Touhy Avenue work near Mount Prospect Road enters 2026 phase
A planned Touhy bypass, Mount Prospect Road closure and I-294 lane restrictions will reshape travel near Mount Prospect as work continues into 2027.
The Touhy Avenue reconstruction near Mount Prospect Road is entering a consequential phase in 2026, with storm-sewer work, construction of a temporary bypass and a planned full closure of Mount Prospect Road.
The project is expected to affect Mount Prospect-area drivers, freight traffic, airport trips and businesses that depend on access through the Touhy Avenue corridor. Construction is scheduled to continue into 2027.
What is being rebuilt
Cook County is rebuilding Touhy Avenue between Elmhurst Road and Mount Prospect Road. The nearly $100 million project is a multi-agency transportation effort tied to the future I-490 western O’Hare access corridor.
Cook County records and project information describe the corridor as carrying approximately 32,000 vehicles per day, including freight and airport-related traffic. The work is intended to improve a route affected by Union Pacific railroad tracks and prepare the corridor for its relationship with future tollway infrastructure.
The project is not entirely inside Mount Prospect, but its traffic effects extend into the village and nearby road network.
What is planned for summer 2026
Current work includes storm-sewer construction and construction of a temporary Touhy Avenue bypass. Cook County has described opening the bypass during summer 2026 as a project target. It should not be treated as open unless the county issues a current confirmation.
The schedule also calls for a planned full closure of Mount Prospect Road between Howard Avenue and Touhy Avenue during summer 2026. That closure is a separate near-term disruption within the larger Touhy Avenue reconstruction schedule and should not be confused with the village’s separate Schoenbeck Road construction work.
Drivers should check current Cook County and Mount Prospect notices before traveling through the area because work stages, closures and detours may change.
How travel and businesses may be affected
Local drivers may see changing routes and delays near Touhy Avenue, Mount Prospect Road, Howard Avenue and Elmhurst Road. Freight operators and airport-bound travelers may face additional complications because Touhy serves as a regional connection rather than only a neighborhood street.
Businesses near the corridor may also have to manage changing access conditions during construction. The available project information supports the likelihood of altered traffic patterns and access challenges, but it does not establish specific effects for individual businesses.
Regional travel is also being affected by related Illinois Tollway work. In a July 15, 2026 update, the Tollway identified additional lane restrictions on Touhy Avenue under I-294. Those restrictions may overlap with the broader travel impacts of the Cook County project, but they are not identical to the reconstruction between Elmhurst Road and Mount Prospect Road.
Why the project matters long term
The planned improvements are intended to separate Touhy traffic from the Union Pacific railroad tracks and the future tollway, improve intersections and pedestrian access, and support freight and airport connections.
Cook County expects the larger project to be completed by the end of 2027. For Mount Prospect-area residents, the main takeaway is that this is a multi-year reconstruction project, not a short-term resurfacing job. Travel conditions are likely to change as bypass work, closures, lane restrictions and later construction stages move forward.
What to watch next
The most important near-term updates are whether the temporary bypass opens on the planned summer schedule, when the Mount Prospect Road closure begins, and how traffic restrictions change near I-294. Residents, commuters, freight operators and airport travelers should rely on current notices from Cook County, the Illinois Tollway and the Village of Mount Prospect before choosing a route.
Sources
- Cook County Touhy Avenue reconstruction project page
- Illinois Tollway July 15, 2026 roadway and bridge repairs update
- Daily Herald report on the Touhy Avenue reconstruction
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