The Illinois Department of Transportation announced this week that Route 156/Park Street east of Route 3 in Waterloo will be closed to traffic beginning April 15 as part of the ongoing Route 3 improvement project.

A marked detour will be utilized to direct traffic around this closure, IDOT said. This closure is necessary to construct new pavement and complete storm sewer, rock base, concrete curbing and asphalt work.

IDOT said work at this intersection should be completed by mid-June, weather permitting.

The contractor on this project is DMS Contracting from Mascoutah. Joseph G. Gasaway is the area supervising field engineer for IDOT. If you have any questions concerning this project, contact him at 618-346-3354.

Additional information is available at stl-traffic.org.

In total, the entire Route 3 project involves the stretch of roadway from North Market Street to South Market Street. The current two-lane highway is being reconstructed into a five-lane thoroughfare with turn lanes or medians installed as required.

The Route 3 project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2016.