At 0032 local time on January 1, 2020, the towing vessel William C was pushing a tow of six loaded hopper barges on the Des Plaines River, near Joliet, Illinois, when the tow'​s two forward barges struck a protection cell for the Rock Island Railroad Bridge at mile 287.6. Several tow lines broke, and two barges sustained minor damage. The bridge ceased operations for 10 days, and damages to the bridge's protection cell were estimated to be greater than $500,000. No injuries or pollution were reported.

​​The probable cause of the contact with the Rock Island Railroad Bridge protection cell by the William C​ and tow was the pilot’s inability to correct the tow’s position after completing the transit through the previous bridge, in part due to the higher-than-average current speed.​