Monee Reservoir is open
Monee Reservoir remains open during Pauling Road closure
Monee Reservoir is open to the public, but some visitors will have to take a detour to reach the preserve while Pauling Road is closed at Interstate 57 for a state project.
The bridge that carries Pauling Road over I-57 is being repaired, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
“The $4.1 million project consists of installing a new bridge deck, guardrail, retaining wall and a box culvert extension, along with repairing the substructure and painting,” according to an IDOT press release.
Detour routes are available via Illinois 50, Manhattan-Monee Road and Harlem Avenue, according to the state.
Visitors can take:
- Illinois 50 to Pauling Road, turn west onto Pauling and south onto Ridgeland Avenue.
- Harlem Avenue to Offner Road, turn east onto Offner then go north on Ridgeland.
- Manhattan-Monee Road to Harlem Avenue or Illinois 50 and follow the instructions above.
Interstate 57 south travelers can exit at Monee-Manhattan Road and use the instructions above, also.
Although there will be detour and road closed signs, traffic coming from the east on Pauling Road should continue past the signs to Ridgeland Avenue and turn south to get to Monee Reservoir.
The road closure is expected to last through the end of the year, according to IDOT. The project also will include some overnight lane closures on Interstate 57.
Monee Reservoir is located on Ridgeland Avenue, south of Pauling Road, in Monee Township. Preserve hours are 6 a.m. to sunset through October and 8 a.m. to sunset November through March.
Monee Reservoir Visitor Center is open Tuesday through Sunday. Hours are 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. through August, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. in September and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in October. The visitor center is closed from November through February.