Chicago Construction News staff writer
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has announced that the third and final phase of the Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation project will start today and construction will be completed in late 2025.
Work will involve extensive structural repairs to 19 bridges and pavement patching along the 7.5-mile stretch of the Kennedy Expressway from the I-94 split south to downtown Chicago.
IDOT will also install new signs and upgrade the LED lighting throughout the corridor.
from an initial estimate of $150 million to $169 million due to additional work on pavement patching and bridge deck repairs completed in recent years. To date, about $107.2 million has been spent, according to IDOT, with contractors Dunnet Bay Construction Co., Martam Construction, and John Burns Construction performing much of the work.
Despite delays in reopening the express lanes in January—due to technical issues with the gate system that controls the lanes—IDOT remains confident the final phase will stay on track. The agency noted that work on the reversible lanes is now complete and emphasized its familiarity with the bridge repairs and pavement patching needed to finish the project.
The Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation will improve 7.5 miles of the 10-lane highway from the I-94 split to downtown, including repairs to 36 bridges, updates to the express lanes, new overhead signs, lighting upgrades, and pavement and painting work. Notable improvements also include painting and lighting upgrades at the Hubbard underpass between Ohio and Lake streets downtown.
