IDOT officials urged drivers to adjust their schedules or find alternate modes of transportation during the construction. All rights reserved, Carry-On Calamity: Airline Reimburses Woman for Prized Sewing Machine Damaged in Flight, Police Reveal What Was Behind Illinois Dust Storm That Led to Fatal I-55 Crash, 8 Years and $793M Later, Jane Byrne Interchange Construction Nearly Complete, Where to Watch 2023 Met Gala Celebrity Arrivals on Monday, I-55 Shut Down in Both Directions Due to Large Crash' Amid Dust Storm in South-Central Illinois, At Least 6 People Killed, 30 Injured in Large Crashes on I-55 in Illinois During Dust Storm, Portillo's Adds New Menu Item to Restaurants Nationwide and It's Now Available, How Much Could You Get in New $725M Facebook Settlement? Stage 3: Outbound Kennedy, Spring 2025 Through Late Fall 2025. Metra announced this week that it was revising its schedule on the UP Northwest Line beginning April 3 to add 12 trains to its weekday service lineup. Here's What IDOT Says, Is There a Way Around Massive Construction Project on Kennedy Expressway? According to officials, stage 2 projects are expected to begin in the spring of 2024, and be completed in fall of 2024. Kennedy Expressway - Wikipedia Stage 3: Outbound Kennedy, Spring 2025 Through Late Fall 2025. The 200910 reconstruction between Hubbard Street and the Circle Interchange improved safety by increasing the lengths of most entrance ramps and reduced bottlenecks by better utilizing the existing space. The bridge over the outbound Kennedy will be demolished the weekend of May 1 the last section . Traffic Alert: Jane Byrne Interchange closures, full traffic stops Kennedy Expressway commute no big deal Tuesday? Might not be so lucky Construction on Illinois 84 in Jo Daviess County will begin Wednesday, March 22. Chicago traffic: Kennedy, Edens expressway lane closure this weekend Additionally, work on outbound Hubbard's Cave will continue between Ohio and Lake Streets, IDOT says. But according to NBC 5 traffic reporter Kye Martin, viable side routes may take more time than many have. According to officials, stage 1 projects are expected to be completed in the fall of 2023, with "all lanes and ramps reopening and the express lanes resuming normal operations. 7-vehicle crash on Kennedy Expressway leaves 1 dead According to the release, two mainline outbound lanes will be closed at a time, with lane shifts, overnight lane closures, and various ramp closures. ", Stage 1: Inbound Lanes, Spring 2023 Through Fall 2023, "Two mainline inbound lanes will be closed at a time," IDOT says, with lane shifts, overnight closures and various ramp closures expected. Traffic during the morning rush hour crawls along just east of where the Kennedy and Edens expressways merge, as a three-year construction project is set to begin on the inbound Kennedy expressway . In addition, all aspects of the express lanes system were computerized, so that the process could be controlled at both ends from a central location. So if some people that are able to work remotely, if that's something that they're able to do, that's also going to help us minimize some of the traffic impacts that we're gonna see.". IDOT late Monday and into early Tuesday began their massive, $150 million Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation construction project by working to close two inbound lanes on a highly-trafficked, 7.5-mile portion of the highway, stretching from Lawrence Avenue on the Edens Expressway to Ohio Street in the city. Might not be so lucky for the remainder of the week, Kennedy Expressway construction begins Monday: Expect major delays, 6 dead in crashes as high winds and dust cut visibility on Interstate 55 near Springfield, Lightfoot done with electoral politics for myself after Feb. 28 defeat, WXRTs Terri Hemmert to return to Chicago after hail of bullets disrupted her birthday party at New Orleans restaurant, CPDs former No. Police said a car collided with an IDOT truck at Cumberland Avenue just before 2 a.m. Police confirmed . And then similarly, with coming off the pandemic, a lot of people were able to work remotely. [4] The only remaining short, limited-sight, left-side suicide ramp entrance is from Lake Street to the eastbound expressway (heading south). Getty. 3 injured in crash on Kennedy Expressway | WGN-TV "We've also recommended that people look into maybe staggering their work times. MORE: Pace, Metra Tout Services as Drivers Look for Alternatives Due to Kennedy Expressway Construction. The Kennedy later merges with the southern end of the Edens Expressway (I-94) at Montrose Avenue; the Kennedy (at this point both I-90 and I-94) then turns south to its junction with the Dan Ryan and Eisenhower Expressways and Ida B. All southbound lanes were subsequently closed for the investigation at 7:10 a.m. Traffic has crawled along the Kennedy Expressway Tuesday as a years-long construction project kicked off Monday night, NBC 5's Kye Martin reports. Amancay Kugler drove in on the Kennedy Expressway from the Avondale neighborhood Tuesday morning and noticed her commute downtown took almost twice as long as normal. