Illinois notes

[SEWIGuy]

Who let this guy in here?

It's like these people who say about the MLB park in Milwaukee, "it will always be Miller Park to me!!!"

I mean, you have that much dedication to the name of a former corporate sponsor that you are unwilling to use the name of the current one?

[kphoger]

Who let this guy in here?

It's like these people who say about the MLB park in Milwaukee, "it will always be Miller Park to me!!!"

I mean, you have that much dedication to the name of a former corporate sponsor that you are unwilling to use the name of the current one?

The alternative is to try and keep up with all the name changes as sponsorship changes.  When I last lived in the Chicago area, for example...

There was this thing called Comiskey Park.  It, along with it's previous iteration, had been Comiskey Park since 1975–before I was born.  Then it changed names to US Cellular Field.  OK, that was dumb.  Everyone just kept calling it Comiskey Park.  And, of course, that name only lasted for 13 years.  Now it's Guaranteed Rate Field.  Why bother calling it that when, in another few years, it'll probably just change names again, to Kotex Field or Pampers Park or GlaxoSmithCline Stadium or some such nonsense.

[SEWIGuy]

Kotex Park is reserved for the northsiders.

[kphoger]

Kotex Park is reserved for the northsiders.

Hey, that's not very nice.

[skluth]

The alternative is to try and keep up with all the name changes as sponsorship changes.  When I last lived in the Chicago area, for example...

There was this thing called Comiskey Park.  It, along with it's previous iteration, had been Comiskey Park since 1975–before I was born.  Then it changed names to US Cellular Field.  OK, that was dumb.  Everyone just kept calling it Comiskey Park.  And, of course, that name only lasted for 13 years.  Now it's Guaranteed Rate Field.  Why bother calling it that when, in another few years, it'll probably just change names again, to Kotex Field or Pampers Park or GlaxoSmithCline Stadium or some such nonsense.

I dealt with the same thing in St Louis. Their new arena was called the Kiel Center when it opened in the mid-90s. Since then, it's been called the Savvis Center, Scottrade Center, and is now the Enterprise Center. Everyone still calls it the Kiel Center. Of course, locals still refer to I-64 as Highway 40.

[edwaleni]

The alternative is to try and keep up with all the name changes as sponsorship changes.  When I last lived in the Chicago area, for example...

There was this thing called Comiskey Park.  It, along with it's previous iteration, had been Comiskey Park since 1975–before I was born.  Then it changed names to US Cellular Field.  OK, that was dumb.  Everyone just kept calling it Comiskey Park.  And, of course, that name only lasted for 13 years.  Now it's Guaranteed Rate Field.  Why bother calling it that when, in another few years, it'll probably just change names again, to Kotex Field or Pampers Park or GlaxoSmithCline Stadium or some such nonsense.

I dealt with the same thing in St Louis. Their new arena was called the Kiel Center when it opened in the mid-90s. Since then, it's been called the Savvis Center, Scottrade Center, and is now the Enterprise Center. Everyone still calls it the Kiel Center. Of course, locals still refer to I-64 as Highway 40.

Renaming stadiums is not very traditional, but as long as they don't take to renaming roads I will be OK.

Though, I can see a situation in some unknown future where some company will want to buy naming rights for a toll road.

Can one drive a road named after Budweiser? ("For all you do, this drive is for you") The Amazon Tollway?  Walgreens Memorial Tollroad? (S/B called "Sears Memorial since they are dead and Walgreens isn't)

You have to believe that is next in broke Illinois.

[skluth]

The alternative is to try and keep up with all the name changes as sponsorship changes.  When I last lived in the Chicago area, for example...

There was this thing called Comiskey Park.  It, along with it's previous iteration, had been Comiskey Park since 1975–before I was born.  Then it changed names to US Cellular Field.  OK, that was dumb.  Everyone just kept calling it Comiskey Park.  And, of course, that name only lasted for 13 years.  Now it's Guaranteed Rate Field.  Why bother calling it that when, in another few years, it'll probably just change names again, to Kotex Field or Pampers Park or GlaxoSmithCline Stadium or some such nonsense.

I dealt with the same thing in St Louis. Their new arena was called the Kiel Center when it opened in the mid-90s. Since then, it's been called the Savvis Center, Scottrade Center, and is now the Enterprise Center. Everyone still calls it the Kiel Center. Of course, locals still refer to I-64 as Highway 40.

