DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — Reas Bridge Road was briefly closed Monday morning due to a sinkhole, but the Macon County Highway Department made quick work of the repairs, opening the road that afternoon. 

The project is approaching its two-year anniversary and is still scheduled for completion in 2026.

MCHD County Engineer Craig Shonkwiler said that the sinkhole did not delay the project in any way, and cost less than $1,000 in repairs.

"If the public would, stay patient with this, we're about a little bit over the 50% mark, about that time with the project with the goal of, getting the rest of it built." Shonkwiler said.

The bridges being repaired were built in 1957, and with nearly 70 years of use, they are unpredictable. 

"As far as the sinkholes, those type of things can happen and do occur. They're unforeseen. And we do keep a diligent eye on the roadway and the bridges." Shonkwiler said.

MCHD conducts regular checks for deterioration on the bridge to watch for potential sinkholes.

Shonkwiler said MCHD is just about to enter the next phase of construction. "A month from now, we're looking to switch traffic off of the old bridges and onto the north half of the new bridges and open Reas Bridge entirely. At that time, we're going to also close Sangamon, which is a county highway, because we have to reconstruct and rebuild the approach of Sangamon to Reas Bridge Road."

Copyright 2025. WANDTV. All Rights Reserved.Â