There’s only one season in Chicago that never ends—construction season.
This week, a new three-year construction project on a 7.5-mile stretch of the Kennedy Expressway will begin, leading to lane closures and extensive traffic delays. The work will take place in three parts—first, two inbound lanes on the Kennedy will be closed at a time. To alleviate some of the backup, the reversible express lanes will remain open to inbound traffic until the repairs are finished in the fall.
In 2024, the reversible express lanes will close from spring to fall so that the Reversible Lane Access Control (REVLAC) system can be rehabilitated. Then, two outbound lanes will close at a time in 2025, with the reversible lanes staying open to outbound traffic throughout the spring-to-fall construction.
In addition to upgrading the REVLAC system, the $150 million project will focus on fixing 36 bridge structures, patching pavements and replacing overhead signs. IDOT officials are urging drivers to take alternate routes or ride the Metra or CTA. But even that isn’t the perfect solution, as the Blue Line stations between the Addison and Western stops are currently closed on weekends through May for a track improvement project.
The Kennedy Expressway construction project is slated to be completed in fall 2025, but officials warn the schedule is subject to change based on weather conditions.