The Illinois Department of Transportation announced yesterday that as part of the ongoing Jane Byrne Interchange reconstruction, a stage change on the inbound Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90/94) will begin, weather permitting, Wednesday, Nov. 9.
Starting at 10 p.m. Wednesday, lane closures are scheduled to take place on the inbound Kennedy. At least one inbound Kennedy lane will be open at all times, with all lanes fully reopening by 5 a.m., Thursday, in a new lane configuration.
In the new configuration, there will continue to be five inbound expressway lanes from Ohio Street to Madison Street. The three left lanes to the southbound Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94) will be in their final configuration, with the two far right lanes to exit to Ida B. Wells Drive/outbound Eisenhower Expressway (Interstate 290) and to the Taylor Street exit. The Madison Street entrance ramp also will reopen.
The new configuration will allow the right lanes to be built between I-290 and Roosevelt Road as part of construction on the mainline lanes of the Kennedy/Dan Ryan, remaining in place through mid-December. The four mainline lanes of Kennedy and Dan Ryan through the interchange are expected to be open, weather permitting, in mid-December.
Motorists should expect significant delays and allow extra time for trips through this area. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits and be on the alert for workers and equipment.
The overall reconstruction project at the Jane Byrne Interchange will improve safety and traffic flow for the more than 400,000 motorists who use it each day, while also enhancing mobility for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit users in the surrounding neighborhoods.
For more information, visit www.janebyrneinterchange.org. The mobile-friendly website features a detailed project timeline with an interactive map, photo galleries, a live camera feed of the work zone, and the ability to submit questions and comments to the project team via a “Contact Us” link.
The improved Jane Byrne Interchange will be substantially completed by late 2022.