ISTHA – Balmoral Northbound Ramp

This project was undertaken by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, and consisted of complete reconstruction of the interchange at Interstate 294 and Balmoral Road in Rosemont, IL. Bridge replacement, ramp reconstruction, new right-of-way, and interchange realignment was required.

The project included widening Balmoral Avenue to accommodate the additional traffic brought to Rosemont by the exit ramp. By adding a new northbound exit ramp to the southbound entrance ramp that already exists at this location, the project greatly facilitates access to the future extension of Balmoral Avenue to O’Hare International Airport, the Rosemont Entertainment District, the Stephens Convention Center, and other important community destinations.

DMA provided civil and structural engineering design and construction administration services for the retaining walls for the Balmoral Road ramp. This included a combination of mechanically stabilized earth walls and cast-in-place concrete retaining walls. All plans and specifications were developed in accordance with ISTHA and IDOT requirements.

Our staff also performed barrier warrant analysis to evaluate roadside clear zones and to identify requirements to remediate roadside hazards.

Our engineers and designers successfully addressed significant design challenges for this project. Construction phasing plans were developed in order to maintain traffic at this high-volume interchange. Additionally, the project required extensive coordination with existing utilities and underground drainage facilities that had to remain in service.