Illinois 161 bridge closed east of Germantown
The Illinois Department of Transportation says a bridge on Illinois Route 161 has been closed east of Germantown because of emergency repairs needed to an overflow structure.
IDOT said an inspection of the Shoal Creek Overflow structure discovered issues that will require immediate repairs to ensure the long-term operational safety of the structure.
The bridge is located in Clinton County.
A marked detour will be implemented using Illinois 160, U.S. 50, Illinois 127 and Slant Road to circumvent the closure.
Based upon the initial measurements and repair scope, work is anticipated to be finished June 15.
It is anticipated this closure will result in traffic delays. Travel times will be affected on most roads in the vicinity of this closure. Motorists are encouraged to consider alternate routes or allow additional travel time to utilize the detour. Advance dynamic message boards are being deployed to warn motorists in advance of this closure.
IDOT asks that motorists be patient, reduce speed, and exercise extreme caution when travelling the detour or anywhere near this closure.
Updates on the impacts to traffic are available at http://stl-traffic.org. For IDOT District 8 updates on Twitter, follow us at http://twitter.com/IDOTDistrict8.
