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I-80/94 between I-294 and I-65

Started by NWI_Irish96, July 23, 2020, 09:31:52 AM

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Revive 755

After suffering the I-80/I-94 corridor today, I think it really needs more message boards and other ITS components, similar to the equipment added to I-90 between Barrington Road and the Tri-State.  It could also use one or more signed emergency detour/incident bypass routes.

Another way to get the Toll Road prior to Cline would also be nice - perhaps add a half interchange (EB entrance/WB exit) on the Toll Road at Indianapolis Boulevard.

The pavement on I-80/I-94 is also not holding up, despite the amount of construction.


hobsini2

Quote from: Revive 755 on August 01, 2020, 10:46:12 PM
After suffering the I-80/I-94 corridor today, I think it really needs more message boards and other ITS components, similar to the equipment added to I-90 between Barrington Road and the Tri-State.  It could also use one or more signed emergency detour/incident bypass routes.

Another way to get the Toll Road prior to Cline would also be nice - perhaps add a half interchange (EB entrance/WB exit) on the Toll Road at Indianapolis Boulevard.

The pavement on I-80/I-94 is also not holding up, despite the amount of construction.

Have you looked at what is at the Toll Road and Indianapolis Blvd?
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6129128,-87.483617,1729m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Plus, having that rail line right up against the highway is a problem. You would need to shift the road or the railway before even thinking of an EB entrance ramp. WB exit is not much more doable because of the river and the businesses on Roxana Dr.

There's a reason why Calumet Ave/141st St is the full interchange west of Cline. Now if they could figure out a way to extend Cline Ave west to the Bishop Ford, that would help take some traffic.
I knew it. I'm surrounded by assholes. Keep firing, assholes! - Dark Helmet (Spaceballs)

I-39

Quote from: Revive 755 on August 01, 2020, 10:46:12 PM
After suffering the I-80/I-94 corridor today, I think it really needs more message boards and other ITS components, similar to the equipment added to I-90 between Barrington Road and the Tri-State.  It could also use one or more signed emergency detour/incident bypass routes.

Another way to get the Toll Road prior to Cline would also be nice - perhaps add a half interchange (EB entrance/WB exit) on the Toll Road at Indianapolis Boulevard.

The pavement on I-80/I-94 is also not holding up, despite the amount of construction.

IMO, the tollway did a really poor job on I-80/294. They didn't rebuild the crossroad bridges and they seemed to cut corners in a lot of places (i.e, narrow shoulders). Should have gone for 5 lanes in each direction IMO.

ilpt4u

#53
Quote from: I-39 on August 02, 2020, 04:01:59 PM
IMO, the tollway did a really poor job on I-80/294. They didn't rebuild the crossroad bridges and they seemed to cut corners in a lot of places (i.e, narrow shoulders). Should have gone for 5 lanes in each direction IMO.
Considering the Thornton Quarry, I would imagine that creates an engineering concern to expand 80/294 in this stretch

And without corresponding capacity increases on 80/94 by IDOT and INDOT, it wouldn't prove a whole lot, either

NWI_Irish96

Quote from: hobsini2 on August 02, 2020, 03:18:37 PM
Quote from: Revive 755 on August 01, 2020, 10:46:12 PM
After suffering the I-80/I-94 corridor today, I think it really needs more message boards and other ITS components, similar to the equipment added to I-90 between Barrington Road and the Tri-State.  It could also use one or more signed emergency detour/incident bypass routes.

Another way to get the Toll Road prior to Cline would also be nice - perhaps add a half interchange (EB entrance/WB exit) on the Toll Road at Indianapolis Boulevard.

The pavement on I-80/I-94 is also not holding up, despite the amount of construction.

Have you looked at what is at the Toll Road and Indianapolis Blvd?
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6129128,-87.483617,1729m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Plus, having that rail line right up against the highway is a problem. You would need to shift the road or the railway before even thinking of an EB entrance ramp. WB exit is not much more doable because of the river and the businesses on Roxana Dr.

