As a warm up to the year and half closure on the East Main Street railroad tracks where the underpass will be constructed, most of this week that same intersection will be closed to traffic.
It will remain closed at the railroad crossing tomorrow through Thursday.
Illinois Department of Transportation officials say the closure is necessary for preliminary work to be finished for the upcoming grade separation project.
Galesburg City Engineer Wayne Carl tells WGIL a switch needs to be moved.
“The switch where it’s currently located is in conflict with where the underpass will be located, ” Carl says. “There moving that switch on up the line to the north.”
He points out that drivers won’t be able to divert to the North Street underpass on Tuesday.
Carl says that past Friday, when the road will be reopened, he doesn’t see it being closed long term until after winter.
“I’m anticipating that the road will stay open until April of next year and then it will be closed,” Carl says.
Rep. Don Moffitt who played a major role in securing funding for the East Main underpass as well as three over major grade separation projects calls the underpass “Galesburg’s new front door.”
It was at the August groundbreaking for the project that he dubbed it that, the same day Carl expressed the hope that a ribbon cutting for the underpass will come in August 2018.
