IDOT In Final Weekend Of Work To Remove Montrose Avenue Bridge Over Kennedy Expressway
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Crews are wrapping up work this weekend to remove the Montrose Avenue bridge over the Kennedy Expressway.
The work to tear down the Montrose Avenue bridge began in late February, as Illinois Department of Transportation crews split up the work over three weekends to minimize impact on traffic.
The outbound Kennedy Expressway at Addison Street was reduced to three lanes overnight Friday night, and will be again between 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday, and then between 10 p.m. Sunday and 5 a.m. Monday. During the same times, the inbound Kennedy at Montrose Avenue will be reduced to one lane, with all traffic moved into the express lanes by midnight. Inbound traffic will continue in the express lanes and will not be able to exit until Armitage Avenue.
The express lanes will be open in the inbound direction from 7 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday and the inbound Edens Expressway (Interstate 94) will not be impacted.
Each night, starting around 1 a.m., traffic will be stopped completely near the Montrose Bridge for no more than 15 minutes at a time.
IDOT said while work is underway, the left lane on the inbound and outbound side of the Kennedy will be closed through 5 a.m. Monday.
The outbound exit ramp to Montrose Avenue will remain closed until 3 p.m. Tuesday.
All lanes will reopen, with the express lanes resuming their normal operations by 5 a.m. Monday, with the exit ramp to Montrose Avenue reopening 3 p.m. Tuesday.
Pedestrians accessing the Blue Line station at Montrose Avenue can also expect intermittent 15-minute sidewalk closures between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. Sunday and Monday.
Once the Montrose Avenue bridge is removed, work will begin on replacing the span, as well as upgrading existing lighting and installing lighting under the bridge and over the CTA station, according to IDOT. The project should be completed this summer.
While the bridge is being replaced, Montrose Avenue traffic is being detoured to Cicero Avenue, Irving Park Road, and Pulaski Road.