There's a reason why Calumet Ave/141st St is the full interchange west of Cline. Now if they could figure out a way to extend Cline Ave west to the Bishop Ford, that would help take some traffic.

Between the Defense Logistics Facility and Wolf Lake, there's zero chance of extending Cline. The only thing that comes even close to possible is along or above the railway from where the Toll Road crosses Columbia, along Hudson St in Hammond, though the Forest Preserve in Burnham, and along 142nd St in Dolton to the Bishop Ford.

But even that is far closer to fictional territory than realistic.
Indiana: counties 100%, highways 100%
Illinois: counties 100%, highways 61%
Michigan: counties 100%, highways 56%
Wisconsin: counties 86%, highways 23%

NWI_Irish96

Quote from: ilpt4u on August 02, 2020, 05:18:14 PM
Quote from: I-39 on August 02, 2020, 04:01:59 PM
IMO, the tollway did a really poor job on I-80/294. They didn't rebuild the crossroad bridges and they seemed to cut corners in a lot of places (i.e, narrow shoulders). Should have gone for 5 lanes in each direction IMO.
Considering the Thornton Quarry, I would imaged that creates an engineering concern to expand 80/294 in this stretch

And without corresponding capacity increases on 80/94 by IDOT and INDOT, it wouldn't prove a whole lot, either

Traffic backups are most often east of where 294 ends as you get the traffic from 94 added into the traffic from 80.
Indiana: counties 100%, highways 100%
Illinois: counties 100%, highways 61%
Michigan: counties 100%, highways 56%
Wisconsin: counties 86%, highways 23%

hobsini2

Quote from: cabiness42 on August 02, 2020, 05:33:24 PM
Quote from: hobsini2 on August 02, 2020, 03:18:37 PM
Quote from: Revive 755 on August 01, 2020, 10:46:12 PM
After suffering the I-80/I-94 corridor today, I think it really needs more message boards and other ITS components, similar to the equipment added to I-90 between Barrington Road and the Tri-State.  It could also use one or more signed emergency detour/incident bypass routes.

Another way to get the Toll Road prior to Cline would also be nice - perhaps add a half interchange (EB entrance/WB exit) on the Toll Road at Indianapolis Boulevard.

The pavement on I-80/I-94 is also not holding up, despite the amount of construction.

Have you looked at what is at the Toll Road and Indianapolis Blvd?
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6129128,-87.483617,1729m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
Plus, having that rail line right up against the highway is a problem. You would need to shift the road or the railway before even thinking of an EB entrance ramp. WB exit is not much more doable because of the river and the businesses on Roxana Dr.

There's a reason why Calumet Ave/141st St is the full interchange west of Cline. Now if they could figure out a way to extend Cline Ave west to the Bishop Ford, that would help take some traffic.

Between the Defense Logistics Facility and Wolf Lake, there's zero chance of extending Cline. The only thing that comes even close to possible is along or above the railway from where the Toll Road crosses Columbia, along Hudson St in Hammond, though the Forest Preserve in Burnham, and along 142nd St in Dolton to the Bishop Ford.

But even that is far closer to fictional territory than realistic.
Oh I agree. Extending Cline is far fetched. Hence why I said "If you could figure out a way". Honestly, I would like to tie it into the 130th St interchange instead of down by Dolton but that's problematic too.
I knew it. I'm surrounded by assholes. Keep firing, assholes! - Dark Helmet (Spaceballs)

edwaleni

New ground build outs of expressways in the Chicago metro are pretty much dead.  No more.

You may see expansions and reconstructions, but no more new builds.

Outside of Chicago is different.

Rick Powell

Quote from: edwaleni on August 05, 2020, 01:10:26 PM
New ground build outs of expressways in the Chicago metro are pretty much dead.  No more.

You may see expansions and reconstructions, but no more new builds.

Outside of Chicago is different.
There might be rare exceptions, built as toll roads. Like the one now being built west side of the airport? A "new route"  for sure.

