Prairie State Wire

The Jane Byrne Interchange reconstruction in Chicago has been selected as a finalist for the grand prize in America's Transportation Awards. This recognition is considered the highest honor for state departments of transportation. The project was acknowledged for its significant contribution to improving safety, mobility, and quality of life at both regional and neighborhood levels.

"We are honored to receive this recognition for our efforts on behalf of the people of Illinois and excited to showcase the important role our state plays as the transportation hub of North America," stated Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. "These are more than just projects to us, but opportunities to make our communities safer, better places to live, work and play."

The Jane Byrne Interchange is now competing for two awards: the national Grand Prize and the People's Choice Award. Each award includes $10,000 in prize money designated for a charity or not-for-profit organization chosen by the winning states. The Grand Prize winner will be selected by an independent panel of transportation industry experts, while public voting will determine the People's Choice Award.

Winners will be announced on November 15 in Indianapolis. Public voting for the People's Choice Award begins today at americastransportationawards.org and continues until November 14. Voters can submit one vote per day per project.

Out of 81 nationwide submissions, the Byrne project emerged as a Top 12 finalist in a contest hosted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), AAA, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The revitalization transformed one of America's most congested highway freight bottlenecks into a comprehensive transportation hub supporting businesses, residences, and local attractions. The over $800 million initiative included rebuilding bridges over the interchange with wider sidewalks for pedestrians, bike accommodations, a bus-only lane, an expansive walkway on Peoria Street, and enhancements to Chicago Transit Authority's Blue Line station with added accessibility features.

"These projects selected for our Top 12 list shine a spotlight on our most innovative and impactful projects in this year's competition," said AASHTO Executive Director Jim Tymon. "These vital projects deliver a range of benefits for their communities — whether providing emergency services during natural disasters, adding mobility options such as transit and active transportation infrastructure or working with partners to address larger societal issues like homelessness."

This marks the fourth time in six contests that an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) project has been named a finalist. Previous wins include improvements at Lake Shore Drive-Interstate 55 interchange in Chicago in 2018 and collaborative efforts with Missouri to enhance mobility across Metro East region in 2019.