U.S. 20-Mill Road intersection work in Cherry Valley begins May 1

CHERRY VALLEY - The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that a project to improve the intersection of U.S. 20 and Mill Road in Cherry Valley will begin Friday, May 1. The work is the final project of a $302.4 million, multiyear reconstruction of the Interstate 39 corridor in Rockford and Cherry Valley.

The $25.5 million project will widen U.S. 20 from four to six lanes between the I-39 interchange to just east of the Kishwaukee River. Additional work will replace the U.S. 20 bridges crossing the Kishwaukee River and upgrade the U.S. 20 and Mill Road intersection with dedicated turn lanes and updated traffic signals. Also, the service road that runs along U.S. 20 will be realigned farther north to meet with Mill Road.

Traffic impacts include one lane being open on U.S. 20 through the work zone. There will be multiple lane shifts along U.S. 20 and Mill Road to reconstruct the intersection and replace the bridges. All lanes will be open to traffic during the winter before lane closures and shifts return in spring 2027. All work is expected to be completed by June 2028.

The U.S. 20 work is part of a larger, multiyear $302.4 million project made possible by Gov. JB Pritzker's Rebuild Illinois capital program to improve I-39 between the U.S. 20/Harrison Avenue interchange and Blackhawk Road. Another project in progress is the expansion of I-39 from four to six lanes with an accessory lane between U.S. 20 and Harrison Avenue and replacing several bridges in the corridor. That $125.9 million project is expected to be completed by the end of 2028.

Previous projects included the $98.8 million reconstruction of the I-39 and U.S. 20 interchange that was completed in 2024 and the $44.3 million conversion of the Harrison Avenue/U.S. 20 and I-39 interchange from a cloverleaf to a diverging diamond design was completed in 2025. More information about the I-39 reconstruction project is available on the project webpage.

Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zone areas, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve 7,107 lane miles of highway and 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Six of Rebuild Illinois include almost $20.8 billion of improvements statewide to 21,309 lane miles of highway, 815 bridges and 1,181 additional safety improvements.

For IDOT District 2 updates, follow us on X at @IDOTDistrict2 or view area construction details on IDOT's traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.