CHICAGO — The Morgan Street Bridge, the first of nine major spans being rebuilt under the $420 million reconstruction of the Jane Byrne Interchange, is open to traffic again, IDOT announced late Monday.
Construction began in September 2013 to replace the bridge, which runs above the Eisenhower Expressway and the Blue Line. The new longer bridge features new sidewalks, modernized traffic signals, improved lights and additional space under the bridge for further improvements of the interchange.
“Commuters, local residents and business owners will start to see benefits immediately with the new Morgan Street Bridge opening. This is a major milestone for the Jane Byrne Interchange reconstruction. We appreciate the continued patience and look forward to many more improvements to come,” said Erica Broggren, acting secretary of IDOT.
In addition to the Morgan Street Bridge, eight other bridges will be rebuilt: Taylor Street, Harrison Street, Van Buren Street, Jackson Boulevard, Adams Street, Monroe Street, Halsted Street and Peoria Street. The new bridges will include bike lanes, wider sidewalks and improved access to public transportation.
Halsted and Peoria over the Eisenhower and the Harrison bridge over the Dan Ryan are currently under construction.
The Jane Byrne Interchange — also known as the Circle Interchange — connects the Eisenhower, Dan Ryan and Kennedy expressways, serving nearly 400,000 cars a day including 30,000 trucks. The four-year renovation began last year.
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