CHICAGO (WGN) — There’s no denying it: the completion of construction on the Kennedy Expressway is making it easier for drivers to get around.
But the three-year rehabilitation project came with added costs to taxpayers and lessons learned after multiple delays.
After three grueling years of construction, drivers who rely on the Kennedy are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
“Coming out of the city at the end of the day has been the worst part. It’s so much nicer now that everything is open again and moving,” commuter Brian Dougherty said.
The completion of the Kennedy Expressway Rehabilitation Project was celebrated Friday afternoon at an IDOT facility in Chicago.
“I am pleased to officially announce the completion of the Kennedy Expressway Project,” said IDOT Secretary of Transportation Gia Biagi. “Officially reaching that finish line, and reaching it a month early, well ahead of our Thanksgiving deadline — that should be applauded.”
Governor JB Pritzker joined the celebration, thanking both the workers who finished the construction and the drivers who endured years of traffic headaches.
“Thank you for your patience. We’ll have safer roads (and) faster commutes in the long run as a result of this,” Pritzker said. “These structures were over 60-years-old and hadn’t been rebuilt for over 30 years.”
The rehabilitation project aimed to modernize the interstate’s inbound, outbound and reversible express lanes. It cost taxpayers around $170 million, which IDOT said went toward critical improvements.
“We fixed 24 exit and entrance ramps, 36 bridges, painted, energy-efficient LED lighting on the corridor, new signs and modernized message boards,” Biagi said.
However, the project did not come without setbacks. Delays and cost overruns impacted the timeline and taxpayers.
WGN Investigates previously reported that IDOT decisions contributed to delays, including reopening the reversible lanes before they were complete so elected officials could use them during the Democratic National Convention.
A contractor’s memo from last year stated that the state ordered the removal of all equipment from those lanes, setting the project back more than 30 days.
The contractor also said IDOT made demands beyond the initial project scope, adding 113 days of work and another $318,000 in costs.
In the end, most drivers WGN-TV spoke with were simply glad the work is done.
“Traffic definitely moves better now. It might take a little bit for traffic to get back to what it used to be, but I think it’s been better lately,” commuter Matt Leissner said. “It’s much easier to be on time (and) be where you’re supposed to be, so that’s always nice.”
As for lessons learned, IDOT said one of the biggest complaints during the project involved ramp closures and how detoured traffic spilled onto neighborhood streets
IDOT did remind the public that work is still being done on the Ohio and Ontario Streets feeder ramp. This is part of a separate project that will wrap up in summer 2026.
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