 | 04/15/2009 Illinois Tollway, DuPage County and City of Aurora Break Ground
for New Eola Road Interchange on Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88)
Project Scheduled to Provide New Access by End of 2009;
Features Illinois Tollway’s First All-Electronic Ramp Toll Collection Facility
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. – Illinois Tollway, DuPage County and City of Aurora officials broke ground today on a $50 million project to construct a new, full-access Interchange that will feature all-electronic tolling at Eola Road and the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) to help reduce congestion on the local road network in Aurora and Naperville. DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom, Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner and U.S. Rep. Bill Foster were joined by Illinois Tollway Acting Executive Director Michael T. King and Director George Pradel to dig the first shovels full of dirt on the site where construction will begin this month. The new interchange is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year and is part of the Illinois Tollway’s $6.3 billion Congestion-Relief Program.
“The new Interchange at Eola Road is an excellent example of what government can accomplish when state and local agencies work together,” King said. “This project will improve access for commuters from neighboring communities, as well as offer incentive to new business and developments in the area.”
The Tollway is the lead agency on the construction of the interchange under guidelines set by the Illinois Tollway Interchange Policy. Agreements between the city, county and Tollway call for the Tollway to cover up to $25 million of project costs, with DuPage County funding up to $19 million for construction and right-of-way and the City of Aurora contributing up to $6 million for right-of-way. The new interchange will include four ramps providing access for Eola Road traffic to and from the Tollway via Bilter Road on the north side of I-88 and Diehl Road on the south side of I-88.
“This project is going to significantly reduce traffic congestion in our area, which means less time on the road for our residents and more time with family,” said DuPage County Board Chairman Robert J. Schillerstrom. “This is more than an investment in improving roads; it is about improving quality of life.”
“This interchange will be a vital improvement to our region, reducing congestion while at the same time creating jobs and growing our economy,” Rep. Bill Foster said. “I am proud we were able to secure almost a million dollars in funding to support this project.”
“Aurora residents will benefit directly from reduced congestion on local roads and improved access to I-88 with the new Eola Road Interchange,” Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner said. “The project will also bring thousands of jobs to the area.”
Illinois Tollway’s Interchange Policy requires local participation from communities that benefit from Tollway improvements and enhanced access. In addition to the Eola Road project, the Tollway has agreements with other communities for funding other improvements, including a $20 million local contribution for interchange improvements from communities directly benefiting from the construction of the 12.5 mile extension of the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) in Will County.
“Today’s groundbreaking not only signals continued cooperation between the Tollway and our neighbors, but signals an exciting new technology as we build the first, all-electronic toll collection facility on the Illinois Tollway,” said Illinois Tollway Director George Pradel, who also serves as mayor of Naperville. “Commitment to share financially in the Eola Road Interchange project is a win-win for Tollway commuters and Aurora and Naperville residents.”
First Electronic-Only Toll Collection
The new Eola Road Interchange will provide all-electronic toll collection, the first on the Illinois Tollway system. With a high volume of I-PASS users on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the new Eola Road Interchange is an ideal location for an I-PASS Only toll facility. The majority of traffic expected to use the interchange are commuters with I-PASS. Cash-paying customers will have access to existing interchanges at Farnsworth Avenue two miles to the west or IL Route 59 two miles to the east.
Work Begins Mid-April
Work to build the Eola Road Interchange is scheduled to begin in mid-April with shoulder resurfacing and median work to accommodate traffic shifts on I-88 for construction work zones. Mainline I-88 traffic will be shifted to the median shoulder and two left-most lanes to keep three lanes open in each direction while constructing the new interchange. In addition, work will begin to relocate the Illinois Prairie Path during construction until a new permanent route is completed. The detour route is scheduled to be in place later this spring.
The project will also have an impact on local roads this month as utility relocation work begins on Diehl Road, Bilter Road and Eola Road. Work to resurface Bilter Road to the north and resurface and widen Diehl Road to the south is scheduled to begin in early summer, and widening of the intersection of Diehl Road and Eola Road is scheduled to begin in mid-summer. All work is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
Part of Tollway’s Congestion-Relief Program
Construction of the Eola Road Interchange on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) is part of the Tollway’s $6.3 billion Congestion-Relief Program, Open Roads for a Faster Future, which will reduce travel times by rebuilding/restoring 90 percent 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.
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 Memorial Tollway (I-90) and the Tri-State Tollway (I-94, I-294, I-80/I-294). Tollway customers save time and money with I-PASS electronic toll collection - Get I-PASS & Get Going!
All Work Is Weather Dependent.
I-88 Eola Road Interchange Map
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