(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The wait is almost over for commuters driving into Chicago on the Kennedy Expressway.
The the express lanes reopened in time for the morning rush hour.
Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) had updated their timeline for when the lanes would reopen last month. Initially, IDOT had planned to reopen the lanes by the end of the fall.
The opening of the lanes was delayed because the electrical system and components that run the express lanes needed further testing on the gates, IDOT said.
But, temper your excitement. The respite will be brief, with Kennedy construction resuming by mid-March as part of phase three of the $150 million reconstruction from the Edens Expressway junction to Ohio Street.
Come springtime, the construction will shift to the outbound Kennedy. WBBM traffic reporter Beau Duran says two local will be shutdown at all times and the express lanes will be permanently outbound throughout the year.
The express lanes had been unavailable for the last 10 months, and their return marks the end of phase two. Phase one included improvements to the inbound lanes that were completed in 2023.
In addition to rehabbing the express lanes, the Kennedy project includes repairs to 36 bridges, pavement patching, installation of new signage and LED lights as well as improvements to Hubbard’s Cave, from Grand Avenue to Wayment Street.
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