I-39

Quote from: Rick Powell on August 08, 2020, 01:48:41 PM
Quote from: edwaleni on August 05, 2020, 01:10:26 PM
New ground build outs of expressways in the Chicago metro are pretty much dead.  No more.

You may see expansions and reconstructions, but no more new builds.

Outside of Chicago is different.
There might be rare exceptions, built as toll roads. Like the one now being built west side of the airport? A "new route"  for sure.

Which I now believe is a big waste of money, considering it will be 10-15+ years before a true passenger western access facility will be built at O'Hare.

Joe The Dragon

Quote from: I-39 on August 08, 2020, 02:36:58 PM
Quote from: Rick Powell on August 08, 2020, 01:48:41 PM
Quote from: edwaleni on August 05, 2020, 01:10:26 PM
New ground build outs of expressways in the Chicago metro are pretty much dead.  No more.

You may see expansions and reconstructions, but no more new builds.

Outside of Chicago is different.
There might be rare exceptions, built as toll roads. Like the one now being built west side of the airport? A "new route"  for sure.

Which I now believe is a big waste of money, considering it will be 10-15+ years before a true passenger western access facility will be built at O'Hare.
NO it links up the EOE / the cargo area / elk grove / cuts the corner for I-294 to I-90 traffic.

hobsini2

Quote from: I-39 on August 08, 2020, 02:36:58 PM
Quote from: Rick Powell on August 08, 2020, 01:48:41 PM
Quote from: edwaleni on August 05, 2020, 01:10:26 PM
New ground build outs of expressways in the Chicago metro are pretty much dead.  No more.

You may see expansions and reconstructions, but no more new builds.

Outside of Chicago is different.
There might be rare exceptions, built as toll roads. Like the one now being built west side of the airport? A "new route"  for sure.

Which I now believe is a big waste of money, considering it will be 10-15+ years before a true passenger western access facility will be built at O'Hare.
Trust me as a chauffeur when I tell you that having that to link into the Elgin-O'Hare will make trips between O'Hare and say Streamwood and St Charles so much more quicker than the old days. In the old days, if you were going to St Charles (Rt 64 & Kirk let's say), the most efficient way was 90 West to 59 South to 20 West to 25 South to Dunham Rd.
I knew it. I'm surrounded by assholes. Keep firing, assholes! - Dark Helmet (Spaceballs)

edwaleni

Quote from: I-39 on August 08, 2020, 02:36:58 PM
Quote from: Rick Powell on August 08, 2020, 01:48:41 PM
Quote from: edwaleni on August 05, 2020, 01:10:26 PM
New ground build outs of expressways in the Chicago metro are pretty much dead.  No more.

You may see expansions and reconstructions, but no more new builds.

Outside of Chicago is different.
There might be rare exceptions, built as toll roads. Like the one now being built west side of the airport? A "new route"  for sure.

Which I now believe is a big waste of money, considering it will be 10-15+ years before a true passenger western access facility will be built at O'Hare.

Western passenger access terminal is dead. Removed from the O'Hare plan by then Mayor Rahm Emmanuel. Essentially breaking a promise made as part of the O'Hare Expansion Plan. (that allowed the tollways to be built)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-chicago-airport/chicago-ohare-8-5-billion-expansion-plan-approved-by-city-council-idUSKBN1H43EZ

The various media made up lots of reasons, like 9-11, terrorism, having transit tunnels under runways, no airlines wanted to pay for it, la de da.

Ultimately, Chicago Department of Aviation wants everyone coming and going passenger wise through the front door and no other. A western passenger terminal would reside in a different jurisdiction and while it would be in "Chicago" city limits, it would also be in DuPage County. Different taxing, harder to control the patronage and a diversion of tax revenue away from Cook County.

Basically it will never happen.

Several suburbs have offered to pay for a transit system to a future western terminal since the 70's and Chicago has rebuffed them every single time.

In fact even the Elgin-O'Hare (now I-390) was designed to support transit down the median to O'Hare in anticipation.  The tollway removed it when they took over. Now Chicago cancels their part.

It's Chicago-Illinois politics at its worst.

