Overview
- A WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times analysis published Oct. 23, 2026 compared 22 years of drive-time data and found delays between Downtown and O’Hare were the worst in more than two decades.
- Most of the longest recorded Kennedy commutes occurred during the three-year rehabilitation that began in March 2023 and was declared complete in October 2025.
- The analysis identified a June 2025 peak when weekday outbound trips from Downtown to O’Hare averaged about 74 minutes between 2 and 3 p.m.
- The state spent more than $170 million on the 7.5-mile Downtown–Edens junction rehab, but documents show a separate Foster Avenue bridge reconstruction has fallen far behind schedule and continues to worsen backups.
- Longer travel times have real effects on commuters who use the Kennedy to reach work and O’Hare, and the gap between officials’ promise of faster commutes and current data raises pressure for faster completion and clearer project coordination.