After a 10-month closure for rehabilitation, the express lanes of the Kennedy Expressway in Illinois officially reopened on January 13, 2025. The closure, part of a three-phase project, caused significant traffic congestion.
The Illinois Department of Transportation closed express lanes for 10 months on the Kennedy Expressway , causing major traffic backups in and out of Chicago. The lanes were shut down in March 2024 as part of a three-phase, $150 million rehabilitation project. While they briefly opened for select drivers during the closure, the heavily trafficked lanes remained closed in both directions for most of 2024, leading to daily congestion and delays.
The closure was initially scheduled to end in December 2024, but was extended as IDOT workers tested the Reversible Lane Access Control System, which regulates lane access based on rush hour traffic flow. This system involves over 120 gates, cameras, fiber optics, and various signage. The express lanes officially reopened on January 13, 2025, at 5 a.m. Live video and photos showed smoother traffic flow during rush hour. The roadway also benefited from repaved sections and bridge rehabilitation. However, the closure coincided with a crucial period for commuters from the North and Northwest Suburbs, with over 275,000 drivers using that stretch of road daily. IDOT expects occasional, temporary lane closures in the coming weeks to complete minor tasks and refresh pavement markings. The third and final stage of the three-year project is scheduled to begin in spring 2025, with closures on parts of the outbound Kennedy Expressway from Ohio Street to the Edens junction for lane rehabilitation and bridge refurbishment. The entire project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025
KENNEDY EXPRESSWAY CHICAGO TRAFFIC IDOT LANE CLOSURE REHABILITATION
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