Renaming stadiums is not very traditional, but as long as they don't take to renaming roads I will be OK.

Though, I can see a situation in some unknown future where some company will want to buy naming rights for a toll road.

Can one drive a road named after Budweiser? ("For all you do, this drive is for you") The Amazon Tollway?  Walgreens Memorial Tollroad? (S/B called "Sears Memorial since they are dead and Walgreens isn't)

You have to believe that is next in broke Illinois.

I think Walgreens would prefer their Tollroad to not be Memorial.

More seriously, this may be the way we pay for future freeways to avoid them being toll roads. As more cars go electric, monies from gas taxes will shrink and new funding sources will be needed. Sponsors could built overhead gantry electric signs advertising their businesses. There may even be levels of sponsorship; full naming rights, the occasional exclusive billboard, etc. I'm not thrilled with this idea, but as long as it doesn't involve cell phone companies having exclusive rights to cell towers along isolated routes (like Barstow to Vegas) I could live with it.

[Crash_It]

The alternative is to try and keep up with all the name changes as sponsorship changes.  When I last lived in the Chicago area, for example...

There was this thing called Comiskey Park.  It, along with it's previous iteration, had been Comiskey Park since 1975–before I was born.  Then it changed names to US Cellular Field.  OK, that was dumb.  Everyone just kept calling it Comiskey Park.  And, of course, that name only lasted for 13 years.  Now it's Guaranteed Rate Field.  Why bother calling it that when, in another few years, it'll probably just change names again, to Kotex Field or Pampers Park or GlaxoSmithCline Stadium or some such nonsense.

I dealt with the same thing in St Louis. Their new arena was called the Kiel Center when it opened in the mid-90s. Since then, it's been called the Savvis Center, Scottrade Center, and is now the Enterprise Center. Everyone still calls it the Kiel Center. Of course, locals still refer to I-64 as Highway 40.

Renaming stadiums is not very traditional, but as long as they don't take to renaming roads I will be OK.

Though, I can see a situation in some unknown future where some company will want to buy naming rights for a toll road.

Can one drive a road named after Budweiser? ("For all you do, this drive is for you") The Amazon Tollway?  Walgreens Memorial Tollroad? (S/B called "Sears Memorial since they are dead and Walgreens isn't)

You have to believe that is next in broke Illinois.

Not broke anymore, funding is sufficient for all road projects for the next 6 years. Everything in the MYP recently published is scheduled to happen.

[paulthemapguy]

Renaming stadiums is not very traditional, but as long as they don't take to renaming roads I will be OK.

Though, I can see a situation in some unknown future where some company will want to buy naming rights for a toll road.

Can one drive a road named after Budweiser? ("For all you do, this drive is for you") The Amazon Tollway?  Walgreens Memorial Tollroad? (S/B called "Sears Memorial since they are dead and Walgreens isn't)

You have to believe that is next in broke Illinois.

Lol no I don't, and oh god please no.

[hobsini2]

Why do people get so hung up on the names of buildings and interchanges?  Sears moved out of the tower years ago.  Why should their name remain?

Stay outta Chicago business my frient. It will always be da Sears Tower!

[mgk920]

Why do people get so hung up on the names of buildings and interchanges?  Sears moved out of the tower years ago.  Why should their name remain?

Stay outta Chicago business my frient. It will always be da Sears Tower!

Just like it will always be da Circle Interchange!

Mike

[captkirk_4]

Well, it looks like the main work on the new I 57 I 74 interchange has finally begun. The nearby secondary road crossing bridges have all been rebuilt over the last year to accommodate the new design. Now the field on the north east side of the interchange has all these large earth moving machines digging up huge trenches and pouring concrete. I suspect this is drainage as I cant see the roadway needing to go so deep. I suspect the other three quadrants along the interchange may be waiting for all the corn to be harvested in a month before they start to tear up those fields too.

[NWI_Irish96]

The alternative is to try and keep up with all the name changes as sponsorship changes.  When I last lived in the Chicago area, for example...

There was this thing called Comiskey Park.  It, along with it's previous iteration, had been Comiskey Park since 1975–before I was born.  Then it changed names to US Cellular Field.  OK, that was dumb.  Everyone just kept calling it Comiskey Park.  And, of course, that name only lasted for 13 years.  Now it's Guaranteed Rate Field.  Why bother calling it that when, in another few years, it'll probably just change names again, to Kotex Field or Pampers Park or GlaxoSmithCline Stadium or some such nonsense.

