Buckled pavement forces Ill. officials to tell drivers to avoid downtown Chicago expressways

Drivers warned to avoid downtown Chicago highways

CHICAGO — Illinois officials have warned drivers to avoid downtown Chicago expressways after damaged pavement caused major traffic delays.

Illinois Department of Transportation spokeswoman Marisa Kollias says pavement buckled Wednesday afternoon on the Kennedy Expressway, also known as Interstate 90/94.

The department says workers were pumping concrete into an underground freight tunnel when “pressure made the road erupt.”

There were no injuries, but the damaged pavement left just one lane open on the Kennedy and caused long traffic delays in Chicago.

Officials say crews were working throughout the evening to try to repair the pavement and reopen the highway by Thursday morning’s rush hour.