The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced that a rehabilitation of the Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90/94), from the Edens Expressway (Interstate 94) junction to Ohio Street, is scheduled to begin weather permitting on March 20. Major travel delays are expected and alternative routes are strongly encouraged.
The $150 million project will consist of:
- Rehabilitating 36 bridge structures
- Rehabilitating the Reversible Lane Access Control system
- Replacing overhead sign-structures
- Installing new signage
- Modernize LED lighting
- Pavement patching
- Structural painting
- Hubbard's Cave, from Grand Avenue to Wayman Street, will be painted and new LED lighting installed
Illinois.gov reports that the project will take place over three consecutive construction seasons, each stretching from spring into the fall season, ending in the year 2025.
Stage 1 - Inbound Kennedy
To minimize the impact to traffic, the reversible express lanes will remain open in the inbound direction, while two mainline inbound lanes will be closed at a time. Motorists should expect land shifts and overnight lane closure, along with various ramp closures. Later this summer, painting and the installation of new LED lighting will begin on inbound Hubbard's Cave, between Ohio and Lake streets.
Construction is anticipated to be completed later this fall, with all lanes and ramps reopening and the express lanes resuming normal operations.
Stage 2 - Reversible Express Lanes
The reversible express lanes will be closed to accommodate rehabilitation of the REVLAC system and bridge structures, along with pavement patching. In addition, mainline lane closures will be needed to accommodate painting and the installation of new LED lighting in both directions of Hubbard's Cave, between Ohio and Lake streets.
Construction is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2024 and completed in the fall of 2024.
Stage III - Outbound Kennedy
The reversible express lanes will remain open in the outbound direction, while two mainline outbound lanes will be closed at a time. Lane shifts and overnight lane closure, along with various ramp closures will be needed to complete the work. Additionally, new LED lighting installation and painting will be completed on outbound Hubbard's Cane, between Ohio and Lake streets.
Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2025 and be completed in late fall 2025.
Sun Times states that motorists should expect significant delays and allow extra time for trips through this area. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones. obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for workers and equipment. Public transportation and traveling during non-peak hours are recommended if possible.
The Kennedy Expressway officially opened in November 1960, with the last major rehabilitation completed in 1994. The project will improve safety, traffic flow and reliability for the more than 275,000 motorists who use the expressway each day.
Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 2,500 miles of roads and nearly 10 million square feet of bridges as part of Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year three of Rebuild Illinois included $8.6 billion of improvements statewide on 4,422 miles of highway, 412 bridges and 621 safety improvements.