Houbolt Road Extension

Overview

The project encompassed a 1.5-mile extension of Houbolt Road with four lanes from US 6 to Schweitzer Road with a new 0.4-mile bridge over the Des Plaines River southwest of Joliet, Ill. Other features included turning and merging lanes from Houbolt Road to Schweitzer Road and US 6, a signal intersection at Vetter and Schweitzer Roads, and grading for a pedestrian/bicycle path parallel to the roadway on Houbolt Road. The bridge opened to the public in April 2023. The project was a joint venture between United Bridge Partners (UBP) and CenterPoint Properties. Kraemer and Granite Construction delivered engineering, procurement, and construction, while Burns & McDonnell provided engineering services.

One of the most challenging aspects of the project was lifting a 360-foot, 1.5-million-pound structural steel bridge section to connect the north and south section of the Houbolt Road extension over the Des Plaines River.  The main span over the river is 460-feet-wide and 55- feet-high at the peak to accommodate barge traffic.