Press Releases
Adams Street over Kennedy to close Aug. 31
"The Adams Street bridge is the last of the eleven local street bridges at the interchange to be replaced," said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. "This major milestone and other recently completed improvements are delivering a safer experience for anyone traveling through the Jane Byrne Interchange. We ask for the public's continued patience, to stay alert, slow down and give their undivided attention going through this and all other work zones."
The Adams Street entrance ramp to the outbound Kennedy also will close, with a detour directing traffic north on Jefferson Street and west on Madison Street to enter the expressway via Madison Street. The inbound Kennedy exit ramp to Adams Street will close as well, with motorists directed to exit at Monroe Street and access Adams Street via Halsted Street.
To accommodate the additional capacity, operational and safety improvements to the expressway and ramp system at the Jane Byrne, a total of 11 bridges carrying local traffic have needed to be replaced. Completed are Taylor Street, Morgan Street and Van Buren Street as well as two bridges each at Peoria Street, Halsted Street and Harrison Street. In addition to Adams Street, Jackson Boulevard is under construction.
The inbound Eisenhower-to-outbound Kennedy ramp closed in June, with a detour utilizing the outbound Ryan and Taylor Street interchange. A new ramp with an additional lane opens this summer.
- Outbound Ida B. Wells Drive to the outbound Kennedy closed this winter and reopens by the end of this year.
- Jackson Boulevard over the Kennedy closed this spring and will reopen in fall 2022.
- Other improvements will begin later in 2020 on the mainline lanes of the Kennedy and Dan Ryan through the interchange, which include the construction of new collector-distributor ramps that will relocate the left-hand entrance ramps at Jackson and Adams. Three lanes will remain open in both directions at all times, but traffic will be shifted.
Additional details, schedules and impacts to traffic will be shared in advance, closer to the individual project start dates.
The improved Jane Byrne Interchange will be complete in 2022.
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Press Releases