Tag Archives: free legal consultation

Chicago Rated As The Worst Traffic Congested City In The U.S.

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Traffic analytics company, INRIX, issued it’s 2025 Global Scorecard last month and it was not good news for Chicago, Illinois. Chicago was ranked as the most congested city in the United States for 2025, ahead of New York, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Boston.

Chicago drivers lose an average of 112 hours annually in peak traffic over the time they would have spent in normal traffic. That’s 10 more hours lost in peak traffic than drivers in New York (102 hours), which came in second in the U.S., followed by Philadelphia (101 hours), Los Angeles (87 hours) and Boston (83 hours). For Chicagoans, the lost time cost the average motorist $2,063, while the city as a whole lost $7.5 billion, according to INRIX.

Overall, congestion resulted in U.S. drivers losing an average of 49 hours annually to traffic jams, an increase of six hours from 2024. That’s also the equivalent of about six working days, costing $894 in lost time and productivity.

A snapshot of Chicago’s INRIX report can be seen by clicking here.

I think it’s important to point out several reasons why Chicago rose to the top spot. First, the mulityear Kennedy Expressway construction project was completed through a bulk of 2025. It started in March and ran through the end of November. The closed lanes and exits along 1-90/94, plus the closed express lane led to denser congestion and longer commutes all summer and fall.

Also, the Chicago Department of Transportation (“CDOT”) chose 2025 to close multiple bridges all at the same time for much needed repairs. Those include the Lake Street, Cortland Street, Chicago Avenue and State Street Bridges. The Cortland and Chicago Avenue closures make transportation incredibley difficult when driving between the east and west sides of the city and often times requires jumping on the Kennedy for short periods in order to cross the Chicago river.

All of this construction, all at once, has made commute times much worse for Chicagoans. I will be interested to see if Chicago improves next year now that the Kennedy construction is complete.

If you have been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or Chicago truck accident, then call the Illinois personal injury attorneys at The Bryant Law Group, LLC., for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or you can go directly to the website at www.blgchicago.com.

Illinois’ New Transportation Laws For 2026

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A new year is upon us and there are dozens of new Illinois laws that took effect on January 1. I thought it would be helpful to drivers to list all the transportation related bills that take effect this year:

House Bill 2751 – Prohibits the sale of cars by car dealers in locations other than their dealership.

Senate Bill 1507 – Requires UIC to conduct a safety review of traffic on DuSable Lake Shore Drive, including crash data and potential AI camera implementation.

Senate Bill 1883 – Prohibits obstructing vehicle-registration plates with tape or other devices.

House Bill 1120 – Eliminates the requirement for the Secretary of State to include a space on driver’s licenses for indicating blood type.

Senate Bill 2285 – Updates the definition of bicycle to also include low-speed electric bikes.

I will be interested to see the results of UIC’s traffic study on Lake Shore Drive and the effects AI cameras could add. Hopefully this leads to less congestion. Also, it’s interesting to see electric bikes be included within the definition of a “bicycle.” This would require electric bike users to obey the same rules of the road as bicyclists.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a Chicago traffic accident or a Chicago bicycle accident, then please call the Illinois personal injury lawyers at The Bryant Law Group, LLC., for a freel legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or you can go directly to the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

Winter Driving TIPS From IDOT

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Commuters to work and school had the unfortunate task of driving in a slippery and snowy mess this morning as Chicago received its’ first snow fall of the year. Most of the Chicagoland area received between 4-8 inches of snow. Luckily the snow is supposed to melt in the next few days, but we know that this could be the first of many snowy weathers to come in Chicago. It is important to plan ahead in case you need to drive in winter weather.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”) provided the following winter weather driving tips to help us deal with days like today:

  • always wear a seat belt. It’s the law in Illinois.
  • Slow down. Slower speeds, slower acceleration, slower steering and slower braking all are required in winter driving conditions.
  • Drop it and drive. Put down the handheld devices – it, too, is the law in Illinois.
  • Don’t crowd the plow. A snowplow operator’s field of vision is restricted. You may see them, but they may not see you.
  • Avoid using cruise control in snow and ice.
  • Watch out for black ice on roads that appear clear but can be treacherous.
  • Be especially careful approaching intersections, ramps, bridges and shady areas. All are prone to icing.
  • Do not travel during bad weather unless absolutely necessary. If you do have to make a trip, check the forecast and make sure someone is aware of your travel route. Consider taking public transportation if it is an option.
  • Prepare an emergency kit that contains jumper cables, flares or reflectors, windshield washer fluid, a small ice scraper, traction material, blankets, non-perishable food and a first-aid kit.
  • Carry a cell phone and a car charger in case of emergency.
  • Follow Scott’s Law. Slow down and move over for stopped emergency, construction and maintenance vehicles.

