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Kennedy Reversible Express Lanes Set to Reopen Mid-January, IDOT Officials Say
WTTW News File Photo
Reversible express lanes on the Kennedy Expressway are now expected to reopen the week of Jan. 13, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Tuesday.
The reopening of the express lanes would wrap up the second year out of a three-year project to rehab the I-90/I-94 Kennedy Expressway. Despite starting earlier this year, construction is wrapping up later than expected because IDOT officials say additional time is needed to test and fully integrate the technical components of the reversible lane access control system.
“As we approach the finish line on the most complex piece of the Kennedy project, we appreciate your continued patience,” said IDOT Secretary Omer Osman in a news release. “The improvements are highly technical and require time and effort behind the scenes, but they will result in a much safer and reliable system for the millions of people who rely on the Kennedy.”
Testing of the new reversible gate system on the Kennedy express lanes will begin Jan. 2, weather permitting, according to IDOT. Express lanes are set to reopen in mid-January pending successful completion of testing.
This year’s construction, focused on the express lanes, included installing 120 gates, replacing cameras and modernizing fiber optic cables and terminal blocks along 7.5 miles, IDOT said.
New overhead sign structures and signs were also installed, in addition to new paint and LED lights in Hubbard’s Cave, located from Grand Avenue to Wayman Street.
The work is part of an overall three-year, $150 million project to rehab the I-90/I-94 Kennedy Expressway from the I-94 Edens Expressway junction to Ohio Street.
The project involves repairing 36 bridge structures and the reversible express lane system, replacing overhead sign structures, as well as installing new signage and LED lights. The project also includes pavement patching and structural painting.
The Kennedy opened in 1960, with the last major rehabilitation completed in 1994, according to IDOT. State transportation officials say the current project will improve safety, traffic flow and reliability for the more than 275,000 motorists who use the expressway each day.
Road construction began last year with work on the inbound Kennedy lanes. The final stage of construction is expected to start in the spring with work focused on the outbound lanes.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: @eunicealpasan | 773-509-5362 | [email protected]
