Major update to Kennedy Expressway project lets express lane drivers head to O'Hare

Kennedy construction ahead of schedule, new things to know

Big shift on the Kennedy: Drivers can now take express lanes toward O’Hare.

CHICAGO - A major change is coming to the Kennedy Expressway this weekend, and it’s good news for drivers headed to O’Hare.

What we know:

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Thursday that the north end of the Kennedy Expressway work zone is shifting as of Saturday night.

Starting Sunday morning, drivers leaving downtown will be able to exit the express lanes north of Irving Park Road to continue on Interstate 90 and reach O’Hare International Airport.

Until now, travelers trying to reach the airport had to stay in the local lanes.

To make the switch, IDOT will close the reversible express lanes starting at 11 p.m. Saturday. The outbound Kennedy will shrink to just one lane between Addison Street and Montrose Avenue overnight, with some ramps also temporarily closed. Everything is expected to reopen by 10 a.m. Sunday under the new configuration.

"To safely complete the work, the ramp from Keeler Avenue to the outbound Kennedy and the outbound Kennedy ramp to Kostner Avenue will remain closed until later this summer," IDOT said in a statement.

The new traffic pattern shifts outbound lanes slightly left onto newly paved roadway. This allows crews to begin working on the right lanes. The reversible express lanes will remain open for outbound traffic, but the mid-gates—which let drivers enter or exit mid-route—will stay closed through mid-July.

What's next:

The Kennedy overhaul is still set to finish by Thanksgiving. More ramp closures are coming, including: