Chicago Construction News staff writer
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is advancing 10 major construction projects in Chicago this construction season, representing a combined $350.6 million in infrastructure work through the state’s Rebuild Illinois capital program.
The projects include bridge replacements and deck repairs, pavement reconstruction, drainage improvements, traffic signal and lighting upgrades, and accessibility improvements on major routes across the city.
Two of the projects are scheduled for completion in 2026, while the remaining eight are expected to be completed between 2027 and 2031.
“Rebuild Illinois continues to transform our infrastructure and enhance key economic corridors across the state,” Gov. JB Pritzker said. “Our ambitious capital program is putting Illinoisans to work as we improve regional transportation systems, encourage new economic activity and build a better future for all of Illinois.”
Among the projects nearing completion is the Foster Avenue bridge over the Kennedy Expressway (I-90). The $350.6-million program includes replacement of the bridge superstructure, new lighting, traffic signal modernization, drainage improvements and ADA-compliant sidewalks. Work began in 2024 and is expected to be completed later this fall. The bridge is currently closed with a posted detour.
Work also began this summer on the Chicago Avenue bridge over the Kennedy (I-90/94), where a deck overlay is being installed. The project is expected to be completed this fall, with daily lane closures in place.
Several larger projects are scheduled to begin in 2027 and continue into the following construction seasons.
Construction on a detention basin and box culvert at 103rd Street, along with patching and resurfacing, is scheduled to begin in spring 2027 and finish in fall 2028.
Bridge deck overlays and joint repairs are planned for 55th Street over the Dan Ryan Expressway, 39th Street over the Dan Ryan and 79th Street over the Dan Ryan. Each project is scheduled to begin in spring 2027 and be completed during a single construction season, with one lane remaining open during construction.
A similar project is planned for Milwaukee Avenue over the Kennedy, with a bridge deck overlay and joint repairs scheduled to begin in spring 2027.
Two major projects are scheduled to begin in 2028 and extend into 2031.
At U.S. 12/20 (95th Street) and Stony Island Avenue, the work will include bridge replacement, replacement of the railroad grade separation, intersection reconstruction, traffic signal modernization, drainage and lighting improvements. Construction is expected to run from spring 2028 through fall 2031, with one lane of traffic remaining open.
The I-55 interchange at Cicero Avenue (Illinois 50) is also scheduled for a multi-year reconstruction beginning in summer 2027 and ending in fall 2031. The work will include bridge replacement, pavement reconstruction, traffic signal and lighting upgrades, Intelligent Transportation System improvements, pavement widening and resurfacing, slope wall modifications and ADA improvements. One lane will remain open on Cicero Avenue, while three lanes will remain open on I-55.
The I-55 feeder ramps between Cicero Avenue and Chinatown will undergo bridge deck resurfacing, joint replacement, repairs and patching, sign structure work, lighting and drainage improvements. The project is scheduled to begin in spring 2028 and finish in fall 2031. Three lanes of I-55 will remain open, with additional overnight closures planned.
“Upgrading our region’s highways and bridges is vital for public safety and growing our economy,” state Sen. Javier Loera Cervantes said. “Our Rebuild Illinois investments continue to tackle the state’s aging infrastructure head-on, ensuring residents have secure, well-maintained and reliable public roads for years to come.”
Rebuild Illinois was approved in 2019 as a $33.2-billion, six-year capital program covering roads and bridges, transit, waterways, freight and passenger rail, aviation, and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
Through its seventh year, the program has delivered $25.6 billion in improvements statewide, including work on 24,498 miles of highways, 959 bridges and 1,475 additional safety improvements.
The Chicago projects are part of the broader program to address aging transportation infrastructure while maintaining major transportation corridors throughout the region.
