 | 11/20/2009 Illinois Tollway Suspends Construction Lane Closures
over Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend
Roadwork Completion on Tri-State (I-294), Reagan Memorial (I-88) and Jane Addams Memorial (I-90) and Veterans Memorial (I-355) Tollways to Benefit Holiday Travel
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. The Illinois Tollway is offering holiday drivers a bounty of completed rebuild and widen projects including new pavement with additional lanes on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) and Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) in time for Thanksgiving.
Additionally, the Illinois Tollway will suspend temporary lane closures for construction over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend from noon on Wednesday, November 25, until 9 a.m. on Monday, November 30, but wants motorists to be aware of remaining work zones in final configurations with road work scheduled for completion by the end of the year as part of the Illinois Tollways $6.3 billion Congestion-Relief Program Open Roads for a Faster Future.
The Tollway recently completed Rebuild & Widen work on the South Tri-State Tollway (I-294), and on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) between York Road and IL Route 83, providing four lanes in each direction. On another I-88 project between the Aurora Toll Plaza and Orchard Road and on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), drivers are benefiting from three new lanes of roadway in both directions. Drivers on the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) have been traveling on four new lanes of pavement between Ogden Avenue and 75th Street since earlier this fall as part of the I-355 Resurfacing and Widening Project.
As drivers prepare to travel for Thanksgiving 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.
On the roadways, Thanksgiving holiday travelers will benefit from recent traffic shifts that have removed traffic splits and counterflow Express Lane construction configurations throughout all remaining projects on the Central and North Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294) and Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) Rebuild & Widen Projects as work enters into the final stages.
Drivers should follow roadway signs. A 45 m.p.h. speed limit is in effect 24/7 in all remaining 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.
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
Northbound traffic is shifted to the right shoulder and right two lanes between Half Day Road (IL Route 22) and Grand Avenue (IL Route 132) and between Dempster Street and Lake Cook Road while construction is ongoing in the center median.
Other North Tri-State Tollway construction work includes:
- On the Half Day Road (IL Route 22) Bridge over the Tollway one lane of traffic in each direction on Half Day Road is being maintained on the newly constructed eastbound bridge.
Central Tri-State
Southbound traffic is shifted to the right shoulder and right two lanes between Touhy Avenue and Balmoral Avenue as work continues in the median and inside lane.
Other Central Tri-State Tollway construction work includes:
- A traffic shift remains in place in both directions between Wolf Road and Balmoral Avenue for bridge work, with traffic shifted to the left shoulder and three left lanes and a work zone on the right.
Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88)
Construction work zones are in place on the east end of I-88 from IL Route 83 to Finley Road with three lanes of traffic maintained in both directions.
- Eastbound traffic between Finley Road and IL Route 83 is no longer in an Express Lane configuration with three lanes traveling on the right with a work zone in the center median. Westbound traffic also remains shifted to the right three lanes with a work zone in the median to complete median barrier wall, shoulder and roadway lighting work.
Construction zones are also in place to the west around Aurora to complete construction of the westbound Fox River Bridge on the Rebuild & Widen Project between the Aurora Toll Plaza and Orchard Road.
- Traffic in both directions over the Fox River west of the Aurora Toll Plaza is traveling over the eastbound Fox River Bridge as work continues to build the new westbound Fox River Bridge. Two lanes are maintained westbound and three lanes are maintained eastbound over the bridge.
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90)
Traffic in each direction between IL Route 25 and IL Route 31 is shifted to the left shoulder and two left lanes to accommodate bridge work.
Illinois State Police District 15 Out in Force
Illinois State Police District 15 will be out in force patrolling the Illinois Tollway system throughout the holiday weekend. State Troopers will be conducting construction zone speed enforcement details, roadside safety checks, occupant restraint details, alcohol enforcement details, as well as enforcement of the Fatal Five violations speeding, seatbelt enforcement, following too closely, improper lane usage, and DUI.
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 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.
| |