Doing the "right" thing is about revenue strategy and control of it, not about what is best for the flying public.


I-39

Quote from: Joe The Dragon on August 08, 2020, 07:05:19 PMNO it links up the EOE / the cargo area / elk grove / cuts the corner for I-294 to I-90 traffic.

Quote from: hobsini2 on August 08, 2020, 07:34:41 PMTrust me as a chauffeur when I tell you that having that to link into the Elgin-O'Hare will make trips between O'Hare and say Streamwood and St Charles so much more quicker than the old days. In the old days, if you were going to St Charles (Rt 64 & Kirk let's say), the most efficient way was 90 West to 59 South to 20 West to 25 South to Dunham Rd.

I-490 is not really needed, most of the people coming in from the west can use Elmhurst/York Road and IL-19 (for I-294 users). It's not really that bad. As for cutting the corner from I-294 NB to I-90 WB, you can save yourself some tolls by using I-290, especially after the interchange is reconfigured. Really it is a waste of resources the more I think about it.

As for extending IL-390, I agree with that part, but it should have been kept a freeway and not handed over to ISTHA. And even then, until there is a western passenger dropoff area (which is a long way off), neither one is needed at the moment.

Quote from: edwaleni on August 08, 2020, 07:38:25 PMWestern passenger access terminal is dead. Removed from the O'Hare plan by then Mayor Rahm Emmanuel. Essentially breaking a promise made as part of the O'Hare Expansion Plan. (that allowed the tollways to be built)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-chicago-airport/chicago-ohare-8-5-billion-expansion-plan-approved-by-city-council-idUSKBN1H43EZ

The various media made up lots of reasons, like 9-11, terrorism, having transit tunnels under runways, no airlines wanted to pay for it, la de da.

Ultimately, Chicago Department of Aviation wants everyone coming and going passenger wise through the front door and no other. A western passenger terminal would reside in a different jurisdiction and while it would be in "Chicago" city limits, it would also be in DuPage County. Different taxing, harder to control the patronage and a diversion of tax revenue away from Cook County.

Basically it will never happen.

Several suburbs have offered to pay for a transit system to a future western terminal since the 70's and Chicago has rebuffed them every single time.

In fact even the Elgin-O'Hare (now I-390) was designed to support transit down the median to O'Hare in anticipation.  The tollway removed it when they took over. Now Chicago cancels their part.

It's Chicago-Illinois politics at its worst.

Doing the "right" thing is about revenue strategy and control of it, not about what is best for the flying public.

It's not dead, it's just going to look much different than it did before. Basically, the plan is the O'Hare core terminal area (T1, T2, T3) will gradually be reconfigured into an Hartsfield/Atlanta Airport layout over time (a series of linear concourses with an underground tunnel/APM). The western facility will not be a full blown terminal, but a simply a check in/security screening/drop off/pickup facility for passengers who don't need to check or claim bags. The facility was going to be built as part of a Phase 2 to the O'Hare 21 project when the airport hit 100,000,000 pax a year, but since it looks like the first phase of the project will be put on hold due to the pandemic, who knows when or even if that will ever be built.

https://oharenoise.org/resources/presentations/general-meeting-presentations/2018-7/635-o-hare-21-terminal-area-plan/file (see slide 7 for the future layout)

Revive 755

While IMHO the Illiana should have been higher priority, I-490 will still be useful whenever there is another bridge project on I-290 in Schaumburg or the I-90/I-290/IL 53 interchange finally gets rebuilt.  At the very least it will bring a much needed NB exit/SB entrance for the Tri-State between IL 64 and Balmoral.

IL 390 already makes a nice alternate route over to IL 83 when there's an incident on I-290 between I-355 and IL 83.

Also straying from the original topic:  Anyone know what project is generating the need for so many 'no construction traffic past this point' type signs along side roads going north from County Line Road (on the Will-Kankakee County border); side roads going east from IL 50; and one for each direction of County line road somewhere I cannot recall exactly between IL 50 and IL 1?

hobsini2

Quote from: edwaleni on August 08, 2020, 07:38:25 PM
Quote from: I-39 on August 08, 2020, 02:36:58 PM
Quote from: Rick Powell on August 08, 2020, 01:48:41 PM
Quote from: edwaleni on August 05, 2020, 01:10:26 PM
New ground build outs of expressways in the Chicago metro are pretty much dead.  No more.