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. In all, the work will take place in three stages that will continue over three "construction seasons," with an expected end date of fall 2025. According to IDOT, the overall project is expected to start March 20, 2023, beginning with inbound Kennedy lanes. "So Tuesday morning the motoring public is going to see these two left lanes closed on the inbound," the Illinois Department of Transportation's Bureau Chief of Construction Jon Schumacher told NBC 5. At least once a day, however, IDOT crews still examine the express lanes for debris while the lanes are closed. I-90/I-94 Seeing Major Traffic Backups Due To Kennedy Expressway A truck crash on the Long Island Expressway early Monday morning resulted in eastbound lanes being closed and traffic backups in both directions of the Long . IDOT says the project will occur in three stages, with the first stage beginning March 20. The Kennedy was . The project, which will be broken down into three stages and includes the rehabbing pavement, express lanes, overhead sign structures, lighting and three dozen bridges, is expected to last through 2025, the Illinois Department of Transportation says. Metra has been monitoring ridership as well as customer feedback, and these schedule changes respond to ridership trends and increase capacity and convenience by expanding peak period as well as off-peak service, Metra CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in a statement. Thats exactly what Christopher Coleman said he plans to do to get to his job on time. Ive got two kids. "The reversals will be in the inbound configuration permanently 24/7 for the rest of the year." 40 intersection, Both lanes of Illinois 161 from Richter School Road to West Hanover Street in New Baden, will be intermittently restricted during daytime hours March 2, Both lanes of U.S. 50 at the tributary to Turkey Creek, 1 mile east of Odin, will be intermittently restricted during daytime hours only on Tuesday, Feb. 28, Lane closures in both directions of Interstate 270 between Illinois 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri beginning Feb. 25, One lane will be closed on Southbound Interstate 57 between 0.7 mile north of IL 161 to the Jefferson County Line beginning February 16, Intermittent daytime lane closures in both directions of IL 143, (the Berm Highway) between the Clark Bridge and IL 3 beginning February 14, Both lanes of US 50 from 11th Street to McNair Campground Road in Carlyle will be intermittently restricted during daytime hours only on Thursday, February 9, 2023 and Friday, February 10, 2023, Inside lane of westbound I-270 between IL 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri will be closed January 21, Intermittent daytime lane closures in both directions of IL 100, (the River Road) between Grafton and Lockhaven Rd. ", According to IDOT's Bureau Chief of Construction Jon Schumacher, the express lanes will will be set to that inbound configuration "permanently, 24/7, for the rest of the year.". Spring 2025 Through Late Fall 2025: Outbound Kennedy. Work is scheduled to resume tomorrow, Thursday, March 22, from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday morning, weather permitting. At least one person is dead after a crash on Veterans Expressway in Hillsborough County on Friday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. After NAFTA, new manufacturing plants too often opened where there was the least environmental regulation and outside North America. So if some people that are able to work remotely, if that's something that they're able to do, that's also going to help us minimize some of the traffic impacts that we're gonna see.". Here's What We Know So Far. The third and final section between River Road and O'Hare was opened in September 1984. IDOT says the second stage of the project will tackle the reversible express lanes. I-94 west (Edens Expressway) - Milwaukee: Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; colloquially known as The Junction; Westbound Kennedy Expressway takes exit 43B from I-90/I-94; Travailing from I-90 to I-94 in either direction can use exit 44A, left on Keeler Ave, and reenter I-90/I-94 although merging may be difficult. So if they could start a little a couple hours earlier, they might be able to avoid the worst of the rush hour traffic. IDOT officials urged drivers to adjust their schedules or find alternate