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[Brandon]

I saw the beginnings of the new flyover ramps at Thorndale and 290 for the Elgin-O'Hare. Reminds me of when they began to build the 355 interchange (hopefully the EOH won't become a 355 standstill project due to funds running out)

The 355 interchange was not due to funding, but due to the EIS having to be redone.

[Rick Powell]

I saw the beginnings of the new flyover ramps at Thorndale and 290 for the Elgin-O'Hare. Reminds me of when they began to build the 355 interchange (hopefully the EOH won't become a 355 standstill project due to funds running out)

I don't think that will be an issue since the Tollway Authority is fronting most of the funds for the EOH extension/bypass project. True, it's not an endless cash flow, but ISTHA seems to handle their funds decently.

With their last toll increase in August 2011, ISTHA has a LOT more bonding authority for this project than before, as well as adequate bonding authority for the ongoing I-90 reconstruction and expansion and several other system rehabs and improvements.

[Revive 755]

There's a bunch of signs being stored in the SE quadrant of the intersection of Highland Road with the EB I-88 ramps.  Couple of them appeared to be I-PASS signs for toll plazas and another appeared to be a smaller BGS with an I-355 shield.  Unfortunately the light changed before I could get a picture.

[Joe The Dragon]

I think one of was left lane i-pass only and cash keep right.

The exit there is 2 cash lanes and 0 i-pass only lanes.

[Revive 755]

Meeting exhibits from the recent meeting for I-55 through Springfield are up.  Highlights from the alternatives exhibits:

* I-72 is widened to six lanes from IL 4 to I-55

* I-55/I-72 is widened to six lanes from the 6th Street interchange to south of the IL 29 interchange

* From south of the IL 29 interchange to north of the I-72/Clear Lake Avenue interchange I-55 is widened to six lanes plus C-D lanes (which do not appear on some of the interchange alternatives)

* From north of the I-72/Clear Lake Avenue interchange to the BL 55 interchange at Sherman, I-55 is widened to six lanes

* The interchange alternatives have unusual names.  Instead of the usual Alt 1/Alt 2 or Alt A/Alt B, the Sixth Street interchange has the "Cyclone" and "Rocket" alternatives

Interchange Alternatives
Sixth Street
* In both options, NB I-55 to BL 55/Sixth Street becomes a right side exit
* In the Cyclone Alternative, the NB I-55 to WB I-72 loop is replaced with a flyover.  EB I-72 gets a C-D roadway
* In the Rocket Alternative, NB I-55 to WB I-72 and EB I-72 to NB BL 55/6th Street become semi-direct/turbine ramps

Stevenson Drive
* Hawkeye Alternative - SB ramps become a standard diamond.  NB becomes a larger folded diamond
* Hoosier Alternative - the existing interchange is replaced with a new diamond interchange with an extended Dirkson Parkway
* Husker Alternative - the existing interchange is replaced with a SPUI

IL 29
* Wildcat Alternative - the current cloverleaf becomes a six-ramp partial cloverleaf with exit loops from I-55
* Wolverine Alternative - the current cloverleaf becomes a SPUI

I-72/Clear Lake Avenue
* Boilmaker Alternative - all loops except for the NB to WB loop are replaced with semi-direct/turbine ramps.  EB I-72 supposedly gets a C-D roadway to east of the Old US 36 interchange
* Bruin Alternative - WB I-72 is put onto a left side flyover, but the current WB to SB loop also remains.  I-55 gets C-D roads

IL 54
* Gopher Alternative - the current cloverleaf is replaced with a diamond
* Panther Alternative - the current cloverleaf is replaced with a SPUI
* Saluki Alternative - the current cloverleaf is replaced with a six-ramp partial cloverleaf with exit loops from I-55

[tdindy88]

Who are the Bruins and Panthers? Please tell me that's not a reference to UCLA and Carolina.

[pianocello]

Who are the Bruins and Panthers? Please tell me that's not a reference to UCLA and Carolina.

