The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced major milestones in 2025 on the Interstate 57/74 interchange reconstruction project south of the Norfolk Southern railroad to Olympian Drive and I-74 from Duncan Road to Prospect Avenue.
The $251.8 million upgrade, which began in 2021, is transforming an outdated cloverleaf into a safer, more efficient interchange at one of Champaign's busiest freight hubs. Interstates 57 and 74 serve as key gateways to the University of Illinois and several major industries, carrying nearly 40,000 vehicles each day, with freight trucks accounting for nearly a quarter of that traffic.
Significant progress was made in 2025 with the opening of new ramps:
• The northbound I-57 to westbound I-74 opened in May.
• The northbound I-57 to eastbound I-74 opened in June.
• The southbound I-57 to eastbound I-74 ramp opened in November.
• The nearly five-story flyover ramps — westbound I-74 to southbound I-57 (opened in August) and eastbound I-74 to northbound I-57 (opened in November). These additions represent the sixth and seventh ramps completed as part of the project.
• The eighth and final ramp, connecting southbound I-57 to westbound I-74, remains open and will be reconstructed next year as part of the new ramp configuration.
• Mainline paving on both interstates also is under way and will continue into next year.
The second stage of the project will be delivered in 2026: tying all new ramps and bridges into the newly constructed I-57 and I-74 lanes. The project is expected to be mostly completed by the end of the year, with final striping and landscaping continuing into spring 2027.
Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve 7,107 lane mi. of highway and 8.4 million sq. ft. 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 mi. of highway, 815 bridges and 1,181 additional safety improvements.
For more information, visit illinois.gov.
