Gov. Pritzker Marks Early Completion of Kennedy Expressway Rehabilitation

Gov. Pritzker Marks Early Completion of Kennedy Expressway Rehabilitation

The three-year, $169 million project wrapped a month ahead of schedule

CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) joined workers on the Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation, industry partners, and community leaders to thank the public for their patience and celebrate the early completion of the project. Major reconstruction and renovation efforts were made possible with a $169 million investment through the governor’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. Completed more than a month ahead of IDOT’s Thanksgiving deadline, the three-year project fixed 50-year-old bridges, rebuilt the reversible lane system, added new lighting and other safety features, and restored pavement that had been prone to failures and frequent emergency closures.

The Kennedy Expressway accommodates more than 275,000 cars and trucks per day, making it the second-busiest expressway in Chicago, behind the Dan Ryan (I-90/94), which carries more than 320,000 vehicles a day on average.

All of the expressway’s mainline lanes were finished by Oct. 5, but the entire project was completed this morning with the reopening of the Ontario Street ramps and Wilson Avenue exit.

The Kennedy rehabilitation took place over the last three construction seasons, requiring the closure of two lanes from spring into fall to accommodate the work zone. Construction on the inbound lanes took place in 2023, with the express lanes and reversible gate system fixed in 2024, and the outbound lanes refurbished in 2025.

To accelerate construction this year, IDOT condensed the timeline for ramp closures and staged the work zone to weave traffic in and out of completed sections, a strategy that allowed all lanes to reopen north of Addison Street before Labor Day. Extended hours and additional workers were used whenever possible.

“We genuinely appreciate your patience and understanding these last three years as we delivered a safer, more reliable Kennedy,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “We also heard your frustrations and made changes to speed up construction. The end result is we’re done a month early and one of Chicago’s most important roads is ready to better serve the region’s needs for many years to come.”

“This marks the end of a long road for commuters. A new, safer Kennedy is open so people can get where they need to go faster and hopefully with less frustration,” said Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park).

“The completion of this project marks a major step toward smoother, safer commutes for thousands of drivers who rely on this corridor every day,” said State Senator Lakesia Collins (D-Chicago). “This is proof that when we invest in our infrastructure, we invest in our communities. I want to thank all of the Chicagoland residents who have dealt with delays and construction over the past three years. I'm proud to see these improvements delivered for those in my district and beyond.”

Upon its completion, the Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation resulted in the following improvements:

Replacement of deteriorated pavement along 7.5 miles between Ohio Street and the Edens Expressway (I-90) junction, including on 24 exit and entrance ramps

Repairs, such as pavement patching and structure rehabilitations, to a total of 36 bridges

Modernization of the gate system that controls the flow of traffic in the express lanes

Installation of new signs and lighting, as well as trees and landscaping, throughout the corridor

A project breakdown by the numbers, in Chicago figures:

One million square feet of high-performance latex concrete was poured, enough to cover Millennium Park twice.

Approximately 500,000 feet of new pavement markings were laid, which would stretch end-to-end from Chicago to Milwaukee.

A total of 1,200 new LED light fixtures were installed, one for every seat in the Chicago Theater.

Sixteen new overhead sign structures were added or replaced, which, stacked on top of each other, would be taller than the Willis Tower.

More than 2,200 trees and shrubs were planted, enough to fill two city blocks.

The Kennedy opened in 1960, with the last major updates and reconstruction completed in 1994. Prior to its rehabilitation, the Kennedy pavement had exceeded its anticipated lifecycle. Potholes, cracking, and rutting were common, creating safety hazards and unplanned repairs that snarled and delayed traffic.

The public still should expect the occasional lane closure during nights, weekends, and nonpeak hours to complete punch list items, such as final lane striping and sign installation. Work will continue on the Ohio and Ontario street ramps, an unrelated project. Two lanes will remain open in each direction between Orleans Street and the Kennedy until construction wraps up next summer.

Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and signs in the work zone, obey the posted speed limits, and remain alert for workers and equipment.

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 7,107 lane miles of highway and nearly 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Rebuild Illinois. Accomplishments through Year Six of the capital program include almost $20.8 billion of improvements statewide on 21,309 lane miles of highway, 815 bridges, and 1,181 additional safety improvements.

Passed in 2019, Rebuild Illinois is investing $33.2 billion into the state’s aging transportation system, creating jobs, and promoting economic growth. Rebuild Illinois is not only the largest capital program in state history, but also the first one that touches all modes of transportation: roads and bridges, transit, waterways, freight and passenger rail, aviation, and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.

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