Eastern Illinois is the Panthers. Not sure about the Bruins, though.

Speaking of Bruin, what's up with that alternative? It looks like they would replace all the ramps without improving the design of the interchange. Also, the SB I-55 thru movement radius looks a bit tight at the southern part of the interchange.  (EDIT: wait, looks like those are C/D ramps. That's kinda hard to read, but easier to drive on.)

[triplemultiplex]

I like the elimination of left-hand ramps at the southern 55-74 interchange.  Good plan.

[mrsman]

Who are the Bruins and Panthers? Please tell me that's not a reference to UCLA and Carolina.

Eastern Illinois is the Panthers. Not sure about the Bruins, though.

Speaking of Bruin, what's up with that alternative? It looks like they would replace all the ramps without improving the design of the interchange. Also, the SB I-55 thru movement radius looks a bit tight at the southern part of the interchange.  (EDIT: wait, looks like those are C/D ramps. That's kinda hard to read, but easier to drive on.)

They should have stayed within the conference and made use of Spartan and Badger

[amroad17]

Sounds like how the PBA had renamed their tournaments based on the "oil pattern" a couple of years ago with names like Cheetah, Viper, Chameleon, and Scorpion.  I'm glad they got rid of those names, however, all tournaments now are "... presented by _______".

Yes, I like to bowl when I can and watch when I can, which right now is not much.  So, instead, I will watch my son bowl on his PS3.  The video game is called "High Velocity Bowling".  Rather interesting to watch him roll some 300 games.

[Revive 755]

CMAP is apparently in the process of updating the long range plan for Chicagoland, and has posted a list of major projects for the plan.  I don't see any new highway projects in the list though that haven't come up before.

[ET21]

^^^ We're in the "Let's toll everything" generation

Just add another lane to the Stevenson, 4 lanes in each direction between Dan Ryan and 355, maybe even past that. 

[Joe The Dragon]

I don't like the idea of HOT lanes even more so on Toll roads.

Now maybe changing some free roads over to toll. Right now they are doing that to the EOE.

Maybe make I-290 (from I-355 to I-90) / IL-53 / I-355 (the non toll part) toll. or just IL-53 / I-XXX from I-90 to IL-120 + maybe routed over the part going to I-94 when they build them.

I-55 has room to widen with out a lot of work.

I-290 needs more maybe trun that into a full toll road.

At least now days we can do an 407 ETR and don't have to deal with tolling gates / part interchanges.

[Brandon]

Here's an interesting comparison, IDOT-style exit number versus ISHTA exit number (both signs installed by ISTHA at different times):

[Alps]

While photographing button copy, I accidentally found a state-name shield:
http://goo.gl/maps/Hzvy0

[JoePCool14]

While photographing button copy, I accidentally found a state-name shield:
http://goo.gl/maps/Hzvy0

I live like 2 miles from that sign! It really is a good find.

[Henry]

Here's an interesting comparison, IDOT-style exit number versus ISHTA exit number (both signs installed by ISTHA at different times):

Judging from the separate exit tab on the Clearview-font sign to the right, IL is apparently discontinuing the practice of having the exit numbers on the guide signs themselves (like GA is). When did this change occur?

[mrsman]

Here's an interesting comparison, IDOT-style exit number versus ISHTA exit number (both signs installed by ISTHA at different times):

Judging from the separate exit tab on the Clearview-font sign to the right, IL is apparently discontinuing the practice of having the exit numbers on the guide signs themselves (like GA is). When did this change occur?

I'm not a fan of this sign.  The control cities are too generic.  Why not use Joliet and Schaumburg

[Brandon]

Judging from the separate exit tab on the Clearview-font sign to the right, IL is apparently discontinuing the practice of having the exit numbers on the guide signs themselves (like GA is). When did this change occur?

Not at all.  Both signs here were installed by ISTHA, not IDOT.  However, the sign on the left was done prior to ISTHA adopting exit numbers while the sign on the right was done after ISTHA adopted exit numbers.  ISTHA did the left sign in IDOT's style, while the right sign is all ISTHA.

