Jane Byrne Interchange

Jane Byrne Interchange
Circle Interchange
View of the interchange from the BMO Tower in October 2022
Map
Location
Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates41°52′32″N 87°38′44″W / 41.87556°N 87.64556°W / 41.87556; -87.64556
Roads at
junction		 I-90

I-94
I-290


 IL 110 (CKC)
Construction
Opened1960s; 63 years ago (1960s)
Maintained byIDOT

The Jane Byrne Interchange (until 2014, Circle Interchange) is a major freeway interchange near downtown Chicago, Illinois. It is the junction between the Dan Ryan, Kennedy and Eisenhower Expressways (I-90/I-94 and I-290), and Ida B. Wells Drive.[1] In a dedication ceremony held on August 29, 2014, the interchange was renamed in honor of former Chicago mayor Jane M. Byrne (1979–1983).[2]

First developed in the late 1950s and 1960s, over time the interchange in its original configuration became notorious for traffic jams. In 2004, it was rated as the country's third-worst traffic bottleneck, with approximately 400,000 vehicles using it per day.[3][4] In a 2010 study of freight congestion (truck speed and travel time), the U.S. Department of Transportation ranked this section of I-290 as having the worst congestion in the United States.[5] This led to an $800 million reconfiguration begun in 2013 and completed in December 2022.[6]

  1. ^ Neil Steinberg (May 23, 2023). "Honor Jane Byrne on her 90th birthday by taking the train". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on June 19, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  2. ^ "Circle Interchange to Be Renamed for Jane Byrne Today". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on August 29, 2014. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference POP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Chapter 3". Traffic Congestion and Reliability: Trends and Advanced Strategies for Congestion Mitigation. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2007.
  5. ^ "Table 3-9. Top 25 Freight Highway Locations by Freight Congestion Index Rating: 2010". Federal Highway Administration. 2011. Archived from the original on June 6, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
  6. ^ Dudek, Mitch (December 14, 2022). "After nearly 10 years, Jane Byrne Interchange 'substantially complete,' expected to cut congestion in half". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.