modes of transportation during the construction. It took a Chicago Sun-Times reporter jumping on the Kennedy at Irving Park at 7:55 a.m. about 20 minutes to reach the Ohio Street exit, a slightly quicker-than-usual commute time. A press release from the agency goes on to say that reversible express lanes will remain open in the inbound direction "to help minimize traffic impact.". Wells Drive is marked as exits 51H and 51I. After the work is completed, traffic will return to staged construction, with one lane in each direction and left turns prohibited at the intersection. The entire project is expected to be completed in 2025. UGH!!! It's just after noon on a recent weekday along the Kennedy Expressway as flashing chevrons activate and a series of 21 gates begins to deploy, shifting available inbound lanes from six to four. It was slow this morning and slow yesterday morning, said Kugler, 30, who was dropping off her two children at day care downtown. There will be lane closures, accompanied by 15-minute full. Attention Chicago-area drivers: Traffic on the Kennedy is about to become more congested and "major delays are anticipated" as a years-long, major construction project will soon take over an already busy portion of the highway. The first lane closures begin at 10 p.m. Monday, with the first week set aside for putting a "work zone in place.". On January 25, 2014, a drunk driver broke through the safety gates and drove in the express lanes in the wrong direction, but was stopped by a snow plow; no injuries were reported. beginning January 16, Lane closure on the eastbound direction of I-270 between Riverview Drive in Missouri and IL 3 beginning at 9:00 p.m. on Friday, January 6, 2023, Lane restrictions will be encountered on I-55/70 at Mile Marker 11.6 in Collinsville beginning December 15, Lane closures in both directions of I-270 between IL 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri begins at 9:00 p.m., Friday, December 16, Lane restrictions will be encountered on westbound I-70 at Mile Marker 38.8 beginning December 8, 2022, Lane restrictions will be encountered along eastbound I-55/64, from east of Barack Obama Avenue to approximately mile marker 2.2, on December 9th, Lane closures in both directions of I-270 between IL 3 and Riverview Drive in Missouri beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 9, Public meeting on proposed Illinois 3 intersection reconstruction at West Delmar Avenue and Pierce Lane scheduled Dec. 05, Lane restrictions will be encountered daily from 7:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. Nov. 21 Nov. 23, 2022, Lane closure in the eastbound direction of I-270 between Riverview Drive in Missouri and IL 3 will remain closed until Nov. 11, Lane closure in the eastbound direction of I-270 between Riverview Drive in Missouri and IL 3 beginning Nov. 07, Project to repair centerline on Interstate 80 between exits 61 (I-180) and 73 (Plank Road) begins Nov. 07, Lane closure in the eastbound direction of I-270 between Riverview Drive in Missouri and IL 3 from Nov. 05 - Nov. 07, 2022, Lane restrictions will be encountered in both directions on I-55/70 between IL 203 and the I-55/70 split Nov. 01 - Nov. 03, Westbound I-55/64 Exit 1 to Southbound IL Rt 3 towards Cahokia Heights in St. Clair County will be closed November 4, Road closure at the railroad crossing on IL 149 at Bush, just north of Hurst on April 27, A lane closure on the bridges that carries I-64 over the Wabash River April 3-6. Inbound Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90/94) closures in Chicago this weekend: - The right lane from Jackson Boulevard to the Eisenhower Expressway (Interstate 290) will be closed between 1 and 8 a.m. Saturday and between 1 and 6 a.m. Sunday. The last mayor to suffer that indignity was Jane Byrne, Chicagos first and only other female mayor. I know Im going to have to be working very odd hours just to avoid the awful commute, he said. Keep trying different alternates and see what works for you based on your travel time and your destination and that should help minimize your impacts.". 