Chicago Construction News staff writer
The $169 million rehabilitation of Chicago’s Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) has been completed more than a month ahead of schedule, marking a major milestone in Illinois’ ongoing effort to modernize its aging transportation infrastructure through the state’s Rebuild Illinois capital program.
The three-year project — one of the largest undertaken by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) in recent years — repaired 50-year-old bridges, rebuilt the reversible express lane system, replaced deteriorated pavement, and installed modern lighting, signage, and safety features along the 7.5-mile corridor from the Edens Expressway junction to Ohio Street.
The Kennedy, which carries more than 275,000 vehicles each day, is the second-busiest expressway in Chicago after the Dan Ryan. With decades of wear and frequent emergency repairs, the corridor had long been overdue for renewal.
Construction took place over three consecutive construction seasons: inbound lanes in 2023, the reversible lanes and gate system in 2024, and outbound lanes in 2025. IDOT accelerated work by condensing ramp closures, staging work zones to weave traffic around completed sections, and using extended work hours — a strategy that allowed lanes north of Addison Street to reopen before Labor Day.
The early completion was widely credited to the coordination among IDOT, contractors, and organized labor.
“The early completion of the Kennedy Expressway project is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to the professionalism of the hardworking men and women of Illinois’ Building Trades Unions,” said Mike Macellaio, president of the Chicago & Cook County Building and Construction Trades Council. “Delivering this work ahead of schedule shows what’s possible when government invests in skilled unionized labor and strong infrastructure.”
Tim Drea, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO, said the project’s success represents more than just smoother commutes. “This investment not only ensures safer travel for Illinoisans, but also created good union jobs, strengthened our economy, and put our skilled tradespeople to work building a modern, dependable expressway,” he said.
Bob Reiter, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, said the project highlights the role of union labour in rebuilding the state’s infrastructure. “The 275,000 daily drivers on the Kennedy can expect a smoother, safer ride thanks to the foresight of our state leaders and the hard work of Chicagoland’s union members,” he said.
By the numbers, the project included one million square feet of high-performance concrete — enough to cover Millennium Park twice — and more than 500,000 feet of new pavement markings, stretching the distance from Chicago to Milwaukee. Crews also installed 1,200 new LED light fixtures, 16 overhead sign structures, and more than 2,200 trees and shrubs throughout the corridor.
The Kennedy Expressway originally opened in 1960 and last saw major reconstruction in 1994. IDOT said occasional nighttime or weekend lane closures may continue for finishing work, including final striping and sign installation, through next summer.
The project is part of Rebuild Illinois, a $33.2-billion infrastructure plan launched in 2019 to repair and modernize roads, bridges, railways, airports, and transit systems across the state. So far, the program has delivered nearly $21 billion in improvements on more than 21,000 lane miles of highway and over 800 bridges statewide.
