Edens construction a commuting nightmare

October 1, 2007 (WLS) -- Construction on the Edens Expressway means heavy traffic early, confusing commutes and frustrated drivers.

One lane is closed in both directions for 8 miles on the 56-year-old expressway, which carries about 170,000 cars every weekday.

"It's double what it was about a year ago as far as my commute in the morning and the afternoon," said James Matus, Edens commuter.

"I'm avoiding the Edens, although I think it's going quicker than this road is right now," said Wendy Lundgren, Edens motorist.

"Take an alternate route somewhere, not sure, which one, but I will," said John Colagrossi, Edens motorist.

"I think it's bad for everyone, because people are going to be late for work," said Kenneth Bowman, Edens motorist.

Because there are few alternatives, drivers are fending for themselves during rush hour.

"There is no real good alternate rout. So therefore we're just asking commuters to leave early," said Juris Velkme, I-DOT. "This week I think some people will be staying away, doing as we suggested, and next week I think we're going to get a real read on it when people start coming back, what the traffic patterns are."

Monday morning, I-DOT crews were monitoring traffic volumes on the Edens as well as on side streets, like Cicero, Waukegan and Green Bay, to see just where motorists were going, and tweaking signal timings if needed.

The project involves patching 56 miles of the highway.

While this week may be challenging, I-DOT says weather permitting, the lane restrictions will move by the middle of next week further south on the inbound side and further north on the outbound side, which should ease some of the congestion on the outbound Kennedy.

Next year will be the real challenge when crews rebuild several bridges and resurface the entire road.

"The cracks are developing to the point where if we don't do anything now, in 3 to 4 years you could be looking at doing a complete reconstruction project at upwards of 5 to 6-hundred millions dollars," said Velkme.

"They say to delays; then I expect delays," said Alan Leff, Edens commuter.

The speed limit is 45 mph through the construction zone.

The project costs $42 million.

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