6 intersection in Utica to temporarily convert to a four-way stop Nov. 30. Portions of the freeway carry I-190, I-90and I-94. [6], The Blue Line operates in the median of the Kennedy Expressway for about 10 miles (16km) from O'Hare International Airport to just south of Addison Street. According to officials, stage 1 projects are expected to be completed in the fall of 2023, with "all lanes and ramps reopening and the express lanes resuming normal operations. Chicago Traffic - ABC7 Chicago According to officials with the Illinois Department of Transportation, a $150 million rehabilitation project of the Kennedy Expressway from the Edens Expressway Junction to Ohio street is scheduled to begin March 20. "Tuesday morning, the motoring public is going to see these two left lanes closed on the inbound," the Illinois Department of Transportation's Bureau Chief of Construction Jon Schumacher told NBC 5, adding that the express lanes will remain open and in the inbound configuration "permanently, 24/7 for the rest of the year" in an effort to reduce traffic impacts into the city. Kennedy reconstruction: 3/22/23 UPDATE: Due to expected rain, overnight work tonight has been cancelled. The ramp is expected to reopen at 8 p.m. that evening, Beginning March 8, there will be road construction work on IL 34 that will require lane closures, US 60/62 bridge over the Mississippi River will be closed to all traffic March 20-23 and March 27-30, Ramp closure on I-24 in Johnson County beginning Monday, March 6th, Lane Closure on Interstate 24 near Metropolis, Both directions of Interstate 57 will be closed to all traffic between MP 45 and MP 54 beginning January 15, Kennedy reconstruction: 03/23/23 UPDATE: Mid-gate at Diversity will be closed tonight, from 9pm-5am, Friday March 24, I-80: 03/23/23 UPDATE: Due to expected rain, extended repairs on westbound I-80 have been cancelled this weekend. So no, she said. "And the first route that you take on Tuesday morning might not be the best one. Im gonna have to leave earlier in the morning, so it will probably take another 30 minutes to an hour to drive, he said, adding that its also probably going to cost him more money for gas. The Illinois Department of Transportation late Monday and into early Tuesday began their massive, $150 million Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation construction project by working to close two. This 2007 photo shows the westbound Kennedy Expressway (I-90 / I-94) at the split for the Edens Expressway (I-94). US 60/62 bridge over the Mississippi River will be closed to all traffic, US 45 will be closed between County Road 300N (Gossett Road) and County Road 500N (Broughton Road) and will remain closed until November 15, 2023, Southbound entrance and exit ramps on I-57 in Pulaski County will be closed at exit 18. Facebook Additionally, work on outbound Hubbard's Cave will continue between Ohio and Lake Streets, IDOT says. On November 29, 1963, the Chicago City Council voted to rename the Northwest Expressway after President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in Dallas exactly one week earlier. Both directions of Interstate 80 in Henry and Bureau counties will close overnight Nov. 29 - Dec. 02. All rights reserved, massive Kennedy construction project in Chicago, Check the latest travel times for your Tuesday morning commute, Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation construction project, Carry-On Calamity: Airline Reimburses Woman for Prized Sewing Machine Damaged in Flight, Police Reveal What Was Behind Illinois Dust Storm That Led to Fatal I-55 Crash, Pace, Metra Tout Services as Drivers Look for Alternatives Due to Kennedy Expressway Constructio, Where to Watch 2023 Met Gala Celebrity Arrivals on Monday, I-55 Shut Down in Both Directions Due to Large Crash' Amid Dust Storm in South-Central Illinois, At Least 6 People Killed, 30 Injured in Large Crashes on I-55 in Illinois During Dust Storm, Portillo's Adds New Menu Item to Restaurants Nationwide and It's Now Available, How Much Could You Get in New $725M Facebook Settlement? The only decision you CAN make is shifting work away from 9-5. "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," IDOT says. Kennedy Expressway construction, closures begin Friday on I-90/94 Wells Drive, and Eisenhower Expressway exits, the Adams Street and Jackson Boulevard exits were combined, certain center median walls reconstructed, lanes restriped to remove the merging of the leftmost lanes, and appropriate signage changes. The Kennedy's official endpoints are the Jane Byrne Interchange with Interstate 290 (Eisenhower Expressway/Ida B. Construction Releases - Illinois Department of Transportation The 7.5-mile. [citation needed]. While officials say the rehabilitation will "increase safety, reduce maintenance costs and improve traffic flow," IDOT is also warning that "travel delays are anticipated," and "alternative routes are strongly encouraged.". CHICAGO Three people were injured in a crash on the Kennedy Expressway. Work and full closures of I-57 is scheduled for overnight Nov. 28-Nov. 29, Work scheduled Nov. 15 on Interstate 57 through Kankakee has been cancelled due to weather; work is still scheduled Nov. 16-21, Both directions of Interstate 57 through Kankakee will close overnight, weather permitting, from Tuesday, Nov. 15, through Friday, Nov. 18, Illinois 8 (Southport Road) between Taylor Road/Kickapoo-Edwards Road and Heinz Lane, near Edwards in Peoria County, will