Winter's Over: Kingery Reconstruction Starts This Weekend

LANSING, Ill., March 4 -- Everyone knows that there are two seasons in Chicago: Winter and road construction. Unofficially, winter ends this weekend with the start of the Kingery Expressway (I-80/94) reconstruction project in the area's Southland Corridor, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) announced today.

Beginning tonight (March 4th), work crews will begin the process of narrowing lanes and closing ramps along I-80/94, I-94 (Bishop Ford Expressway), and Ill. Rte. 394. This season's work is the first of two phases to completely reconstruct the Kingery Expressway.

Even though no lanes will be closed during the day, drivers should still expect delays. Narrowed and shifting lanes may force drivers to tap on the brakes. Other delays should be expected due to required lane reductions and ramp closures, IDOT said.

This year's work calls for the closure of three area ramps (two along Ill. Rte. 394; one along the inbound Bishop Ford); prohibited access from the outbound Bishop Ford to Torrence Ave.; and, a season-long configuration of one lane in each direction on Torrence Ave. and on Ill. Rte. 394 between Thornton-Lansing Rd. and the Bishop Ford.

In addition to these traffic impacts, here's what drivers will experience throughout the area:

   *  Westbound I-80/94 (from Borman Expressway)
      -  During the day, all lanes remain open to traffic [three lanes from
         Burnham to I-94 ramp; two lanes from I-94 to west of Ill.
         Rte. 394], but drivers should expect lane shifts and narrowed
         lanes.  At night, there will be frequent lane closures.  Drivers
         should expect delays at all times.  The section of I-80/94 from
         Calumet Ave. (U.S. 41) in Indiana to Burnham Ave. is scheduled to
         begin late spring.
      -  Later this spring, the work zone will be extended about six miles
         along I-80/294 (Tri-State Tollway) from west of Ill. Rte. 394
         through 167th Street in Hazel Crest.  At that time, a project will
         begin to widen and reconstruct the Tri-State Tollway.  Drivers
         should expect frequent nighttime lane closures.  Delays should be
         expected at all times.  For more information about the Tri-State
         Tollway work, please visit www.illinoistollway.com.

   *  Eastbound I-80/294 (Tri-State Tollway) and I-80/94 (Kingery
      Expressway)
      -  During the day, all lanes remain open [two lanes from west of Ill.
         Rte. 394 to I-94 merge; three lanes from I-94 merge to Burnham Ave.
         The section of I-80/94 from Burnham to Calumet Ave. is scheduled to
         begin late spring], but drivers should expect lane shifts and
         narrowed lanes.  At night, there will be frequent lane closures.
         Drivers should expect delays at all times.

   *  Inbound Bishop Ford Expressway (Westbound I-94)
      -  Expect lane shifts, narrow lanes and merging traffic from
         northbound Ill. Rte. 394.
      -  During the day, traffic will be down to two lanes of traffic.  At
         night, frequent lane closures will be commonplace.  Drivers should
         expect delays at all times in this area.
      -  The ramp to 159th St. east (U.S. 6) will be closed for
         reconstruction.  Follow posted detour using 159th St. west exit.

   *  Outbound Bishop Ford Expressway (Eastbound I-94)
      -  Traffic will be down to two lanes beginning at 159th Street.
      -  During the day, two lanes of traffic will be maintained.  At night,
         drivers should expect frequent lane closures and delays.
      -  Traffic seeking access to Torrence Ave. destinations should follow
         a posted detour by exiting at 159th St. east (U.S. 6).
         *  As an alternate detour, drivers may proceed east on I-80/94 to
            the Calumet Ave. (U.S. 41) interchange in Indiana and return on
            westbound I-80/94 to access Torrence Ave.
         *  Eastbound I-94 traffic is prohibited from exiting at Torrence
            Ave.
      -  For eastbound I-80/94, stay left. Two lanes of traffic will merge
         to one lane just before I-80.
      -  For southbound Ill. Rte. 394, traffic down to one lane thru
         Thornton-Lansing Rd. Expect delays.
      -  For northbound Tri-State Tollway, stay right.

   *  Northbound Ill. Rte. 394
      -  Traffic will be down to one lane in each direction beginning just
         south of Thornton-Lansing Rd.  Expect delays.  The ramp to
         eastbound I-80/94 will be closed intermittently for reconstruction
         and the ramp to the northbound Tri-State Tollway (westbound
         I-80/294) will be closed for reconstruction.  For both ramps,
         drivers should follow posted detours via inbound Bishop Ford to
         159th St. west exit.

   *  Torrence Ave. Interchange (U.S. 6/Ill. Rte. 83)
      -  Construction is ongoing in this area thru fall 2005 with one lane
         open in each direction at Torrence over I-80/94 due to bridge
         reconstruction.  Drivers should expect intermittent ramp closures
         and delays. Any temporary detours will be posted.

   *  Thornton-Lansing Rd. Bridge at Ill. Rte. 394
      -  The bridge is closed for reconstruction thru summer 2005.  Drivers
         should follow posted detour.

The Kingery carries about 160,000 vehicles per day, even though it was designed in the 1950s for about 50,000 vehicles. The section of the Kingery between Ill. Rte. 394 and the Illinois/Indiana state line is one of the busiest stretches of highway for heavy trucks in the Chicago area, according to IDOT.

Farther north, the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94) reconstruction project is scheduled for another year of advance work in 2005, which includes ongoing ramp, frontage road and Skyway Interchange reconstruction. The main Dan Ryan roadway reconstruction will take place in 2006 and 2007.

Along all routes, drivers should continue to watch for changing traffic patterns and use caution through construction zones, especially when workers are nearby. "Keep Us Alive Drive 45" is IDOT's campaign to keep workers and drivers safe in work zones. Illinois State Police have zero tolerance for drivers speeding in work zones. Signs warn drivers of a $10,000 fine and 14 years in jail for hitting a road worker. IDOT urges drivers to expect delays and allow extra travel time when traveling through any work zone.

The Kingery Expressway (I-80/94) reconstruction project runs from U.S. 41 in Indiana to just west of Illinois Route 394 in Illinois. The projected completion is late 2006. IDOT is "On the Move to Improve" the Kingery Expressway. For more information, please visit www.kingeryexpressway.com. For more information about the Dan Ryan reconstruction project, please visit www.danryanexpressway.com.