By Verna Slate, Williamson County Bureau
JOHNSTON CITY — The Stiritz Road bridge over I-57 near Johnston City has reopened after a nearly year-long closure, capping a $4.95 million project, according to KFVS12 and the Illinois Department of Transportation.
A closed bridge means more than an inconvenience out here — it's a detour that costs commuters time twice a day and cuts off the quickest route for emergency crews and farm trucks alike. Nearly a year is a long stretch to route around, and Johnston City drivers who've been taking the long way know exactly how long it felt.
IDOT's announcement confirms the span is carrying traffic again. The project's price tag, just shy of $5 million, is public money spent on a piece of infrastructure most people never think about until it's gone. Now it's back, and Williamson County's commuters can stop counting the extra minutes.
— Compiled from reporting by KFVS12 and the Illinois Department of Transportation.
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