close May 1, Illinois 116 (Plank Road) will close at Interstate 474 in Bellevue, just west of Peoria, at 6 a.m. April 26, Repairs to a box culvert at the intersection of War Memorial Drive (U.S. 150) and Allen Road in Peoria begin April 10, Replacement of the northbound Interstate 155 bridge over Indian Creek, just south of the Hopedale interchange (exit 19), begins the week of April 10, Lane closures on Main Street (Illinois 29) between Washington Street and Farm Creek in East Peoria are set April 11-12, Irons Road (County Road 1650E) over Interstate 74, just east of the Mackinaw Dells Rest Area in Woodford County, will close April 10, Routine inspection of the Shade-Lohmann Bridge, which carries Interstate 474 over the Illinois River, begins April 10, Illinois 100 between Illinois 97 north of Lewistown and Illinois 78 south of Canton is closed for tornado cleanup, Construction on Interstate 474 over Illinois 116 (Plank Road) in Bellevue, just west of Peoria, begins April 3, Routine inspection of the Illinois 18 bridge over the Illinois River at Henry begins April 10, Routine inspection of the westbound McClugage Bridge, which carries U.S. 150 over the Illinois River at Peoria, begins April 3, Lane closures in both directions of Interstate 39 between Minonk and Wenona begin April 3, Construction on the Cameron Road (140th Street) bridge over U.S. 34, between Monmouth and Galesburg in Warren County, begins March 27, Rehabilitation of the Bob Michel Bridge carrying Illinois 40 over the Illinois River begins March 13, Rehabilitation of the Lacon Bridge carrying Illinois 17 over the Illinois River is scheduled to begin March 18, The right lane of eastbound U.S. 150 on the McClugage Bridge over the Illinois River at Peoria will be closed during parts of the day March 8 and 9, Routine inspection of the Illinois 17 bridge over the Illinois River at Lacon begins March 6, Rehabilitation of the Bob Michel bridge carrying Illinois 40 over the Illinois River is scheduled to begin March 13, Construction on U.S. 34 in Warren County, just west of the Knox County line, begins March 1. "Look for alternate routes, take Metra, take CTA," Schumacher said. The freeway runs in a southeast-northwest direction between the central city neighborhood of the West Loopand O'Hare International Airport. IDOT has also suggested commuters exit earlier and use arterial roads for their commutes, though they noted that it may be a process of trial and error. It conforms to the Chicago-area term of using the word expressway for an Interstate Highway without tolls. The third stage of the construction, IDOT says, will address the outbound lanes of the Kennedy Expressway. ", The initial steps will be to simply put "the work zone in place. Signed as exits 2A (north) and 2B (south); Signed as exits 1A (north) and 1B (south) eastbound, Eastern terminus of I-190; westbound exit and eastbound entrance, Signed as exits 79A (south) and 79B (north), "The Junction"; western terminus of concurrency with I-94; westbound exit and eastbound entrance; exit number follows I-94, Westbound exit only and eastbound entrance, Eastbound exit only; shared ramp with exit 51G, This page was last edited on 10 February 2023, at 12:23. While the density of interchanges is quite dangerous, the hazard is partially offset by the fact that exits are 500 feet (150m) apart on the right hand side, while entrances to the highway were 500 feet (150m) apart, but on the left side. The crash, involving a motorcycle and vehicle, happened around 6 a.m. Thursday on the outbound. IDOT says the second stage of the project will tackle the reversible express lanes. But with the possibility that the construction and lane closures could lengthen the duration of the gridlock during peak times, he said his work schedule might have to change again. All rights reserved, Kennedy Expressway Lane Closures Start Monday. However, "to help minimize the impact to traffic, the reversible express lanes will remain open in the inbound direction, and motorists will not be able to exit the express lanes until Armitage Avenue. Castaneda said construction-related slowdowns were pretty much as we expected.. The lane closure will be in the eastbound driving lane between Mill Road and State Street. The two right-most lanes were made "exit only" for Chicago Loop, Ida B. According to the release, next year, the express lanes will be closed to accommodate a rehabilitation of the Reversible Lane Access Control System known as REVLAC. Additionally, work on outbound Hubbard's Cave will continue between Ohio and Lake Streets, IDOT says. . The third stage of the construction, IDOT says, will address the outbound lanes of the Kennedy Expressway. However, "the reversible express lanes will remain open in the outbound direction," IDOT says.