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I-94 construction in Chicago area begins, with travel delays expected

By Alex Ortiz
Published  March 24, 2026 6:51am CDT
Chicago
FOX 32 Chicago

The Brief

    • A major rehabilitation project on the Bishop Ford Freeway is expected to begin on Tuesday in Chicago and the south suburbs.
    • IDOT officials are warning drivers of extensive delays and warn that they should seek other routes.
    • Lane and ramp closures are expected to last until December and resume in the spring of 2027.

CHICAGO - The rehabilitation of the Bishop Ford Freeway is expected to begin on Tuesday with lane and ramp closures in Chicago and the south suburbs.

The work is expected to cause traffic delays over the next several months, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Construction will take place in Chicago, Dolton, Burnham, Riverdale, Calumet City, and South Holland.

About 167,000 vehicles use the expressway each day, according to IDOT.

I-94 closures

What we know:

Starting Tuesday, the outbound Bishop Ford from south of 130th Street to U.S. 6 will gradually be reduced from three lanes to two lanes. State officials are warning of major travel delays during the construction project, and drivers are encouraged to seek alternative routes.

The outbound ramp to eastbound Dolton Avenue and westbound 159th Street ramp to outbound Bishop Ford will also close. They’re expected to reopen in December.

Project details

Dig deeper:

The $93 million project will include the patching and resurfacing of 9.5 miles of the Bishop Ford from west Martin Luther King Drive to U.S. 6 (159th Street). Workers will also replace overhead sign structures and install energy-efficient LED lights.

Construction will also include the rehabilitation of bridges carrying the Bishop Ford over the Indiana Harbor Belt railroad, Dolton Avenue, Greenwood Avenue and two bridges over the Little Calumet River. The Michigan City Road, 154th Street and U.S. 6 overpasses will also be rehabilitated, according to IDOT.

Project timeline

What's next:

Construction will continue through December when the Bishop Ford will return to three lanes in both directions. 

Then, work will resume next spring on the inbound lanes.

The project is expected to be completed in late 2027.

To learn more about the I-94 rehabilitation project, visit idot.illinois.gov.

The Source

  • The information in this story was provided by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

ChicagoTrafficDoltonRiverdaleBurnhamCalumet CitySouth Holland