I'm not a fan of this sign.  The control cities are too generic.  Why not use Joliet and Schaumburg

Agreed about Schaumburg, but here, you are basically in the Joliet area.  Both routes (I-55 south and I-355 south) will take you to Joliet.  Lockport might be better.

[mukade]

Judging from the separate exit tab on the Clearview-font sign to the right, IL is apparently discontinuing the practice of having the exit numbers on the guide signs themselves (like GA is). When did this change occur?

Not at all.  Both signs here were installed by ISTHA, not IDOT.  However, the sign on the left was done prior to ISTHA adopting exit numbers while the sign on the right was done after ISTHA adopted exit numbers.  ISTHA did the left sign in IDOT's style, while the right sign is all ISTHA.

I'm not a fan of this sign.  The control cities are too generic.  Why not use Joliet and Schaumburg

Agreed about Schaumburg, but here, you are basically in the Joliet area.  Both routes (I-55 south and I-355 south) will take you to Joliet.  Lockport might be better.

Bolingbrook is three times bigger than Lockport and Downers Grove is twice as big. I-355 goes thru both. If you want the city at the southern terminus of I-355, it is New Lenox, and that is pretty close in size to Lockport.

All that said, why do you need a control city?

[Brandon]

Judging from the separate exit tab on the Clearview-font sign to the right, IL is apparently discontinuing the practice of having the exit numbers on the guide signs themselves (like GA is). When did this change occur?

Not at all.  Both signs here were installed by ISTHA, not IDOT.  However, the sign on the left was done prior to ISTHA adopting exit numbers while the sign on the right was done after ISTHA adopted exit numbers.  ISTHA did the left sign in IDOT's style, while the right sign is all ISTHA.

I'm not a fan of this sign.  The control cities are too generic.  Why not use Joliet and Schaumburg

Agreed about Schaumburg, but here, you are basically in the Joliet area.  Both routes (I-55 south and I-355 south) will take you to Joliet.  Lockport might be better.

Bolingbrook is three times bigger than Lockport and Downers Grove is twice as big. I-355 goes thru both. If you want the city at the southern terminus of I-355, it is New Lenox, and that is pretty close in size to Lockport.

All that said, why do you need a control city?

However, here, Bolingbrook is north, not south, and actually at the interchange.  That said, Bolingbrook/Schaumburg would be better than Rockford at I-80.

[Revive 755]

On a somewhat related tangent, the IDOT District 1 sign design guide has been posted on the IDOT website.  Link

There's also a copy of the District 1 traffic signal design guide.  Link

[mrsman]

Judging from the separate exit tab on the Clearview-font sign to the right, IL is apparently discontinuing the practice of having the exit numbers on the guide signs themselves (like GA is). When did this change occur?

Not at all.  Both signs here were installed by ISTHA, not IDOT.  However, the sign on the left was done prior to ISTHA adopting exit numbers while the sign on the right was done after ISTHA adopted exit numbers.  ISTHA did the left sign in IDOT's style, while the right sign is all ISTHA.

I'm not a fan of this sign.  The control cities are too generic.  Why not use Joliet and Schaumburg

Agreed about Schaumburg, but here, you are basically in the Joliet area.  Both routes (I-55 south and I-355 south) will take you to Joliet.  Lockport might be better.

Bolingbrook is three times bigger than Lockport and Downers Grove is twice as big. I-355 goes thru both. If you want the city at the southern terminus of I-355, it is New Lenox, and that is pretty close in size to Lockport.

All that said, why do you need a control city?

Control cities are helpful to direct people towards destinations and may be a helpful way for those who are directionally challenged.  Even I, occasionally (but not too frequently), mistake east and west (but rarely north and south), so a control city would be a helpful tool so as not to get lost.  Control cities help those who are not from the area find alternate means to get to places.

