A Kennedy Expressway highway exit near Jefferson Park will be closed for at least one week after part of a retaining wall crumbled over the weekend.
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Saturday that there would be an emergency road closure at the inbound Lawrence Avenue exit on the Kennedy Expressway/Interstate 90. The concrete retention wall failure, which happened around 11 a.m. Saturday, is the reason for the emergency closure.
Preliminary repair work began on Monday, keeping the inbound exit completely closed for one week. Afterward, one of the two Lawrence Avenue exit lanes will reopen to traffic, according to IDOT.
“The initial assessment completed today indicates that the retaining wall will need a more in-depth inspection and evaluation to determine if a partial or complete replacement is needed, after a section failed on Saturday and required closing the ramp to all traffic,” IDOT said in a statement Monday.
While the Lawrence Avenue exit is closed, IDOT recommends commuters build in additional time to their drive and seek alternate routes. Drivers should pay extra attention while passing through work zones and be aware of all workers and repair equipment.