IDOT announces 2 more ramp closures this week as part of ongoing Kennedy Expressway construction

CHICAGO — Two more ramp closures will take place this week as part of the ongoing Kennedy Expressway Bridge Rehabilitation Project, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced.

Beginning at 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, the Addison Street ramp to the outbound Kennedy and the outbound Kennedy ramp to Pulaski Road/Irving Park Road (Illinois 19) will close. Both ramps are anticipated to reopen in three weeks, IDOT says.

While the Addison ramp to the outbound Kennedy will close, just north of that, the Keeler Avenue ramp to the outbound Kennedy reopened earlier this week after being closed since the start of summer.

A new traffic configuration also went into effect on the outbound Kennedy this week, with the north end of the work zone reduced from six lanes to four, split into two lanes each and separated by a barrier wall between Kostner Avenue and the Edens Expressway junction.

The two left lanes continue on to the outbound Kennedy (I-90), while the two right lanes shift slightly to the right and continue on to the Edens (I-94).

How many ramps will be closed?

This is the third and final stage of the Kennedy Expressway Bridge Rehabilitation Project, which began in 2023. This season is construction on the outbound lanes, with the following 19 bridge structure rehabilitations to occur in 2025:

Per IDOT, when the two latest ramp closures go into effect Thursday night, seven ramps will be closed concurrently as part of this season’s Kennedy construction.

They are:

• Addison Street to outbound Kennedy, anticipated to reopen in three weeks.
• Outbound Kennedy to Pulaski Road/Irving Park Road (Illinois 19), anticipated to reopen in three weeks.
• 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

IDOT says the entire Kennedy Expressway Bridge Rehabilitation Project remains on track to be completed by Thanksgiving of this year.

Click HERE for more information on the project, including maps, photos and fact sheets.