Illinois Transportation Secretary Tim Martin today announced the start of the $300 million Robert Kingery Expressway (I-80/94) reconstruction project to improve public safety and congestion on the expressway. To address the safety issues associated with the Kingery, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) plans to improve traffic flow, decrease congestion, increase pavement and structural reliability and eliminate reckless merging and weaving of traffic. When finished, the project will increase public safety, improve road conditions, reduce expressway noise in the surrounding communities and decrease vehicle emissions on and around the Kingery.
The Kingery is an east-west route that provides a connection for traffic from I-294, I-94 and Rte. 394 and serves local, regional and interstate traffic. With nearly 160,000 vehicles utilizing the expressway every day, safety and traffic concerns have increased because of the expressway's aging condition. The average daily traffic count is projected to grow to 192,000 vehicles per day by 2020. With nearly 1,748 accidents and 420 injuries over a three-year period, the Kingery Expressway has become increasingly dangerous and overcrowded.
The project, which is the first major reconstruction of the Kingery in more than 50 years, covers 6.6 miles of expressway and includes 26 bridges. IDOT, which will be working hand-in-hand with the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA), has identified three primary problems that will be improved as a part of this project:
* Poor driving conditions;
* Traffic congestion due to high volume of cars and trucks; and
* Deterioration of the expressway and accompanying ramps.
The reconstruction of the Kingery will increase the number of lanes in each direction. This matches the proposed improvements by INDOT to the east and ISTHA to the west.
Last year, IDOT began work at the interchange of I-80 and I-94/Rte. 394.
