I-55 Stevenson Expressway Reconstruction

CTE prepared rehabilitation design plans for one of four sections of the Stevenson Expressway (I-55) in Chicago for the Illinois Department of Transportation. Basic improvements consisted of widening I-55 to four lanes in each direction from east of California Avenue to the Dan Ryan Expressway, and reconstruction and/or resurfacing of I-55 from the Dan Ryan to Lake Shore Drive. CTE's segment of the project included elevated structures, retaining walls, and roadway reconstruction from east of Wolcott Avenue to east of Loomis Street. It also included improvements to side streets (frontage roads and ramps), and resurfacing of detour routes.  Elevated structures in CTE's contract were multi-span continuous steel stringer units, 30 spans for I-55 westbound and 31 spans for I-55 eastbound. Also included were two grade separation structures and a four-span structure over the south fork of the South Branch of the Chicago River. 

The original schedule called for 12 months to complete contract plans for this $77 million program.  However, due to unusual circumstances, this schedule was compressed to only eight months.  CTE met this challenge by working extraordinary hours, drawing upon resources from all of our offices, and developing innovative design solutions, which required less staff and time.