Plan ahead and prepare yourself and your vehicle for what could be a very snowy 2025-26 Chicago winter.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a Chicago traffic accident or Chicago truck crash, then call the Illinois injury attorneys at the Bryant Law Group, LLC for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076. Or you can go directly to the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

Beware Of New “Traffic Ticket” Scam Aimed At Illinois Drivers

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I wrote earlier this year about a texting scam sent to Illinois drivers regarding fake unpaid tolls. The scammers would send a text threatening drivers license suspensions if the fines were not paid.

The scammers are back at again. NBC 5 Chicago reported this week that a new phishing scam has surfaced. Text messages stating there are “outstanding traffic ticket” with a “final notice” from a number purporting to be the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles. The fake messages warn that if the fines are not paid within 24 hours it could lead vehicle registration suspension, prosecution, credit score impact, and a 35% fee at tolls.

We know these are fake text messages because there is no such thing as the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles. Vehicles are registered through the Illinois Secretary of State’s office.

The Illinois Secretary of State’s office previously issued a warning back in May regarding the similar phishing scam: “These are not legitimate messages from the Illinois Department of Transportation,” a banner on IDOT’s website said. “If you receive a message report it to the Federal Trade Commission and/or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.”

If you receive one of these messages, please remember to ignore and do not click on any of the links as that could lead to stolen personal information on your phone.

If you or a loved one has been injured in Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then reach out to the Chicago personal injury attorneys at The Bryant Law Group, LLC. for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or go directly to the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

Cook County Sheriff Department Gets Creative In Traffic Safety Initiative

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Fox 32 Chicago reported recently about the Cook County Sheriff Department’s initiative to stop drivers from going onto the shoulders of highways. According to the report, the department is using helicopters to spot drivers who illegally use the shoulder to bypass traffic.

In a late September social media post, the department reported that in a three hours span, deputies issued 120 tickets to motorists caught driving on the shoulder. Of those, 49 were flagged by helicopter surveillance. The Department announced that they had issued over 1000 tickets. Fines for these violations can run from $250 to $1000. Shoulder driving is a moving violation and will affect driver license status if the tickets are not amended.

The Sheriff’s Department insists that this initiative is about safety and not about meeting ticket quotas. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”), there were 585 fatal car crashes on road shoulders nationwide in 2023.

Think twice if you are considering taking the shoulder the next you are sitting in a traffic jam in or around Chicago. The Cook County Sheriff’s Department could be watching from above and issue you a very expensive ticket.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago traffic accident or Chicago truck accident, then call the Illinois personal injury lawyers at The Bryant Law Group, LLC for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or go directly to the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

Chicago’s Kennedy Express Lanes Fully Open

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Chicago commuters recieved great news as they were heading to work monday morning. As reported by NBC Chicago and announced by the Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”), the inbound and outbound express lanes on 1-90/94 were fully operational as Monday morning.

Construction on the Kennedy is scheduled to resume through the rest of the fall as construction continues on several outbound ramps. The Wilson Avenue exit ramp is set to close Monday night for an estimated two weeks. The currently closed outbound Kennedy ramp to Division Street should reopen in mid-October. And the Ontario Street feeder ramp to the outbound Kennedy will be shut down in the next week or two. IDOT insists that the entire project will be completed by Thanksgiving.

The inbound express lanes opening is a huge relief for many Chicago commuters. Since this summer it can take over an hour to commute from O’Hare airport to the downtown loop. Hopefully these openings will ease commute times.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago car crash or suffered a personal injury, please reach out to the Chicago accident lawyers at The Bryant Law Group, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or go directly to the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

New Bike Path Connecting Lakefront Trails Coming to North Side of Chicago

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The Chicago Department of Transportation (“CDOT”) commitment to making the city more bicycle friendly and make bike transportation more accessible, is coming to fruition with a new northside bike path. According to Blockclub Chicago, the city is compleing a 2.5-mile bike route connecting the North Shore Channel Trail and Chicago’s lakefront trail. The path will lead to Winnemac Park, Andersonville’s Clark Street and the Asia on Argyle corridor.

CDOT told Blockclub that the only remaining stretch of the path that needs to be completed is of a 1 mile stretch between Damen Broadway through Ravenswood and Uptown. An exact timeline has not been announced, but it is expected to be finished before the end of the year.

