 | 02/15/2008 Illinois Tollway to Host February Open House Meeting for Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294) Congestion Relief Work
Work Underway to Rebuild & Widen 50-year-old Roadway;
Construction Underway to Add Capacity from O’Hare to state line
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – The Illinois Tollway will host a public open house meeting to share information regarding construction projects on the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294) with interested residents and drivers. The meetings will be held from 4-7 p.m., Thursday, February 21, at the Tri-State Tollway Construction Field Office, 1121 Lake Cook Road, Suite O, Deerfield. The open house format will allow the public to view displays and planning documents, as well as pose questions to representatives of the Illinois Tollway’s Engineering Department.
Construction will resume this spring on a nearly 45-mile stretch of the Tri-State Tollway (I-294/I-94) from O’Hare International Airport to the Wisconsin State line. The massive rebuilding and widening project launched in 2007 and is scheduled for completion in 2010 as part of the Illinois Tollway’s $6.3 billion Congestion-Relief Program – Open Roads for a Faster Future.
North Tri-State Rebuild & Widen Project
The North Tri-State Tollway (I-294/I-94) Rebuild &Widen Project includes rebuilding and widening the mainline to four lanes in each direction between Dempster Street and Lake Cook Road as well as from Half Day Road to IL 173, and rebuilding the less congested section north of IL 173 to Russell Road. In addition, 17 crossroad bridges throughout the North Tri-State Tollway corridor will be rebuilt and widened to accommodate mainline reconstruction.
The project, which began in 2007, will be completed over three years to minimize the impact to traffic on the Tollway and on local roads and bridge work will be staggered to the extent possible to reduce inconvenience. Work in 2008 will include rebuilding and widening of the northbound lanes between Grand and Russell Roads and in southbound lanes between Grand Avenue and Half Day Road.
Central Tri-State Rebuild & Widen Project
The Central Tri-State (I-294) Rebuild & Widen Project which began in 2006 continues on the 4.5 mile section between Balmoral Avenue and Dempster Street. Rebuilding and widening of the northbound mainline lanes began in 2007 and will wrap up in 2008, with work in the southbound lanes beginning in 2008. By the end of 2009, drivers will have four lanes of traffic in each direction between Balmoral Avenue to Dempster Street.
The project also includes reconstruction of interchange ramps at Touhy Avenue and Dempster Street. In addition, the Touhy Avenue Toll Plaza is being reconstructed and when complete will provide four Open Road Tolling lanes and new cash collection lanes on the right side of the plaza.
Illinois Tollway Works to Minimize Impact and Reduce Delays
The Illinois Tollway plans to maintain the same number of lanes as during normal conditions throughout the duration of construction. To make this possible, lane width will be reduced and traffic will be shifted during mainline rebuilding and widening. The Tollway is committed to limiting closures of ramps and lanes only when absolutely necessary and will time closures to have the least impact on drivers.
Work Zone Safety
Construction zone speed limits are in effect in all construction zones 24/7 and drivers should continue to watch for changing traffic patterns and use caution, especially when workers are present. While a 45 m.p.h. speed limit will be in place on the mainline. Illinois State Police have zero tolerance for drivers speeding in work zones. Posted signs advise motorists of a $10,000 fine and 14-year jail sentence for hitting a roadway worker. Keep Workers Alive – Drive 45.
Getting Tollway Construction Info
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
Part of Tollway’s Congestion-Relief Program
The reconstruction and widening of the north and central segments of the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294) are part of the Illinois Tollway’s Congestion-Relief Program - Open Roads for a Faster Future, which will reduce travel times by rebuilding/restoring nearly all of the system, widening/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. Open Road Tolling lanes are now available at all 20 plazas.
About the Illinois Tollway
The Illinois Tollway maintains and operates 274 miles of interstate tollways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the North-South Tollway (I-355), the Northwest Tollway (I-90) and the Tri-State Tollway (I-94, I-294, I-80/I-294). Tollway customers can save time and money with I-PASS electronic toll collection - Get I-PASS & Get Going!
All Work Is Weather Dependent.
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