No major projects are planned for any Chicago expressways, but there will be a lot of work on the tollways.
Get ready to detour. The first big repair job on the Illinois Tollway gets underway these weekends as crews begin work on the tri-level bridge near O'Hare Airport.
By Monday morning, the ramp from the northbound Tri-State to the westbound Jane Adams, I-90, will be closed, as well as the ramp from the inbound I-190 to the outbound Adams, until July.
"What we are trying to accomplish here is by closing down the entire bridge, we can be out there for a shorter amount of time" said Kristi LeFleur Illinois Tollway executive director. "We'll be out there for four months instead of seven, and we also will end up creating a safer environment for everyone, both our customers and the workers."
The detour is to continue north on the Tri-State and exit at Touhy west onto River Rd., then re-enter the Tri-State southbound in order to access the westbound Jane Adams.
You may be thinking that detour is going to put commuters through two toll plazas.
"If they're using their I-Pass, we have programmed our back office systems to make sure that people are not double-charged for that toll," LeFleur said.
If you're paying cash, get a receipt at Touhy to show at Devon as proof of the detour payment.
The tri-level bridge is one of many tollway projects this year. Beginning in April, crews will resurface 22 miles of the Central Tri-State from 95th St. to Balmoral, and from Half Day to Lake Cook Rd.
Next month the Reagan Tollway, I-88, will also undergo resurfacing for 38 miles, from Route 66 in north Aurora to Illinois 251 in Rochelle.
This spring, crews will be building a full interchange at Route 47 and I-90. Shoulder widening between Elgin and Rockford on I-90 will get underway this summer.
