Construction project will close long stretch of Route 71

With the busiest weekends of the year now in the books, here comes a major construction project that will affect traffic around Starved Rock State Park.

Starting Monday, Route 71 will be closed to traffic between Route 178 and Route 23. A detour will be posted using stretches of Route 178, Route 6 and Route 23. The construction work could last a month.

Route 71 will be open on weekends from 3 Friday afternoon until midnight Sunday. Also all homes, businesses, and Starved Rock State Park and Lodge will stay open and have full access from Route 178 during the construction.