The reopening of the reversible express lanes on the Kennedy Expressway has been delayed. NBC Chicago’s Alex Maragos reports.
The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced plans to soon reopen the Kennedy Expressway express lanes after months of closures due to a years-long construction project.
The move, which was originally set to take place in December, was delayed as work continued well into January.
On Wednesday, the department announced that testing of the new reversible gate system was "nearing completion."
Crews were scheduled to begin removing work zone equipment Thursday, with plans to reopen the express lanes starting the week of Jan. 13. That all remains weather dependent, however, and there is a chance for snow in the coming days.
The process will also require additional closures.
"To safely remove the barricades and apply new pavement markings, three overnight lane closures will be required on the inbound and outbound Kennedy and Edens Expressway (Interstate 94). At least one lane in each direction will remain open at all times," the department said.
According to IDOT, delays in reopening of the reversible express lanes on the Kennedy Expressway occurred due to the “highly technical” nature of the Reversible Lane Access Control (REVLAC) system.
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That system controls access to the reversible express lanes, which can open in either direction depending on the flow of rush hour traffic on the expressway. The REVLAC system includes signage, more than 120 gates, camera equipment and fiber-optic cables along a stretch of highway that spans 7.5 miles, according to IDOT.
In addition to work on the REVLAC system, construction crews also rehabilitated bridges and sections of pavement on the express lanes, according to officials.
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What is the next phase of the project?
The third and final phase of the project will require work on the outbound lanes of the Kennedy Expressway, with a tentative start date slated for the spring.
The phase will include the installation of new signage, replacing bridge decks, patching pavement, and upgrading LED lighting along the highway.
Lane and ramp closures will take place in different phases, according to officials.
There are 19 bridge structures along the 7.5-mile stretch of the Kennedy impacted by the work, which stretches from Lawrence Avenue to Ohio Street in Chicago.
Officials say that each of the rehab projects on the bridges take six weeks to complete on average, including demolition, replacement of bridge joints, installation of concrete and allowing the new concrete to set.
A full list of practices can be found on IDOT’s project website.
Work on the inbound side of the Kennedy was completed in the fall of 2023.
