When the Jefferson Street Bridge was struck by a barge tow for the third time in five years, it left only one of three functional bridges into downtown Joliet. In response to the urgency of the necessary repairs, STV personnel were on-site within hours to assess the extent of the structural damage.

They discovered that the double-leaf bascule bridge, which crosses the Des Plaines River, had been severely damaged. After determining which emergency repairs had to be performed immediately, STV and its client, the Illinois Department of Transportation, designed a 28-foot pier cell made of structural steel and concrete to protect the structural integrity of the bridge from future collisions. It was subsequently installed on the northeast corner.