Illinois Tollway Urges Safe Driving In Work Zones This Fourth of July Holiday
The Illinois Tollway is urging drivers to slow down in construction work zones and avoid distracted driving when traveling this Fourth of July holiday.
The Tollway expects 9.6 million vehicles to travel the Tollway system over the long Fourth of July holiday weekend. The heaviest travel is expected on Thursday, June 30, and Friday, July 1, when 1.9 million vehicles are projected to use the 294-mile Tollway system each day. On an average day, more than 1.6 million vehicles use the Illinois Tollway.
“Construction is underway in many locations on the Tollway system from ongoing project to short-term repairs, so it’s vitally important for drivers entering any work zone to slow down, eliminate distractions and focus on safety,” said Illinois Tollway Interim Executive Director Lanyea Griffin. “Safety is everyone’s responsibility and we encourage drivers to take a break at one of our oases to send text messages and make phone calls to prevent accidents and save lives.”
Holiday Work Zones
To accommodate holiday travel on the Illinois Tollway, construction activity will be restricted to better serve Tollway customers. Most temporary maintenance and construction lane closures will be suspended from noon on Friday, July 1, through 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 5. Some work may continue behind barriers to keep work on schedule. All work is weather-dependent.
Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80)
- On I-94, traffic in both directions between Half Day Road and Atkinson Road is shifted.
- On I-294 between the O’Hare Oasis and 95th Street, traffic is shifted in both directions. Counterflow lanes are in place throughout the Central Tri-State corridor. Watch for signage indicating changing traffic patterns.
- On I-294, the ramp from eastbound Archer Avenue to southbound I-294 is closed and a detour is posted.
- On I-294, the ramps from northbound I-294 to Wolf Rd and southbound I-55 are closed and detours are posted.
Illinois State Police Urges Responsible Driving
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.
The Illinois Tollway and Illinois State Police District 15 remind motorists that the “Move Over Law” requires motorists to change lanes or to slow down and proceed with caution when passing any vehicle on the side of the road with hazard lights activated. If you see flashing lights ahead, please move over or slow down.
Illinois State Police have zero tolerance for drivers speeding in work zones or failure to comply with the Move Over Law. The minimum penalty for speeding in a work zone is $250 with up to a $25,000 fine and a 14-year jail sentence for hitting a roadway worker. Penalties for failure to slow down or move over for a vehicle on the shoulder with flashing lights includes up to a $10,000 fine, 2-year suspension of driving privileges and jail time, in extreme cases.
A convenient place to take a break
Oases located along the Tollway system provide drivers an opportunity to stop for calls and texts or simply take a break. The oases provide a variety of food, beverage and retail offerings, as well as 7-Eleven stores and fuel stations.
On the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80), there are two oases with over-the-road pavilions at Lake Forest and the Chicago Southland Lincoln in South Holland and 7-Eleven stores and fuel stations at Hinsdale and O’Hare. There are also oases with pavilions on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) in DeKalb and on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) in Belvidere.
About the Illinois Tollway
The Illinois Tollway is a user-fee system that receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and operations. The agency maintains and operates 294 miles of roadways 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), the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80) and the Illinois Route 390 Tollway.