Oct 29, 2025 - News
Kennedy construction took its toll on Chicago drivers
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The Illinois Department of Transportation announced last Friday that the three-year-long Kennedy Expressway construction project was finally finished.
- Let's all take a moment to rejoice!
The big picture: The $170 million project wrapped up a month early, which feels like an early holiday gift for commuters who've spent hours navigating traffic jams, neighborhood gridlock and hazardous driving conditions since 2022.
Zoom in: New national data shows the average U.S. car commuter is spending a record 63 hours annually stuck in traffic amid changes in when and why we drive, a new report finds.
- In Chicago, we experienced a whopping 87 hours in traffic.
Yes, but: We know why.