Yes, a control city is much more useful on a 2di to direct Chicago area traffic towards St. Louis or Milwaukee or Des Moines, but for a 3di, well known suburbs are helpful.  Schuamburg is a jobs center and is also close to O'Hare Airport and its also due north.  Even though I-355 doesn't reach Schaumburg it leads you to I-290 which does. 

Joliet for southbound I-355.  It certainly makes sense at the other interchanges like I-88 and I-290.  Brandon is right that both I-55 and I-355 get you to about the same distance from Central Joliet.  Yet, from this interchange, I-355 (and I-80) gets you there without overshooting and coming back, so it's more direct if you want to go towards the center of town.  Plus, if Joliet is the southbound control for the entire I-355 it should remain the control until you reach the city, whereas the only southbound control along I-55 in IL is St. Louis.

Incidentally, I hate how Google Maps puts in Lincoln Highway everywhere, even if the road commonly goes by another name.  I had to use GSV to find out that Cass Street is the name of westbound Lincoln Highway in central Joliet.

[skluth]

Judging from the separate exit tab on the Clearview-font sign to the right, IL is apparently discontinuing the practice of having the exit numbers on the guide signs themselves (like GA is). When did this change occur?

Not at all.  Both signs here were installed by ISTHA, not IDOT.  However, the sign on the left was done prior to ISTHA adopting exit numbers while the sign on the right was done after ISTHA adopted exit numbers.  ISTHA did the left sign in IDOT's style, while the right sign is all ISTHA.

I'm not a fan of this sign.  The control cities are too generic.  Why not use Joliet and Schaumburg

Agreed about Schaumburg, but here, you are basically in the Joliet area.  Both routes (I-55 south and I-355 south) will take you to Joliet.  Lockport might be better.

Bolingbrook is three times bigger than Lockport and Downers Grove is twice as big. I-355 goes thru both. If you want the city at the southern terminus of I-355, it is New Lenox, and that is pretty close in size to Lockport.

All that said, why do you need a control city?

Control cities are helpful to direct people towards destinations and may be a helpful way for those who are directionally challenged.  Even I, occasionally (but not too frequently), mistake east and west (but rarely north and south), so a control city would be a helpful tool so as not to get lost.  Control cities help those who are not from the area find alternate means to get to places.

Yes, a control city is much more useful on a 2di to direct Chicago area traffic towards St. Louis or Milwaukee or Des Moines, but for a 3di, well known suburbs are helpful.  Schuamburg is a jobs center and is also close to O'Hare Airport and its also due north.  Even though I-355 doesn't reach Schaumburg it leads you to I-290 which does. 

Joliet for southbound I-355.  It certainly makes sense at the other interchanges like I-88 and I-290.  Brandon is right that both I-55 and I-355 get you to about the same distance from Central Joliet.  Yet, from this interchange, I-355 (and I-80) gets you there without overshooting and coming back, so it's more direct if you want to go towards the center of town.  Plus, if Joliet is the southbound control for the entire I-355 it should remain the control until you reach the city, whereas the only southbound control along I-55 in IL is St. Louis.

Incidentally, I hate how Google Maps puts in Lincoln Highway everywhere, even if the road commonly goes by another name.  I had to use GSV to find out that Cass Street is the name of westbound Lincoln Highway in central Joliet.

Except that control cities like Schaumburg or West Suburbs are really mostly for locals who should know where they are traveling. Control cities around I-270 around St. Louis point to KC, Indy, Tulsa, Louisville, and Memphis, cities that make sense to the long distance traveller. If STL followed the same logic as Chicago the control cities would be places like Kirkwood and Florissant and Jeffco, places locals understand but too obscure to travelers just passing through. Control cities should not be too centric to the area.

[DevalDragon]

That and I-355 does not go to Rockford. Without, of course, getting on I-290 and I-90 first.

However, here, Bolingbrook is north, not south, and actually at the interchange.  That said, Bolingbrook/Schaumburg would be better than Rockford at I-80.