The reversible lanes of the Kennedy Expressway, closed since March 2023 for a 10-month construction project, are scheduled to reopen the week of January 13th, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced. This reopening, however, is contingent on successful testing beginning January 2nd. The initial planned reopening in late fall was delayed.
The delay, according to IDOT, was due to the complexity of the Reversible Lane Access Control system. Additional time was needed to ensure the safety components were fully integrated and functioning seamlessly before testing could begin. The rehabilitation included installing new control gates, replacing cameras, modernizing electrical components, installing new overhead signs, and updating Hubbard’s Cave with new paint and LED lights. This was the express lanes’ first major rehab since 1996, replacing a system originally built in the 1960s. The project is part of a larger, three-year overhaul of the entire Kennedy Expressway, with the inbound lanes completed in 2023 and outbound lane construction beginning in the spring. The outbound work is expected to take one full construction season. More than 275,000 motorists use the expressway daily.