Congress Parkway Interchange, Chicago
PMCS ensured that the rebuild of Chicago’s Congress Parkway Interchange, which links the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) and Wacker Drive, stayed on schedule, on budget, and met its quality requirements. The project was completed in the first quarter of 2013.
The project’s main objective was to alleviate traffic, which included a complete reconstruction of the Congress Parkway interchange. From demolition and existing foundation rehab, to new tunnels, reconstruction, resurfacing and widening of roadways, to new lighting and ventilation in tunnels, this project was both challenging and gratifying for PMCS personnel.
The $116-million reconstruction of the Congress Parkway Interchange project included:
- Demolition of existing interchange roadways, including tunnels
- Replacement of 3 bridge decks and numerous beams, and widening of the Parkway’s fixed spans
- Reconstruction of Harrison Street from the fixed span at the Chicago River to Wells Street
- Two tunnels (both post tension), one from lower Wacker to westbound Congress, the other from eastbound Congress to Wacker Drive/Franklin Street, each about 1,750 feet long
- Development of two new parks with seating areas and a dog park
- New lighting and new gateway landscaping in the interchange
- Re-routing of a Metropolitan Water Reclamation District water chamber
All of these improvements were made while maintaining both vehicle and pedestrian traffic at all times.
Closely related to the Congress Interchange project was the rebuilding of the Monroe to Randolph section of Wacker Drive. For this project, PMCS and the rest of the Construction Management Teams:
- provided field inspection services
- reviewed construction sequencing to minimize pedestrian and vehicular interferences
- maintained access to abutter loading docks and parking
- mitigated noise and vibrations to abutting businesses, including the Lyric Opera House
- processed change orders and contractor payments
- resolved all construction issues, RFI’s, and approved submittals