I dealt with the same thing in St Louis. Their new arena was called the Kiel Center when it opened in the mid-90s. Since then, it's been called the Savvis Center, Scottrade Center, and is now the Enterprise Center. Everyone still calls it the Kiel Center. Of course, locals still refer to I-64 as Highway 40.

Renaming stadiums is not very traditional, but as long as they don't take to renaming roads I will be OK.

Though, I can see a situation in some unknown future where some company will want to buy naming rights for a toll road.

Can one drive a road named after Budweiser? ("For all you do, this drive is for you") The Amazon Tollway?  Walgreens Memorial Tollroad? (S/B called "Sears Memorial since they are dead and Walgreens isn't)

You have to believe that is next in broke Illinois.

A highway named for alcohol sounds like something right up Tony LaRussa's alley.

[US20IL64]

"Stay outta Chicago business my frient. It will always be da Sears Tower!"

Agree! Newcomers complain about using names [JFK] for X-ways   , instead of "the 90" like La La Land.
And yeah we know traffic is heavy, it's a huge city not a college town.

[US20IL64]

There's 'renumbering' threads for US and I's how about IL state highways?
My wish list:

1. Give Randall/Orchard Rd an IL state #.
2. Reinstate IL-32 for the north/south IL-137.
3. Move US-41 off of Foster Av, to replace US-14 easternmost section past Peterson/Lincoln. Truncate US-14 at 'new' 41. Foster is just too narrow for a US highway, and has stop signs to boot!
4. Re-route IL-56 from eastern section of Butterfield Rd. to 22nd St/Cermak Rd. to Harlem/43 or Manheim/12-20-45.
5. Give Pulaski/Crawford a state #, at least south of I-55.
6. Name US-14 'NW Highway' past Crystal Lake to WI, instead of ending at Virginia St. Try to do same with other routes with commonly known street names: North Av, Milwaukee Av, Lake St, Ogden Av. [Within Chicago CSMA]

Just my 'dream'. 

One was granted, IL-171 extended to I-90, 

[abefroman329]

Can one drive a road named after Budweiser? ("For all you do, this drive is for you") The Amazon Tollway?  Walgreens Memorial Tollroad? (S/B called "Sears Memorial since they are dead and Walgreens isn't)

When they were still trying to get the Outer Perimeter built in GA, selling the naming rights and/or allowing the company sponsoring it to plaster ads all along the road was one of the ideas for funding it.

[3467]

It's getting fictional but I would bring back US 32 and run it downtown again.
I have more gripes about interstates. Chicago area 255 and especially Quad Cities.

[JoePCool14]

There's 'renumbering' threads for US and I's how about IL state highways?
My wish list:

1. Give Randall/Orchard Rd an IL state #.
2. Reinstate IL-32 for the north/south IL-137.
3. Move US-41 off of Foster Av, to replace US-14 easternmost section past Peterson/Lincoln. Truncate US-14 at 'new' 41. Foster is just too narrow for a US highway, and has stop signs to boot!
4. Re-route IL-56 from eastern section of Butterfield Rd. to 22nd St/Cermak Rd. to Harlem/43 or Manheim/12-20-45.
5. Give Pulaski/Crawford a state #, at least south of I-55.
6. Name US-14 'NW Highway' past Crystal Lake to WI, instead of ending at Virginia St. Try to do same with other routes with commonly known street names: North Av, Milwaukee Av, Lake St, Ogden Av. [Within Chicago CSMA]

Just my 'dream'. 

One was granted, IL-171 extended to I-90, 

I think I'd prefer Randall Rd to remain in county control. They do a better job than the state could on improving the road.

I do like the idea of IL-32 existing. Illinois can piggy-back off of the famous WI-32.

[US20IL64]

Well, you are correct about Co. vs. State. So, take back.
Example is 4/5 lane Peterson Rd. in Lake Co. versus 2 lane "to be decided" IL 120 section in Grayslake.

