Chicagoans can officially exhale a sigh of relief as the Kennedy Expressway inbound lanes have fully reopened. Just in time for the beginning of winter, the first phase of the massive multi-year construction project on the Kennedy Expressway has been completed.
Phase 1 Kennedy Expressway Construction Completed
The Illinois Department of Transportation officials said all Kennedy inbound lanes and ramps were fully reopened on Sunday morning, with the reversible express lanes back to normal.
The $150 million rehab of 7.5 miles of I-90/94 has caused a lot of headaches for the daily commute of drivers who travel to the City’s North and Northwest Sides. Drivers have endured hours of bumper-to-bumper traffic and notable increases in commute time since the start of this project.
What To Know For Kennedy Expressway Phase 2:
While this will alleviate the traffic for now, Phase 2 will begin in Spring 2024. According to NBC Chicago, Phase 2 of the project will close the express lanes in both directions to accommodate the rehabilitation of the REVLAC system and bridge structures, along with pavement patching.
The mainline lane closures for Phase 2 will be for Hubbard’s Cave between Ohio and Lake Street. Reversible express lanes will also be closed beginning in the spring of 2024 and ending in the fall of 2024.
What To Know For Kennedy Expressway Phase 3:
Beginning spring 2025 to fall 2025, outbound directions on Hubard’s Cave between Ohio and Lake streets will be impacted, along with two main outbound lanes closing at a time. At this point, reversible express lanes will open up in the outbound direction.