Editor's note: The video in the player above is from a previous report.
NOTE: Officials have updated the reopening plans. Here's the latest.
Christmas comes about two weeks early for Chicago commuters who frequently use the Kennedy and Edens Expressways.
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation spokesperson Maria Castaneda, IDOT will hit its "late-fall" deadline of completing Phase 1 of the department's Kennedy Rehabilitation Project, a years-long, $150 million project that has been impacting the highway since March.
The construction has caused an increase in traffic delays and backups, with much of the pain felt by drivers heading into downtown from Chicago's O'Hare Airport, and the North and Northwest suburbs. Outbound drivers though have also felt the sting, due to the reversible lanes -- more commonly known as the "Express Lanes" -- only open inbound, leading to severe congestion during the midday and evening commutes.
According to Castaneda, Phase 1 of the project, which closed several inbound lanes on the Edens Junction to the Kennedy, is expected to wrap up Monday, Dec. 11, weather-permitting.
That means Tuesday, Dec. 12 could be the first commute for inbound drivers without major lane closures -- but there's a catch: In order to reopen lanes, some additional lane closures are required over the next few days, IDOT said.
Here's what you need to know, especially if you drive overnight or before sunrise:
Thursday overnight: The reversible lanes will be closed to inbound drivers. Plan for extra time from midnight to 6 a.m. Friday morning.
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Friday overnight: The inbound express lanes will be available, yet the local lanes will squeeze down to one lane through 6 a.m.
Monday overnight: The locals will reduce to one lane, and the reversible lanes will partially close. You can access the express lanes from Diversey, not from Montrose.
When will "Phase 2" begin, and what does it include?
Phase 2 of the project will close the express lanes in both directions 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.
According to Castaneda, construction on Phase 2 is anticipated to begin in spring 2024, or "until weather allows" next year. It is expected to be completed in fall 2024.
The entire effort -- which also includes closing portions of the outbound Kennedy, in Phase 3 -- continues through 2025.
