 | 07/01/2008 Illinois Tollway Limits Construction Over July 4th Holiday Weekend
Tollway Urges Motorist Safety in Work Zones and New Traffic Patterns
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – The Illinois Tollway is limiting lane closures for construction projects over the July 4th holiday weekend from noon on Thursday, July 3, until 9 a.m. on Monday, July 7, but wants motorists to be aware of major traffic shifts that are in place in construction work zones throughout the system.
Traffic shifts and counterflow configurations in construction zones are in place on the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294), Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), and on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88). Drivers should follow roadway signs and be aware that counterflow Express Lanes may bypass local exits due to ongoing construction. Slower speeds may be necessary due to shifts in traffic, narrow lanes or no shoulders. Motorists must still obey the construction zone speed limit of 45 m.p.h. as posted, even if no workers are present.
As drivers prepare to travel for Independence Day celebrations, the Illinois Tollway encourages customers to Know Before You Go! – to make trips faster, easier and convenient. Most daily commuters know what to expect on their frequently traveled routes, but many times leisure travelers hit the road less-prepared. Occasional travelers often forget about construction until they are in traffic. By checking out www.illinoistollway.com before traveling, drivers can get current traffic and construction information, make sure they have funds in their I-PASS accounts and even plan to stop for gas or snacks at an Illinois Tollway Oasis along the way.
Tollway Construction Zones
Major construction areas where drivers should plan for slower traffic during the holiday include:
Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80)
North Tri-State
Traffic between Grand Avenue and the Wisconsin state line is shifted into a counterflow configuration with southbound traffic split into Local Lanes shifted to the right shoulder and two right-most lanes, and one northbound lane traveling on the southbound side of the road in an Express Lane. The Express Lane is for cars only and drivers do not have access to exit for approximately 11 miles. The next northbound exit ramp is at 104th Street in Wisconsin. Northbound traffic planning to exit at Rosecrans Road (IL Route 173) or Russell Road should stay to the right in the two Local Lanes.
In addition, to accommodate the traffic shift, the exit ramp from southbound I-94 to U.S. 41 is closed for the duration of the construction season. A detour is posted, directing southbound I-94 traffic to exit at Russell Road, continue westbound on Russell Road to Old Route 41, and south on Old U.S. 41 to reach U.S. Route 41. Temporary traffic signals are in use on Russell Road and Old U.S. 41.
Traffic between Grand Avenue (IL 132) and Half Day Road (IL 22) and between Lake Cook Road and Dempster Street is shifted into a counterflow configuration, with Local and Express Lanes where northbound traffic is shifted to the right shoulder and two right-most lanes, and one southbound lane is traveling on the northbound median shoulder in an Express Lane, separated from northbound traffic by barrier wall. The Express Lane is for cars only and drivers do not have access to exit until the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) Interchange. Traffic planning to exit at Milwaukee Avenue (IL Route 21), Buckley Road (IL Route 137), Townline Road (IL Route 60), Half Day Road (IL Route 22), Willow Road or Golf Road (IL Route 58) should stay to the right in the two Local Lanes.
Central Tri-State
Cash plaza traffic at the northbound Touhy Avenue Toll Plaza is reduced for plaza reconstruction with three toll booths and one I-PASS Only lane on the cash side of the plaza and two Open Road Tolling (ORT) lanes.
The ORT lanes are shifted to the right and re-join with the single lane exiting the cash plaza on a new collector-distributor road to reach the mainline. All traffic planning to exit at Touhy Avenue is directed through the cash toll plaza.
The entrance ramp to southbound I-294 from westbound Dempster Street is closed for ramp reconstruction work. The southbound entrance ramp from eastbound Dempster Street remains open. The posted detour route directs traffic to continue westbound on Dempster/Miner Street and turn left to go south on Des Plaines River Road to reach the Touhy Ave. entrance ramp to southbound I-294.
In addition, northbound traffic between Touhy Avenue and Dempster Street is shifted to the right shoulder and two right-most lanes, and three lanes of southbound traffic are now traveling on the northbound side of the road as work begins to rebuild and widen the southbound lanes.
Rehabilitation of the Tollway ramp bridge over taking westbound I-190 traffic to southbound I-294 has begun, with traffic shifted to the left side of the ramp in a reduced-width lane. The ramp remains open to car traffic and a detour route is posted for trucks. Truck traffic is directed to continue west on I-190 to Mannheim Road South, then re-enter I-190 eastbound to reach the southbound entrance to I-294. Eastbound traffic on I-190 is reduced to two thru lanes. The auxiliary lanes are closed during this construction stage but traffic can still enter and exit directly from the thru lanes.
South Tri-State
Southbound traffic from 95th Street to 159th Street is shifted into Local Lanes in the left-most lane, median shoulder and one Express Lane on the northbound side of the road. Northbound traffic is shifted to the right shoulder and two right-most lanes to accommodate the Express Lane.
Southbound traffic can access the Express Lane north of 95th Street. Only cars using I-PASS and planning to continue to eastbound I-80 should enter the Express Lane. Traffic using the Express Lane will not be able to pay cash at the 163rd Street Toll Plaza and will not have access to exit at 127th Street, 159th Street, or westbound I-80. Drivers exiting at these ramps must stay in the two right Local Lanes. The first available exit for southbound traffic entering the Express Lane will be Dixie Highway.
Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88)
York Road to Winfield Road
An eastbound traffic split is in place between the exit ramp to the southbound Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and York Road, with two eastbound lanes shifted left to allow for bridge work on the connector ramp. Traffic planning to exit to southbound I-294 must be in the right mainline lane to exit. The split lanes rejoin eastbound traffic prior to the exit to northbound I-294.
Westbound, counterflow traffic patterns are in place for the Rebuild & Widen Projects with traffic split into Express and Local Lanes between the York Road Toll Plaza and Winfield Road. Traffic will remain in this configuration throughout the 2008 construction season.
Westbound traffic between IL Route 83 and Finley Road is in a counterflow traffic pattern with one westbound lane of traffic in an Express Lane on the eastbound side of the road in order to keep three lanes of traffic open during construction. The counterflow Express Lane connects the existing counterflow configurations already in place between Finley Road and Washington Street to the west and York Road and IL Route 83 to the east.
Traffic entering I-88 from the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) or the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and traveling through the Open Road Tolling lanes at the York Road Toll Plaza is initially routed into two Express Lanes in the counterflow configuration. This configuration requires traffic exiting at Spring Road and at IL Route 83 go through the cash side of the plaza. No exit is available from the Open Road Tolling lanes.
The left-most Express Lane continues west while the right Express Lane shifts to the right at IL Route 83 and joins the Local Lanes exiting the cash side of the York Road Toll Plaza just west of the IL Route 83 ramps.
Drivers staying in the left Express Lane at IL Route 83 are not able to exit until Winfield Road – 11 miles to the west. Express Lane traffic planning to exit at Highland Avenue, Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), IL Route 53 or Naperville Road must stay in the right Express Lane and merge with the Local Lanes.
Naperville Road Interchange
Westbound I-88 traffic exiting at Naperville Road is now directed onto a new connector road – Freedom Drive – leading to Warrenville Road. Traffic may then use eastbound Warrenville Road to reach northbound or southbound Naperville Road. Traffic entering westbound I-88 at the Naperville Road Interchange also uses the new Freedom Drive connector road from Warrenville Road.
Aurora Toll Plaza to Orchard Road
Currently, the ORT lanes at the Aurora Toll Plaza are shifted to the right in each direction as work begins to reconstruct and expand the plaza to three ORT lanes in each direction. Three toll booth lanes are available at the cash plaza.
Just west of the toll plaza, the eastbound exit and westbound entrance ramps at the IL Route 31 Interchange are closed until late summer as part of rebuilding and widening of the eastbound mainline lanes. Detours are in place via Indian Trail Road and Orchard Road.
In addition, all mainline traffic is shifted onto the westbound side of the road, maintaining two lanes in each direction as the eastbound lanes are under construction.
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90)
Eastbound traffic between the South Beloit Toll Plaza and the Kishwaukee River is shifted onto the westbound side of the road for the project to rebuild and reconfigure the Cherry Valley Interchange at I-90/I-39. Two lanes are available in each direction during mainline reconstruction and widening.
The Newburg Road Bridge over I-90 is closed for reconstruction as part of the project to reconfigure the I-90/I-39 interchange. A detour is posted, directing traffic from the west to go north on Bell School Road, east on East State Street and south on Leesburg Court, Slater Drive and Mill Road to reach Newburg Road.
Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355)
Northbound traffic between 75th Street and Ogden Avenue is shifted left to the median shoulder and two left lanes to accommodate the work zone on the right shoulder for a Resurface & Widen project.
Illinois State Police District 15 Out in Force and Work Zone Speed Limit in Effect
Illinois State Police District 15 will be out in force patrolling the Illinois Tollway system throughout the holiday weekend, conducting roadside safety checks and Operation CARE (Combined Accident Reduction Effort), which focuses on the Fatal Five violations: speeding, seat belt usage, DUI, driving too closely and improper lane usage.
A 45 m.p.h. speed limit is in effect 24/7 in all construction zones and drivers should continue to watch for changing traffic patterns and use caution, especially when workers are present. The minimum fine for speeding in a work zone is $375, whether there are workers present or not.
Know Before You Go
The Tollway offers a variety of ways for drivers to get the latest information on construction and traffic on our roads.
- www.illinoistollway.com – Construction Section – for details by road
- 1-800-TOLL-FYI – daily lane closure info
- Roadway and electronic signs
- www.gcmtravel.com – travel times
- Sign up for E-mail updates
- Up-to-the-minute traffic by road – www.nbc5.com
- Construction eNewsletter – www.illinoistollway.com
About the Illinois Tollway
The Illinois Tollway maintains and operates 286 miles of interstate tollways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Tollway (I-90) and the Tri-State Tollway (I-94, I-294, I-80/I-294). In 2005 the Tollway kicked off its Congestion-Relief Program, Open Roads for a Faster Future, which will reduce travel times by rebuilding/restoring nearly all of the system, adding lanes to many miles of existing roads, converting 20 mainline toll plazas to barrier-free Open Road Tolling, and extending I-355 south to I-80 in Will County. Tollway customers save time and money with I-PASS electronic toll collection - Get I-PASS & Get Going!
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