Bishop Ford rehabilitation begins March 24

CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that rehabilitation of the Bishop Ford Freeway (Interstate 94) through Chicago, Dolton, Burnham, Riverdale, Calumet City and South Holland is scheduled to begin, weather permitting, Tuesday, March 24. Another achievement made possible by Gov. JB Pritzker’s historic Rebuild Illinois capital program to fix and modernize the region’s expressways, the project is scheduled to take place over two construction seasons, starting on the outbound side. ​

“The Bishop Ford Freeway is critical to the movement of goods and people throughout the region, but in need of reinvestment and repair,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “These improvements the next two years will result in a safer, more reliable road for you and your families. Please slow down when approaching and traveling through the work zone, put down devices and stay patient while we get to work on fixing the Bishop Ford.”

The overall $93 million project consists of patching and resurfacing 9.5 miles of the Bishop Ford from west of Martin Luther King Drive to U.S. 6 (159th Street), replacing overhead sign structures and installing energy-efficient LED lights. The project is rehabilitating the bridges carrying the Bishop Ford over the Indiana Harbor Belt railroad, Dolton Avenue, Greenwood Avenue and the two over the Little Calumet River. The Michigan City Road, 154th Street and U.S. 6 overpasses also will be rehabilitated. ​

Major travel delays are anticipated, with alternate routes strongly encouraged.

Starting Tuesday, March 24, the outbound Bishop Ford from south of 130th Street to U.S. 6 will gradually be reduced from three to two lanes as the work zone is established. The outbound Bishop Ford ramp to eastbound Dolton Avenue and the westbound 159th Street ramp to the outbound Bishop Ford also will close. All are expected to reopen in December. The public should follow the posted detours. Additional ramps and overnight and weekend lane closures for varied durations will be required to complete the project. Schedules and impacts to traffic will be shared closer to the closure dates. ​

Construction is anticipated to continue through December, when the Bishop Ford returns to three lanes in both directions. Work will resume next spring on the inbound side, with the project wrapping up in late 2027.

As part of advance work, the Michigan City Road bridge over the Bishop Ford closed in August. The bridge replacement is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Also, the inbound Bishop Ford ramp to eastbound Sibley Boulevard (Illinois 83) is closed. A detour will direct the public to exit at westbound Sibley Boulevard and reenter the Bishop Ford (outbound) to eastbound Sibley Boulevard. ​

The Bishop Ford Freeway, originally named the Calumet Expressway, officially opened in 1950, with the last major rehabilitation completed in 2015. The project will improve safety, traffic flow and reliability for the more than 167,000 vehicles that use the expressway each day.

The public can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area while the project is ongoing. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for workers and equipment.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve 7,107 lane miles of highway and 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Six of Rebuild Illinois include almost $20.8 billion of improvements statewide to 21,309 lane miles of highway, 815 bridges and 1,181 additional safety improvements.

For more information, visit https://idot.click/Bishop-Ford, which features project information, photos and the ability to submit questions and comments to the project team. Find traffic and road conditions at www.gettingaroundillinois.com. You also can follow IDOT on Facebook and X.

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