It’s just a 7-mile stretch but a crucial corridor to commuters and airplane travelers alike. NBC 5’s Kye Martin has what Kennedy Expressway drivers and O’Hare travelers need to know about the next phase of Kennedy construction.
Major lane closures will resume Monday night as the Illinois Department of Transportation resumes the third and final phase of the giant Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) rehabilitation project.
The closures come after the first phase of the project in 2023 closed inbound lanes on the busy expressway. In 2024, the second phase left the reversible express lanes closed in both directions, leading to heavy traffic and congestion.
According IDOT, the work is meant to increase safety, reduce maintenance costs and improve traffic flow. The work is expected to last through the end of 2025, until at least Thanksgiving, officials said.
Here's a breakdown of the lane closures to come:
Which lanes will be closed and when? March - July timeline
Beginning late Monday night, crews will work to close two outbound local lanes on the Kennedy Expressway from Division Street to Kostner Avenue.
For the duration of the construction, express lanes will not open to inbound drivers. The lanes will remain outbound only, IDOT said.
Local
As part of the new traffic pattern, the outbound express lanes' mid-gate entrance and exit will be closed, which means vehicles will be unable to exit until the Edens Expressway at Foster Avenue, IDOT said.
It also means you won't be able to get to the airport from the express lanes.
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"Drivers going to O’Hare International Airport from downtown Chicago must stay on the mainline Kennedy and not the express lanes," IDOT stressed during a press conference last week, with the configuration expected to remain in place through mid-July.
IDOT added that the first exit on the express lanes will be the Edens Expressway at Foster Avenue.
"Motorists also should expect lane shifts and overnight lane closures, along with various ramp closures for varying durations throughout the project," IDOT said a the release.
Which lanes will be closed over the summer?
According to IDOT, two to three right lanes on the outbound Kennedy Expressway will be closed from Division to the north end of the project.
Outbound express lane traffic will be permitted to exit at Keeler Avenue/Kostner Avenue, back onto the mainline Kennedy and Edens Expressway, IDOT said.
In addition, staggered ramp closures could require additional lane closures, IDOT said, with construction expected to last through Thanksgiving.
In all, 19 bridge structures will be rehabilitated, pavement patching will take place, overhead signs will be replaced, LED lighting will be upgraded, structural steel will be repaired and new markings will be put down.
