Kennedy express lanes to reopen for morning rush
Ramp work continues, project on pace to beat Thanksgiving deadline
CHICAGO – With the project’s finish line in sight, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that all Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90/94) outbound lanes are open, with the reversible express lanes scheduled to resume normal operations by 5 a.m. tomorrow, Oct. 6, putting the project on pace to finish before a Thanksgiving deadline.
Work will continue through late October on a few outbound ramps:
- The Wilson Avenue exit ramp from the expressway is schedule to close, Monday night, Oct. 6, for an estimated two weeks.
- The westbound Ontario Street feeder ramp to access the northbound Kennedy (express and local lanes) is scheduled to close, Monday, Oct. 13, for approximately two weeks. A detour will be posted.
- Motorists can still access the southbound Kennedy to the Dan Ryan Expressway (Interstate 90/94) from Ontario Street.
The closures are necessary to safely complete repairs and pavement patching. The work is subject to change due to multiple factors, including inclement weather.
Current ramp closures:
- Outbound Kennedy to Division Street, anticipated to reopen mid-October.
Additionally, work continues through next summer on the Ohio and Ontario Street feeder ramps, an unrelated, project. Two lanes are open in each direction between Orleans Street and the Kennedy. Click here for more information.
At all times, the public should follow the posted detours, expect delays and allow extra time for trips through this area. 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.
Throughout construction, traveling during non-peak hours, taking alternate routes and utilizing public transportation, including the Chicago Transit Authority’s Blue Line and Metra’s Union Pacific Northwest Line, as well as Pace, are recommended.
The Kennedy Expressway officially opened in 1960, with the last major rehabilitation completed in 1994. It accommodates more than 275,000 cars and trucks per day.
Made possible by Gov. JB Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois capital program, the $169 million rehabilitation between Ohio Street and the Edens Expressway (I-94) started in 2023. It is taking place over three construction seasons, fixing 50-year-old bridges and other pavement that had been prone to failures and emergency closures.
A total of 36 bridges are being improved, as well as replacement of the reversible gate system in the express lanes. New signs and lighting were installed throughout the corridor, which also received new trees and landscaping.
For more information, visit https://idot.illinois.gov/projects/Interstate-90-Kennedy-Bridge-Study. The website features project details, maps, photos and fact sheets. The public can email questions to DOT.KennedyRehab@illinois.gov. For systemwide traffic and road conditions, visit www.gettingaroundillinois.com. You also can follow IDOT on Facebook and X.
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Maria Castaneda
Guy Tridgell
