With DNC coming in a week, ceiling of Hubbard's Cave on Kennedy Expressway is half-painted

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The City of Chicago is trying to put its best foot forward for the Democratic National Convention —with a focus on cleaning everything up.

But one expedited project is being left unfinished.

Hubbard's Cave is that famous dark tunnel along the Kennedy Expressway—running for about a quarter mile beneath railroads, parking lots, and major streets such as Halsted Street. The tunnel runs from Hubbard Street to just north of Fulton Street, and was once regularly name-checked as a landmark in local traffic reports.

Hubbard's Cave also one of the busiest underpasses near the Democratic National Convention, which will be held next week primarily at the United Center. Upgrades have been under way for the tunnel, but as of Monday, only about half the painting of the steel girders on the ceiling of Hubbard's Cave was complete.

The steel was split with a shiny new gray paint job overt two lanes of traffic, and the old peeling paint and rusty patches on the other.

Transportation experts call it a bad look for an area that will see heavy traffic for those coming to and leaving the DNC.

CBS News Chicago asked Illinois Department of Transportation officials this summer whether the project would be expedited to be complete in time for the DNC like other infrastructure projects. IDOT said no, and said the project was on schedule as it is.

"I think we just maybe dropped the ball on this one," said DePaul University professor and transportation expert Dr. Joseph Schwieterman.

After hearing such comments from transportation experts, and seeing the unfinished state of Hubbard's Cave upon taking video of the unfinished outbound lanes, CBS News Chicago went back to IDOT—which released this statement:

"Inbound Hubbard's Cave painting was completed in mid-July. The portions in your video, the outbound lanes, are on pause until late August. The schedule is part of the efforts to have some limited availability for security purposes during the convention in the Kennedy's express lanes, though they will not be open to the general public. You will need to reach out to the Secret Service for more information. The overall timeline for the Kennedy project, including the Hubbard's Cave work, remains unchanged."

As advised, CBS News Chicago then went to the Secret Service—which released this statement:

"During the 2024 Democratic National Convention, the Kennedy Expressway's express lanes may be used by law enforcement and other public safety vehicles to help offset traffic impacts. Use of the Kennedy express lanes will not delay their reopening to the public."

"It really sends the wrong signal," Schwieterman said.

Schwieterman said Secret Service involvement or not, the situation is pretty simple when it comes to optics and the Hubbard's Cave project.

"The sad part about this is, a little rehab work, a little better timing—and I think all of that could have been done to have a little more of a grand entrance into Chicago, with the skyline in the background and the lighting," said Schwieterman. "That's not going to happen."

Instead, delegates for the DNC are going to see something that looks at least partially rundown and decrepit.

"A half-finished project where they actually see rust, or they see degrading structure, just leaves an impression in people's mind, I think, that we should've tried to avoid," Schwieterman said.

Schwieterman added that expediting the project likely would not have been too much trouble either.

"My sense is sometimes we don't do the easy stuff. I mean, painting and rehabbing existing facilities so they look good—that can be done quickly," he said, "and these timetables really are slow and drawn out—and you do wonder if the DNC could've been a good goal to have this done."

CBS News Chicago also asked IDOT broader questions about the greater rehabilitation project on the Kennedy Expressway. The second phase of a three-year $150 million project to rehab the expressway began in March—affecting the express lanes, which are close closed through the fall.

Phase 1, affecting the inbound lanes, was affected last year.

Q: What work is being done in the express lanes?

A: In addition to pavement and bridge work, the entire Reversible Lane Access Control (REVLAC) system is being rehabilitated along the reversible express lanes.

The overall Kennedy rehabilitation project is taking place over three construction seasons—which means the work will begin each year, weather permitting, in early spring and completed in late fall. The inbound Kennedy was completed in 2023. The reversible express lanes are currently under construction and are on schedule to be completed later this fall. Outbound Kennedy work will begin next spring and is anticipated to be completed fall 2025.

For more project information, visit https://idot.illinois.gov/projects/Interstate-90-Kennedy-Bridge-Study .

Q: Are you basically saying you had to pause one project to speed up another?

A: No.

Q: When were the express lanes supposed to reopen to the public?

A: Later this fall. As we previously stated, the timeline remains unchanged.

Q: Will the express lanes be reopening sooner than originally planned once the DNC is over?

A: No. The timeline remains unchanged. Additionally, it's important to note that project information and the timeline has been publicly shared for a couple years now. Attached are some previous press releases and handouts about the project that might be helpful.