Crews work to repair westbound I-72 near Springfield after pothole opens; shuts down roadway
A stretch of westbound Interstate 72 will remain closed until Tuesday after the roadway was damaged Sunday.
According to Illinois State Police, a large pothole opened up exposing rebar on the bridge deck in the construction zone near Springfield between the Veterans Parkway and Wabash Avenue exits.
The pothole formed in an older section of bridge pavement over the Norfolk railroad about a half-mile east of the Wabash Avenue exit, said Guy Tridgell, Illinois Department of Transportation spokesperson. The section had not been resurfaced yet as part of an ongoing construction project.
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IDOT crews were working to repair the damage Monday but Tridgell said work would not be completed and the highway reopened until Tuesday. Eastbound traffic was not affected.
ISP Trooper Jayme Bufford advised local motorists to find an alternate route avoiding Veterans/Route 4 and Wabash area. Westbound I-72 was being diverted north on Veterans Parkway to Wabash Avenue then entering back onto I-72 westbound.
Tridgell said about 41,000 vehicles travel the section of interstate both ways each day.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Westbound I-72 near Springfield remains closed after pothole opens
