I-44 was widened through the 41st Street bridge area in 2010-11, which "completes" work at the site where the first project associated with widening I-44, the 41st Street bridge, was built in 1985. Following completion of the 41st Street bridge, work began on segments at the east end of the 8.5-mile project and progressed west. As projects to the east were completed, plus the bridge and interchange at Yale Avenue to the west, work then began in the Darlington Avenue bridge area in early 2010, including the section between Darlington and Yale avenues, which left a gap between Darlington Avenue and the previously-widened section at Sheridan Road. This section was dormant for several months until construction began later in 2010 and was completed in the fall of 2011. The project included relocating the westbound I-44 ramps at 41st Street to connect with Hudson Avenue, thus creating a four-way intersection at that location (Hudson previously ended at 41st Street). The westbound exit ramp now begins as an exit-only lane northeast of 41st Street and then exits the highway to connect with 41st Street at Hudson Avenue. At 41st Street and Hudson Avenue, a dual left-turn lane was installed to assist westbound motorists in accessing I-44. After turning left, motorists have a choice either to access I-44 (left lane) or follow the frontage road (right lane). The new frontage road rejoins the former alignment just east of Darlington Avenue and continues west as before. The westbound frontage road between Sheridan Road and 41st Street still exists, but it now ends at 41st Street instead of continuing through the intersection as it did in the past. A traffic signal remains at this location to assist motorists accessing 41st Street, but they must turn right or left only. The section of frontage road between 41st Street and the new ramp configuration, as well as the former westbound I-44 on/off ramps to 41st Street, have been converted to landscaping. At left in this picture is the area where the former frontage road was located, Photo taken November 11, 2011.
