Gov. Pritzker Marks Early Completion of Kennedy Expressway Rehabilitation

CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) joined workers on the Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation, industry partners, and community leaders today 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 Rehabilitation is the embodiment of Rebuild Illinois—a plan to not only rectify the shortcomings of our past—but build something better for our future,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Every day on the Kennedy, hundreds of thousands of workers make their commute, parents take their kids to school, delivery drivers move freight, and tourists come to see Chicago. With this project, we have made their lives and drives faster, easier, and safer.”

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,” said Illinois Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park). “A new, safer Kennedy is open so people can get where they need to go faster and hopefully with less frustration.”

“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.”

“The completion of the Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation projects as part of the Rebuild Illinois program will connect residents to where they need to go, when they need it, with the ease of reliable and accessible roadways,” said State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago). “Serving more than 275,000 trucks and cars each day, taking neighbors to their school or work, or even making a delivery, these rehabilitation projects will have a positive impact on our communities.”

“Chicago may have started as the railway capital of the Midwest, but today, hundreds of thousands use our freeways daily to go to work, school and live their lives,” said State Representative Jaime Andrade (D-Chicago). “Over time, these vital arteries—like the Kennedy—need vital safety and traffic flow upgrades. Our Rebuild Illinois plan to invest billions of dollars into these and other infrastructure improvements may be inconvenient in the short term, but in the long term will serve as the foundation for what Illinois and its families need to succeed next month, next year, and next century.”

“The 275,000 daily drivers on the Kennedy can expect a smoother, safer ride thanks to the foresight of our state leaders and the hard work of Chicagoland’s union members,” said Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter. “Under Governor Pritzker’s leadership, and with the General Assembly’s support, we are rebuilding Illinois’ infrastructure with quality union labor.”

“The early completion of the Kennedy Expressway project is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to the professionalism of the hardworking men and women of Illinois’ Building Trades Unions,” said Mike Macellaio, President of the Chicago & Cook County Building and Construction Trades Council. “This milestone concludes a three-year reconstruction of the I-90/I-94 Kennedy Expressway, stretching from the Edens junction to Ohio Street. We thank Governor Pritzker for his continued leadership and investment in our state’s infrastructure. Delivering this work ahead of schedule shows what’s possible when government invests in skilled unionized labor and strong infrastructure. These projects not only improve safety and mobility, but also create good-paying, family-supporting jobs and opportunities for the next generation of Illinois building trades professionals.”

“Today’s reopening of the Kennedy is a major win for working families across Illinois,” said Tim Drea, President of the Illinois AFL-CIO. “For years, unexpected closures and flooding along the expressway have disrupted the daily lives of working people—keeping them from getting to work, healthcare, childcare, and other essential destinations. Today, that becomes a thing of the past. We’re grateful to Governor Pritzker for prioritizing these critical upgrades to make our infrastructure safer and more reliable for everyone. This investment not only ensures smoother travel for Illinoisans, but also created good union jobs, strengthened our economy, and put our skilled tradespeople to work building a modern, dependable expressway. Thank you, Governor Pritzker, and thank you to the public for supporting and keeping our workers safe throughout this project.”

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

A project breakdown by the numbers, in Chicago figures:

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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