I-294 Mainline
Between the Wolf Road and Plainfield Road traffic is currently shifted in both directions, including:

• Between North Avenue and Grand Avenue, two northbound lanes are traveling on the southbound side of the Tollway.
• Between North Avenue and St. Charles Road, one southbound lane is traveling on the northbound side of the Tollway.
• Between St. Charles Road and Butterfield Road, southbound I-294 is in a split configuration with two left lanes continuing on the I-294 mainline and two right lanes directed onto the auxiliary lanes providing access to exit ramps for eastbound I-290 and for westbound I-88 before reconnecting with the southbound I-294 mainline. Traffic must use the two right lanes to access the eastbound I-290 ramp and the westbound I-88 ramp. The two left lanes will be express lanes with the next available exit at Cermak Road. This traffic pattern on southbound I-294 will be in place into 2026.
• Between the Cermak Toll Plaza and Electric Avenue, two northbound lanes are traveling on the southbound side of the Tollway.
• Between Maple Avenue and Ogden Avenue, four northbound lanes of traffic are shifted to the left and one lane is shifted to the right with a work zone in the middle. All exiting traffic must use the right lane well in advance of the interchange to access both eastbound and westbound Ogden Avenue.

Traffic is scheduled to remain in this configuration through fall 2023.

Between Plainfield Road and 75th Street, traffic in both directions is shifted. Traffic is scheduled to remain in this configuration through 2023.

Between the Mile Long Bridge and 88th/Cork Avenue, traffic in both directions is shifted.

Please check the Daily Construction Alert for up-to-date closure information.

Local Roads
On Butterfield Road, traffic is reduced to a single lane in both directions under I-294 between Calvin Avenue and I-290. The closures are scheduled to remain in place through 2024.

On westbound Cermak Road, traffic is reduced to a single lane at I-294. In addition, the right auxiliary lane on eastbound Cermak Road is closed and two eastbound lanes remain open for traffic. The lane closures are scheduled to remain in place through the fall. 

Ramps
At the I-290/I-88 Interchange at I-294:

• The ramp connecting northbound I-294 to westbound I-88 is reduced to a single lane. On northbound I-294, four lanes of traffic will remain open to traffic with only one lane exiting to westbound I-88. Traffic is scheduled to remain in this configuration through fall.
• The ramp connecting eastbound I-88 to both northbound I-294 and westbound I-290 is reduced to a single lane. Ramp traffic will remain reduced to a single lane through the fall.
• The ramp connecting northbound I-294 to westbound Roosevelt Road is closed to traffic. A detour will be posted. The ramp is scheduled to remain closed through the end of 2023.
• The ramp carrying traffic from westbound I-290 to northbound I-294 is closed. A detour is posted. The ramp is scheduled to remain closed through the end of 2024.
• The ramp carrying westbound Roosevelt Road to southbound I-294 is closed for ongoing work to reconstruction the I-290/I-88 Interchange at I-294. A detour will be posted. The ramp is scheduled to remain closed through the end of 2024.
• Additional lane and ramp closures are scheduled throughout the year on I-294 and I-290. Detours will be posted. 

In conjunction with work at the 88th/Cork Avenue Interchange, the ramp connecting eastbound Archer Avenue to southbound I-294 is closed through 2025. A detour is posted. 

75th Street to Plainfield Road
Traffic Shifts

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Flagg Creek to Ogden Avenue
Traffic Shifts

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Ogden Avenue to Cermak Road Traffic Shifts

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Cermak Road to St. Charles Road Traffic Shifts

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St. Charles Road to O'Hare Oasis
Traffic Shifts

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Access to Ogden Avenue
Exit Ramps

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Butterfield Road to St. Charles Road Traffic Shifts

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A Regional Solution

The Central Tri-State Tollway is being reconstructed to increase capacity, reduce congestion and improve travel reliability. This work is part of the Tollway’s 15-year, $14 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future. More than 220,000 vehicles use this portion of the Tri-State Tollway daily.

A detailed planning and refinement process is underway to complete a design concept for rebuilding the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294). This process includes outreach efforts with customers, communities, businesses and partners to identify regional improvements and continue to refine the design details.

Visit the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) outreach page.

Sustainability

The Tollway is committed to building green and minimizing the environmental impact of construction by reducing, recycling and reusing materials.

In addition to reducing the cost of this work, reuse of these materials reduces the need for virgin asphalt materials and reduces energy consumption, greenhouse gases and the volume of material that would otherwise be sent to landfills.

Work Zone Safety

The Illinois Tollway is committed to ensuring that the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and local roads remain safe for both drivers and workers during construction, which is part of the agency’s overall commitment to roadway safety.

Work 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. 

Visit the Tollway's Work Zone Safety page.