[paulthemapguy]

There's 'renumbering' threads for US and I's how about IL state highways?
My wish list:

1. Give Randall/Orchard Rd an IL state #.
2. Reinstate IL-32 for the north/south IL-137.
3. Move US-41 off of Foster Av, to replace US-14 easternmost section past Peterson/Lincoln. Truncate US-14 at 'new' 41. Foster is just too narrow for a US highway, and has stop signs to boot!
4. Re-route IL-56 from eastern section of Butterfield Rd. to 22nd St/Cermak Rd. to Harlem/43 or Manheim/12-20-45.
5. Give Pulaski/Crawford a state #, at least south of I-55.
6. Name US-14 'NW Highway' past Crystal Lake to WI, instead of ending at Virginia St. Try to do same with other routes with commonly known street names: North Av, Milwaukee Av, Lake St, Ogden Av. [Within Chicago CSMA]

Responses to a few of these ideas, though this is more 'fictional highways' content:

1. I used to call Randall/Orchard "IL85." My renumbering plans don't include anything for Randall/Orchard nowadays.
2. I think the north-south section of IL-137 should have a designation that's separate from the east-west section, but I extend that north-south designation south toward Evanston and Chicago. The east-west designation could be an eastward extension of IL-134.
4. I like the idea of extending IL-56 east along Cermak/22nd. I also like the idea of restoring IL-38 farther east along Roosevelt.

[NWI_Irish96]

2. I think the north-south section of IL-137 should have a designation that's separate from the east-west section, but I extend that north-south designation south toward Evanston and Chicago. The east-west designation could be an eastward extension of IL-134.

I get that this is fictional but in reality the people of Lake Forest/Highland Park/Glencoe/Winnetka/Kenilworth would all fight hard against turning their portions Sheridan and/or Green Bay into a state highway.

[US20IL64]

2. I think the north-south section of IL-137 should have a designation that's separate from the east-west section, but I extend that north-south designation south toward Evanston and Chicago. The east-west designation could be an eastward extension of IL-134.

I get that this is fictional but in reality the people of Lake Forest/Highland Park/Glencoe/Winnetka/Kenilworth would all fight hard against turning their portions Sheridan and/or Green Bay into a state highway.

Yes, the late IL-32 was done in by them.

[Revive 755]

I think I'd prefer Randall Rd to remain in county control. They do a better job than the state could on improving the road.

Second this - Kane County has already taken multiple interim steps to improve Randall with signal upgrades and a number of other improvements in study:

* http://kdot.countyofkane.org/Pages/Projects/Randall-Hopps/RandallHopps.aspx

* http://kdot.countyofkane.org/Pages/Projects/Randall-IL72/Randall-IL72.aspx

* http://kdot.countyofkane.org/Pages/Projects/Randall-BigTimber/Randall-BigTimber.aspx

[JoePCool14]

Well, you are correct about Co. vs. State. So, take back.
Example is 4/5 lane Peterson Rd. in Lake Co. versus 2 lane "to be decided" IL 120 section in Grayslake.

Exactly what I was thinking. IL-120 is pretty bad west of St. Mary's Rd. Both in terms of road condition and in traffic capacity. You drive down Butterfield Rd and it's a completely different story.

Speaking of Butterfield Rd however, did Lake County spray something on that road over the summer? The road used to look great, it was nice and new, but now all the striping is extremely dark and dull, looking like it was laid several years ago. Anyone know anything about this?

[Crash_It]

There's 'renumbering' threads for US and I's how about IL state highways?
My wish list:

1. Give Randall/Orchard Rd an IL state #.
2. Reinstate IL-32 for the north/south IL-137.
3. Move US-41 off of Foster Av, to replace US-14 easternmost section past Peterson/Lincoln. Truncate US-14 at 'new' 41. Foster is just too narrow for a US highway, and has stop signs to boot!
4. Re-route IL-56 from eastern section of Butterfield Rd. to 22nd St/Cermak Rd. to Harlem/43 or Manheim/12-20-45.
5. Give Pulaski/Crawford a state #, at least south of I-55.
6. Name US-14 'NW Highway' past Crystal Lake to WI, instead of ending at Virginia St. Try to do same with other routes with commonly known street names: North Av, Milwaukee Av, Lake St, Ogden Av. [Within Chicago CSMA]

Just my 'dream'. 

One was granted, IL-171 extended to I-90, 

I think I'd prefer Randall Rd to remain in county control. They do a better job than the state could on improving the road.

I do like the idea of IL-32 existing. Illinois can piggy-back off of the famous WI-32.

The state roads through the Western suburbs are pretty good.