Latest news with #KennedyExpressway
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Kennedy Expressway construction is a month ahead of schedule
Anyone who deals with bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Kennedy Expressway as part of the daily commute is in for some good news. The Kennedy Construction Project just so happens to be a full month ahead of schedule. It is far from complete, but drivers can expect some changes. Effective Sunday, June 1, traffic leaving downtown Chicago and heading northwest will be able to use both the express and local lanes to continue between Addison Street and the Kennedy-Edens junction at Montrose Avenue to get to O'Hare International Airport. Since the third and final phase of the Kennedy Construction Project began in March, drivers in the express lanes have not been able to exit onto I-90 toward O'Hare, and have been forced to follow the Edens, or I-94, to Foster Avenue. However, the preparation for this change will cause some annoyances betwixt 11 p.m. Saturday and 10 p.m. Sunday. The Illinois Department of Transportation said effective at 11 p.m. Saturday, May 31, the express lanes will close altogether. An hour later at midnight Sunday morning, the outbound Kennedy will be reduced to one lane between Addison Street and Montrose Avenue, and intermittent ramp closures will also take place along that stretch. These closures will end at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 1, when the new configuration will be in place. In the new traffic configuration, the outbound lanes will shift slightly to the left on the new pavement between Addison Street and Montrose Avenue, and the reversible lanes will remain open in the outbound direction — with two mainline outbound lanes closed at a time. The reversible mid-gate entrances and exits will stay closed, IDOT said. This change, again, is happening a month ahead of schedule. But the whole project still isn't set to be over until Thanksgiving. IDOT issued a reminder about closures planned for next month: On Thursday, June 5, the Ontario Street and Division Street on-ramps to the outbound Kennedy will close for about two weeks. On Monday, June 9, the outbound Kennedy off-ramps to North and Fullerton avenues will close for about two weeks. Currently, the Ogden Avenue on-ramp to the outbound Kennedy is closed, the outbound Kennedy off-ramp to Ohio Street, and the Armitage Avenue on-ramp to the outbound Kennedy are all closed. They are all expected to reopen the week of June 9.
CBS News
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Ramp closures coming as Kennedy Expressway work goes on
Those who take the Kennedy Expressway will have to prepare for yet another headache. The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that four outbound ramps are scheduled to close for repairs later this month. On Monday, May 19, the outbound Kennedy Expressway on-ramp from Ogden Avenue will close. The outbound Kennedy off-ramp to Division Street will follow that Wednesday, May 21. On Monday, May 26, the outbound off-ramp to Ohio Street will close, and on Wednesday, May 28, the on-ramp from Keeler Avenue will follow. The first three closures will each last about a week. The Keeled Avenue on-ramp closure will last about two weeks. IDOT said there will be additional ramp closures announced at a later date. Meanwhile, IDOT also announced Tuesday that the reversible express lanes are set to close as part of the Kennedy reconstruction project for parts of two consecutive weekends. They will close from 10 a.m. Friday, May 9, to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 10, and from 6 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 17, and also 6 a.m. to noon Sunday, May 18. These closures are necessary to relocate fiber lines in preparation for the future installation of new overhead signs at Kedzie and Belmont avenues, IDOT said. These closures are expected to result in heavy congestion. Kennedy Expressway construction work has been back in action this spring after a break, with work in the outbound lanes. This third phase of the Kennedy reconstruction project aims to repair 19 bridges, repatch pavement, fix overhead signs, and add LED lights. The two left lanes have been closed since March, so drivers can only take the two right lanes to O'Hare International Airport, and the express lanes to the Edens Expressway, from the Loop.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Final phase of Kennedy Reconstruction Project set to cause traffic disruptions
CHICAGO – Monday marks the start of the next phase of the Kennedy Reconstruction Project. This phase is the final phase, but drivers are certainly not looking forward to it. Beginning Monday night, weather permitting, drivers can expect three straight nights of lane and ramp closures. 'It's already a pain going into downtown and now it's going to be a pain getting out, and so I'm not really looking forward to it,' driver Omar Perez said. Why IDOT says Phase 3 of Kennedy Expressway project will be different for drivers Construction is resuming just nine weeks after drivers got the express lanes back. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) completed the first phase – the inbound side – in 2023. 'Just sitting there, just waiting. You're waiting for people to move, waiting for people to try and get out and it just backs you up,' driver Cristina Alfano said. Reversible lanes reopened in mid-January, months later than drivers were anticipating. While crews work on the outbound side from Ohio to the Edens, express lanes will be open on the outbound side only. 'It's just the inconvenience and the change it's going through going out to O'Hare, not being able to get off until Foster. I think that's going to be the biggest effect,' driver Jimmy Dahm said. The last rehab of the Kennedy happened over 30 years ago. Contractor blames IDOT for 113-day Kennedy Construction delay The cost of the current project has grown the original estimate to $169 million. With the final phase, drivers hope for more transparency from IDOT. 'I get it and it's a constant necessary evil of Chicago where you have to be constantly under construction and rehabbing roads,' driver Shawn Weidner said with a laugh. 'No one has fun sitting in traffic and if they do, then they have a very positive outlook on life that I guess I don't truly prescribe to every day.' The entire project is expected to be complete by Thanksgiving. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
