Bridge work to cause Kennedy detours Wednesday near downtown

Work on the Ohio Street bridge over the Kennedy Expressway will require some ramp closures and will create significant detours for drivers downtown Wednesday night.

The closures start at 9 p.m. and continue until 5 a.m. Thursday, according to a release from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The Ontario Street feeder ramp to the inbound Kennedy will be closed, IDOT said. Instead, a detour will take drivers onto the outbound Kennedy and direct them to turn around back onto the highway via Augusta and Milwaukee.

The ramp from westbound Congress Parkway to the outbound Kennedy will also be closed, IDOT said. The posted detour will instead take drivers outbound on the Eisenhower Expressway, turn around at Ashland Avenue and allow drivers to take the inbound Eisenhower back onto the outbound Kennedy.

The bridge work will also close the Jackson, Adams and Randolph street ramps to the outbound Kennedy, and reduce the number of lanes from Jackson to Ogden, IDOT said.

The construction will allow for beam installation as part of the ongoing Ohio Street bridge project, IDOT said. Motorists should expect delays and allow for extra travel time.