Kennedy Expressway construction: What to know about this summer’s work and when it will all be complete

CHICAGO — It’s perhaps the most important question of modern times for Chicagoland residents.

When will the Kennedy Expressway construction be finished?

Well, if everything goes according to plan, by the time you have your Thanksgiving turkey.

It can’t come soon enough for commuters going to and from Chicago, yelling words and phrases from behind the wheel not appropriate to publish here. They might swear that this heavily-traveled stretch of Interstate 90/94 has been under construction for decades, maybe even centuries.

But believe it or not, the current construction — which the Illinois Department of Transportation calls the Kennedy Expressway Bridge Rehabilitation Project — has only been going on for a little over two years.

And according to the latest update provided on its website, IDOT says the project remains on track for overall completion by Thanksgiving.

What’s going on right now?

IDOT released the latest update on the project this week on its website. The update is through what IDOT said was Week 19 of construction.

Basically, IDOT says things are moving as planned.

So what can drivers expect for the current phase of work?

IDOT says the reversible express lanes will remain open in the outbound direction, with two main lanes closed at a time. The reversible mid-gate entrance and exits will also remain closed. ​

Additionally, the following ramps are currently closed, per IDOT:

• Outbound Kennedy to Augusta Boulevard/Milwaukee Avenue, anticipated to reopen mid-October. ​ ​ ​ ​
• North Avenue (Illinois 64) to outbound Kennedy, anticipated to reopen early September. ​ ​
• Outbound Kennedy to Armitage Avenue, anticipated to reopen early September. ​ ​
• Fullerton Avenue to outbound Kennedy, anticipated to reopen mid-August. ​ ​
• Outbound Kennedy to Kimball Avenue, anticipated to reopen mid-August. ​ ​
• Keeler Avenue to outbound Kennedy, anticipated to reopen early September. ​ ​ ​ ​
• Outbound Kennedy to Montrose Avenue, anticipated to reopen early August. ​

What’s going on this year?

The work being done this construction season is the third and final stage of the overall project. The first two stages were completed during the 2023 and 2024 construction seasons.

According to IDOT, these are the goals for the final stage of the project this year:

• 19 bridge structure rehabilitations.
• Pavement patching.
• Overhead sign replacements.
• New sign structures.
• LED lighting upgrades.
• Structural steel repairs.
• New pavement markings.

To complete all this work, IDOT has released a timeline for how traffic will be impacted. As you can see below, we’re currently in the second portion of this timeline.

March to mid-July:

• Reversible express lanes will remain outbound only.
• Two left lanes closed from Division Street to Kostner Avenue.
• Outbound express lane users must exit onto Edens Expressway. First exit will be Edens Expressway at Foster Avenue.
• Outbound O’Hare Airport traffic must stay on the mainline. There is no O’Hare exit from the express lanes.

Mid-July to Thanksgiving:

• Two to three right lanes closed from Division Avenue to north end of the project.
• Outbound express lane traffic permitted to exit at Keeler Avenue/Kostner Avenue back onto the mainline Kennedy and Edens Expressways.

September to Thanksgiving:

• Traffic will remain outbound only.
• Pavement patching work will take place at the junction protected with a barrier wall.
• Outbound lane improvements will continue until Thanksgiving and will require lane and ramp closures.

IDOT says the staging of the work zone and the sequencing of ramp improvements is being done throughout the project to help accelerate construction.

Go HERE for an IDOT fact sheet for the third stage of the project.

What’s the overall project?

The Kennedy Expressway Bridge Rehabilitation Project began in 2023, with an estimated cost of $169 million.

The overall project consists of rehabilitating 36 bridges between Ohio Street and the Edens Expressway, where I-90 and I-94 split, as well as the following: the Reversible Lane Access Control system, replacing overhead sign structures, installing new signage and modernized LED lights, pavement patching, and structural painting.

The project was slated to encompass three construction seasons, with 2025 being the third and final one.

Go HERE for an IDOT fact sheet for the overall project.

What’s complete so far?

The first two stages were completed over the 2023 and 2024 construction seasons.

The first stage, inbound lanes construction, was completed in 2023. The second stage, reversible lanes construction, was completed in 2024.

The third stage, outbound lanes construction, is being done this year and remains on target for a Thanksgiving completion date.

Visit idot.illinois.gov for questions or more information.