After a delay, the reversible express lanes on the Kennedy Expressway will reopen this week amid a massive restoration project.
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, it is expected that the reversible lanes will reopen in time for the Monday morning rush hour, with lane reopening currently slated for 5 a.m.
The lanes were originally set to reopen in December, but delays occurred as IDOT workers undertook a massive renovation of the Reversible Lane Access Control system, according to officials.
That system controls access to the reversible lanes, which can open in either direction depending on the flow of rush hour traffic on the expressway. The system includes more than 120 gates, camera equipment, fiber optic cables and a variety of signage, according to IDOT’s website.
Sections of pavement were repaved and bridges were also rehabilitated during the closure of the reversible lanes, according to officials.
The inbound lanes of the Kennedy Expressway were rehabilitated during 2023, according to officials.
The third and final stage of the three-year project is expected to begin later this year, as crews will focus on the outbound lanes of the Kennedy Expressway.
Local
According to a fact sheet, improvements to the outbound lanes will involve numerous lane closures throughout the duration of the project, with workers rehabilitating lanes and refurbishing a number of bridges along the route.
The lane closures will impact the outbound Kennedy between Ohio Street and Lawrence Avenue, with a total of 19 bridges requiring rehabilitation work during that time.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
In addition to the bridge repairs, overhead signs will be replaced and other signage will be added. LED lighting upgrades, structural painting and pavement patching will also take place, officials said.
There is no defined start date for the project, though work is expected to be wrapped up by the fall of 2025.
More information can be found on IDOT’s website.