March 24--The state says it is closing a half-mile stretch of Irving Park Road near O'Hare International Airport because truckers have ignored warnings and rammed into a new railroad bridge over the busy road.
"A large number" of truckers failed to heed a posted detour sign warning of a low bridge and struck the bridge after it reopened Sunday evening, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.
IDOT said it has decided to close Irving Park Road between York Road and South Access Road, just east of York, until the new railroad bridge is finished in about four months.
South Access Road will remain open to O'Hare cargo deliveries.
The following detours will be in effect:
* Eastbound traffic on Irving Park Road will be diverted north onto York Road/Elmhurst Road, east on Touhy Avenue to Higgins Road and then south on Mannheim Road.
* Westbound traffic will be diverted north onto Mannheim Road, west on Higgins Road, west on Touhy Avenue, and south on York Road/Elmhurst Road.
