On Wednesday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) joined local officials to celebrate the completion of one of the largest projects undertaken by the state – the Jane Byrne Interchange reconstruction.
The multiyear effort modernizes a key gateway to downtown Chicago, officials said, and eliminates a notorious bottleneck, improving safety, efficiency, and mobility.
“Today, I’m proud to announce the reconstruction of the Jane Byrne Interchange is finally completed,” Pritzker said. “For almost a decade, Illinois’ first-rate workforce worked day in and day out to entirely reconstruct this massive project. And in the last few years, IDOT accelerated and streamlined the construction process to get this done — and the great men and women of Illinois’ construction industry persevered. They are the ones who made this happen. I know I speak for all of Illinois when I say that we couldn’t be more grateful for the labor and dedication of every single worker on this project.”
The $806 million project is the first rehabilitation of the interchange since it was constructed more than 60 years ago, officials said. Officials said the last few pieces of the project will wrap up this week.
The project is expected to reduce vehicle delays by 50 percent, and officials estimate it will save motorists an annual 5 million hours sitting in traffic and $185 million in productivity. Emissions are expected to fall by a third, and gas consumption is expected to decrease by 1.6 million gallons per year. Officials also expect vehicle crashes to fall by 25 percent.
The project included the construction or reconstruction of 19 bridges, 21 ramps, a new stormwater detention system, wider ramps, new LED lighting, and improved signage, among other items.