesday, Oct. 6, as part of a long-term project to repair bridges over railroad tracks and Lawrence Avenue, the DuPage Policy Journal reported.

Drivers who normally use the Balmoral Avenue ramp to reach southbound I-294 will be detoured to the I-190 Interchange. Two turn lanes in both directions on Balmoral Avenue will also close during the work, narrowing the road for local traffic.

Lane reductions begin separately.

On I-294 itself, overnight lane reductions over the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railroad and Lawrence Avenue start at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. All affected ramps and lanes are expected to reopen by 6 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9.

The Tollway said similar closures may continue through the weekend and into October on varying schedules. Additional planned work for the month includes intermittent overnight ramp closures connecting Irving Park Road to northbound I-294, with detours routed through Mannheim Road and I-190. A long-term westbound lane closure on Irving Park Road is also expected as part of the project.

The broader scope of the repairs covers concrete and structural steel work, joint repairs, electrical upgrades, pavement patching and bridge deck replacement over railroad bridges in Franklin Park at Lawrence Avenue and Irving Park Road. The project is coordinated with the Illinois Department of Transportation and several municipalities.

Electronic message signs and construction signage have been placed along affected routes to alert drivers to traffic shifts and detours. Construction zone speed limits are enforced around the clock in the work area.

The bridge repair project is scheduled to continue through 2026.