The project is called “Winnemac Avenue Neighborhood Greenway.” Neighborhood greenways are bike routes on residential streets that include larger bike lanes (typically on oneway streets) and provide safer and calmer routes than biking on busy streets. You can view a map of the Winnemake greenway by clicking here.

A similar neighborhood greenway was constructed on Dickens street, that stretches from the 606 trail on the west side all the way to the Lincoln Park Zoo and the lake front. Dickens is a a west direction oneway street, but now contains a large bike lane that allows bicyclists to ride in both directions.

I continue to applaud these efforts by the city to improve bicycle accessiblity, especially allowing for paths throughout the city that are calmer and more kid friendly. This is not only safer for bicyclists, but will hopefully lead to less congested roads.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Chicago bicycle accident or a Chicago traffic accident, then call the Chicago injury lawyers at The Bryant Law Group, LLC. for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or go to the firm’s website directly at www.blgchicago.com.

Phase 2 Of Grand Avenue Contruction To Begin In 2026

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According to Block Club Chicago and the Chicago Department of Transportation (“CDOT”), a long awaited road improvement project on Grand Avenue will not begin until next year. CDOT announced earlier this week that the city is still going through a formal bidding process for the contruction, which will delay the start, which was originally announced in the summer of 2024.

The project along Grand Avenue, which stretches from Chicago Avenue to Ogden, will include additional protected bike lanes, slower speed limits, bus boarding islands, utility and structural work.

The first phase of the Grand avenue project, which stretched from Chicago Avenue to Damen, was completed last summer.

I applaud these road projects that have occurred piece by piece through the city the last five plus years. The additions of dedicated bike lanes and newer and protected CTA bus stops, makes busy streets and intersections much safer for bicyclists and pedestrians. Also, hopefully, reduce the number of cars on the road, by encouraging people to bike, walk and take public transportation. Also the streets (like Grand) look much nicer and more modern once construction is completed.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a Chicago car accident or Chicago bicycle accident, then call the Chicago accident lawyers at the Bryant Law Group, LLC for a free legal consutlation at 312-614-1076 or go directly to the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.

Jackson County, IL Sheriff Ramping Up Traffic Safety Enforcement

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The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department is joining hundreds of other Illinois law enforcement agencies in the effort to increase traffic safety over the 4th July holiday. The traffic safety campaigns include “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” “Drive High Get a DUI,” and “Click It or Ticket.” The sheriff’s department are deploying additional traffic patrol officers, which is supported by federal traffic safety funds from the Illinois Department of Transportation (“IDOT”). These efforts are part of IDOT’s broader “It’s Not a Game” media campaign, highlighting the dangers of impaired driving.

The initiative will focus on catching impaired and unbuckled drivers from June 20 through July 7. “We’re asking all of our residents and visitors to celebrate Independence Day safely,” said Sgt. Ronald Stanton from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

4th of July is a busy time on the roads, which a lot of celebrations. Please buckle up and always have a designated driver in your group.

Should you or a loved one unforturnately suffer a serious injury from an Illinois traffic accident or Chicago truck accident, then call the Chicago car accident attorneys at The Bryant Law Group, LLC. for a free legal consultation at 312-614-1076 or go directly to to the firms website at www.blgchicago.com.

Good News: Kennedy Expressway Construction Ahead of Schedule

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Chicagoans who commute in and out of the downtown loop using 90/94 and others driving to and from O’Hare airport received some welcome new this week. The final phase of the 90/94 (“Kennedy Expressway”) appears to be a month ahead of schedule. IDOT has not wavered from the Thanksgiving completion date, but they did state they are about a month ahead of schedule, which would hopefully put completion sometime in October 2025.

IDOT announced last week the following lane and exit openings and closings, which they said, have come a month ahead of what was originally scheduled.:

-Effective Sunday, June 1, traffic leaving downtown Chicago and heading northwest will be able to use both the express and local lanes to continue between Addison Street and the Kennedy-Edens junction at Montrose Avenue to get to O’Hare International Airport.

-the outbound lanes will shift slightly to the left on the new pavement between Addison Street and Montrose Avenue, and the reversible lanes will remain open in the outbound direction — with two mainline outbound lanes closed at a time. The reversible mid-gate entrances and exits will stay closed

This is welcome news and let’s hope that the project is actually completed ahead of schedule. Remember to stay alert when driving on the Kennedy. Traffic is tight and always be aware of the construction workers on the road.

If you or a loved one have been injured in Chicago traffic accident, please call the Illinois car crash attorneys at The Bryant Law Group, LLC., for a free legal consultion at 312-614-1076 or go directly to the firm’s website at www.blgchicago.com.