5 Traffic Apps to Help Navigate Kennedy Expressway Construction

Ready to hit the road through Chicago? Check out these apps

It's already being called "carmageddon." During the last three weekends in June, part of the Kennedy Expressway will close for major construction at Ohio Street, likely causing massive delays and detours.

How to deal? If you're ready to hit the road, here are five traffic apps to help you navigate around the construction and closures.

Google Maps: If your phone doesn't already feature it, this app integrates navigation with traffic density and routes to automatically reroute you around traffic. It now also offers the option of sharing your route and arrival info with friends and family.

Waze: Described as "one of the world's largest community-based traffic and navigation apps," Waze uses crowd-sourced information for traffic info, construction updates and roadway incidents. The app alerts you to any oncoming issues with time for you to avoid them.

Inrix HD: The app touts billions of data points to give users accurate, real-time traffic information. It's designed to make commutes shorter and smarter, depending on daily traffic patterns. In some cities, you can even view traffic cameras for a first-hand look at the roads.

TransitGenie: Taking public transit? This app plans your Chicago trip with CTA bus-tracking data and CTA and Metra train schedules. It was developed by a computer scientist at the University of Illinois who knows his way around town. 

Hopstop: If you're headed to a weekend festival and aren't too familiar with Chicago, consider giving this app a go. Used in more than 140 cities, it maps a route via transit, walking, biking and taxi from your current location to your destination.

Bonus: NBC 5's app: We couldn't help ourselves. Download our app for up-to-the-minute travel times with construction alerts and incident reports. Tune in to our traffic page for an interactive map and reporter Kye Martin's traffic updates and reroutes for the Kennedy construction.

Contact Us