Features
One feature of the Kennedy Expressway is the Chicago Transit Authority's Blue Line that lies in the median for about ten miles (16 km) from just south of Addison Street to just east of Mannheim Road. In 1984, the city of Chicago decided that the best option to serve the needs of the people regarding public transportation,was a rapid transit line constructed in the median to O'Hare Airport instead of a fourth lane in both directions. This had been done previously in the early 1950s within the medians of the Eisenhower Expressway, and for the Dan Ryan Expressway in 1969. The decision proved to be wise, as the rail line is heavily traveled by commuters and travelers during the rush hour.
The second distinct feature of the Kennedy Expressway are its reversible express lanes where Interstate 94 merges into Interstate 90. The reversible lanes lie in the median of the highway from the Kennedy Expressway/Edens Expressway junction until just north of the Loop (at Ohio street), a distance of about 8 miles (13 km). These reversible lanes allow 2 lanes of traffic to flow towards or away from the city, depending on the time of the day. The lanes are controlled by computers and verified by humans at a separate control center. Steel mesh barriers and breakaway gates prevent traffic from entering oncoming lanes. To date, there has never been a successful wrong-way vehicle incursion incident in the express lanes.
The final distinct feature are the last two miles (3 km) — there are 9 exits in 2 miles (3.2 km) along mileposts 50 and 51, and the southbound exit to Interstate 290 and Congress Parkway is marked as exits 51H and I. While the density of interchanges is quite dangerous, the hazard is partially offset by the fact that exits are 500 feet (152 m) apart and on the right hand side, while entrances to the highway are also 500 feet (150 m) apart, but on the left side. In spite of the separated nature of the interchanges, there is little to no acceleration zone on the entrance ramps, and traffic on the ramps cannot see mainline traffic until the last fifty feet (15 m) of the ramp. Many believe that these factors make these entrances unsafe, and avoid them. Because of these factors, the speed limit is still 45 mph (70 km/h) in this area, and most people choose to use Ohio Street or Congress Parkway since these entrances are on the right. In December 2005, as part of replacing the Washington Street bridge, the city of Chicago closed its entrance ramps to the Kennedy as a safety measure while still allowing access to the expressway from the West Loop. A major construction project to revamp these so called 'suicide ramps' was started in 2009.
The Kennedy Expressway was the location of a large Magikist lips flashing sign which was a Chicago pop culture icon for many years. Located at the southeast corner where Montrose Avenue abutted the expressway, the sign was torn down in 2004.
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