(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A busy bridge on the Northwest Side will be off the grid for about two years.
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) says the Foster Avenue bridge, which carries traffic over the Kennedy Expressway, is being replaced.
Work on that bridge, which spans the 5700 block of West Foster, is slated to begin Nov. 6, weather permitting.
“It's going to mean hassles on the northwest side for sure with Foster closed over the Kennedy. That means getting over the Kennedy, you're going to have to get to probably Lawrence [Avenue] as best bet. You can still get to and from the Kennedy, but just getting over the expressway is going to be a challenge for several months,” WBBM Traffic Anchor Beau Duran said.
A detour will direct traffic to Nagel, Bryn Mawr, Milwaukee and Central avenues. During the first phase of construction, the ramp to the outbound Kennedy will remain open. However, in the spring, IDOT says the westbound Foster Avenue ramp will be closed for about three months.
Overnight lane closures should also be expected during the project.
The project will cost about $25 million and will involve replacing the 66 year old bridge, adding new LED lighting, new traffic signals, installing drainage improvements and it will also be better for pedestrians making the sidewalk ramps fully accessible.
"Definitely in the city and the state has a push towards not only pedestrians but also bicyclists. I think there's been a big push in the last couple of years for safety of bicyclists, especially," Duran said.
"We've seen dedicated bike lanes across the city. And it does look like when IDOT does these projects with arterial streets in the city, they are very mindful of both pedestrians and bicyclist safety."
The project is expected to be complete in the summer of 2026.
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