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Chicago, IL (June 8, 2026) – One person was injured in a two-car crash that shut down part of the inbound Kennedy Expressway during the early morning commute on Monday, June 8.
The wreck occurred on Interstate 90 near Austin Avenue and caused major traffic backups for drivers traveling toward downtown Chicago from the direction of O’Hare International Airport. Multiple lanes were closed as crews worked along the roadway, leaving traffic heavily congested from the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway.
According to reports, one person was taken to a hospital in critical condition. CPR may have been performed before the person was removed from the roadway. The inbound expressway remained partially blocked for several hours as emergency units worked in the closed lanes.
The right shoulder later reopened, followed by the right lane. By approximately 6:25 a.m., only the two left lanes remained closed. All lanes reopened shortly before 7 a.m., though investigators indicated additional closures could be necessary while they examined what led to the collision.
The people involved have not yet been publicly identified. Investigators are continuing to gather information and determine the factors that contributed to the crash.
We hope the person who was hurt makes a full and speedy recovery.
Why Expressway Crashes Often Cause Extended Traffic Delays
Crashes on major urban expressways can create significant travel disruptions, especially during peak commuting hours. When lanes are blocked, traffic volume usually exceeds the remaining roadway capacity, causing backups that can extend for miles beyond the original point of congestion.
In serious cases, roadway closures may remain in place while medical assistance is provided and damaged vehicles are removed. Investigators may also need time to document vehicle positions, roadway markings, and other physical evidence before normal traffic patterns can resume.
Traffic delays can continue even after lanes reopen because large numbers of vehicles remain queued behind the blockage. Transportation experts often refer to this as a residual traffic effect, where congestion persists until traffic flow gradually returns to normal levels. On heavily traveled routes such as interstate expressways, recovery from a major roadway blockage can take considerably longer than the cleanup itself.
