Originally opened in 1960, the Kennedy Expressway (I‑90/94) is one of Chicago’s busiest highways, linking the city’s downtown business district with the Chicago O’Hare International Airport and supporting more than 275,000 vehicles daily. To ensure continued safety, mobility and reliability for the traveling public, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) launched a multi-year rehabilitation effort to extend infrastructure life, reduce future maintenance and modernize the highway’s reversible lane systems and intelligent transportation system (ITS) controls.

HNTB served as IDOT’s construction engineering and inspection (CEI) partner, providing on-site management, technical oversight and quality assurance throughout the project. The firm’s scope on inbound, outbound and reversible sections included daily inspection and documentation, bridge and roadway rehabilitation support, traffic control planning and coordination with key contractors and stakeholders.

Spanning approximately 7.5 miles, the project included improvements to 36 bridge structures, pavement restoration, ramp upgrades, overhead sign replacements, LED lighting conversion, drainage enhancements and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) installations. Additionally, the work was carefully phased to maintain traffic flow throughout construction. HNTB worked closely with IDOT to ensure construction met specifications, maintained safety standards and minimized disruption to commuters.

Delivered and operational a month ahead of schedule, the rehabilitation project has restored full capacity to the expressway and provides smoother, safer travel for Chicago drivers.