Drivers who have spent the last two years waiting patiently, and sometimes not so patiently, in construction-related traffic on the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) got a little good news: the end is in sight.
But the bad news is that the final round of construction work is set to begin the morning of March 18th, when the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will begin overnight closures of the outbound lanes between Ohio Street and the Edens Expressway (I-94). That's also when the reversible lanes of the expressway will be locked in the outbound direction, with no access inbound.
IDOT says it also expects crews to close entrance and exit ramps between downtown and the Edens to accommodate construction work. The agency is warning of significant delays, and is urging commuters to use alternate routes, and public transportation when possible.
Crews began reconstructing lanes on the Kennedy in 2023. The project was the first major overhaul since 1994 of the expressway, which first opened in 1960. This final stage of work is set to be completed by Thanksgiving.