You may see expansions and reconstructions, but no more new builds.

Outside of Chicago is different.
There might be rare exceptions, built as toll roads. Like the one now being built west side of the airport? A "new route"  for sure.

Which I now believe is a big waste of money, considering it will be 10-15+ years before a true passenger western access facility will be built at O'Hare.

Western passenger access terminal is dead. Removed from the O'Hare plan by then Mayor Rahm Emmanuel. Essentially breaking a promise made as part of the O'Hare Expansion Plan. (that allowed the tollways to be built)

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-chicago-airport/chicago-ohare-8-5-billion-expansion-plan-approved-by-city-council-idUSKBN1H43EZ

The various media made up lots of reasons, like 9-11, terrorism, having transit tunnels under runways, no airlines wanted to pay for it, la de da.

Ultimately, Chicago Department of Aviation wants everyone coming and going passenger wise through the front door and no other. A western passenger terminal would reside in a different jurisdiction and while it would be in "Chicago" city limits, it would also be in DuPage County. Different taxing, harder to control the patronage and a diversion of tax revenue away from Cook County.

Basically it will never happen.

Several suburbs have offered to pay for a transit system to a future western terminal since the 70's and Chicago has rebuffed them every single time.

In fact even the Elgin-O'Hare (now I-390) was designed to support transit down the median to O'Hare in anticipation.  The tollway removed it when they took over. Now Chicago cancels their part.

It's Chicago-Illinois politics at its worst.

Doing the "right" thing is about revenue strategy and control of it, not about what is best for the flying public.



Terminal 2 is going to be having a major overhaul and become the "World Terminal". There are plans for 3 concourses sim to Concourse C that will be built on the western part of the airport.
I knew it. I'm surrounded by assholes. Keep firing, assholes! - Dark Helmet (Spaceballs)

I-39

Quote from: Revive 755 on August 08, 2020, 10:43:19 PM
While IMHO the Illiana should have been higher priority, I-490 will still be useful whenever there is another bridge project on I-290 in Schaumburg or the I-90/I-290/IL 53 interchange finally gets rebuilt.  At the very least it will bring a much needed NB exit/SB entrance for the Tri-State between IL 64 and Balmoral.

IL 390 already makes a nice alternate route over to IL 83 when there's an incident on I-290 between I-355 and IL 83.

Also straying from the original topic:  Anyone know what project is generating the need for so many 'no construction traffic past this point' type signs along side roads going north from County Line Road (on the Will-Kankakee County border); side roads going east from IL 50; and one for each direction of County line road somewhere I cannot recall exactly between IL 50 and IL 1?

They could've reconfigured the IL-19 interchange into full access and saved themselves a ton of money.

The Route 53 extension and rebuilding the I-290/IL-53 interchange with I-90 should've been priority over the EOE project. I'll bet IL-53 north could've been built if they had committed money to the corridor right off the bat rather than just funding some vague studies. It seems most of the opposition in the last year or two of the study was more over cost.

Crash_It

Quote from: cabiness42 on July 23, 2020, 09:31:52 AM
I live roughly 450ft from this segment of interstate (thank god for sound barriers--they're worth every penny). There are almost daily crashes on this segment, sometimes more than one per day. The vast majority of the crashes are semi vs car. I've figured out the primary reasons why and I'd like some group brainstorming on a solution.

Causes:
1. I don't know if/where such data exists, but there seems to be a higher volume of semi traffic, as a percentage of overall traffic, than any other interstate I've driven.
2. The posted speed limit is 55, but there is almost nonexistent traffic enforcement, so semis are mostly doing 60-70 and cars are doing 65+, but you have a percentage of cars that believe in going the speed limit, which leads to a lot of semis passing cars in addition to each other.
3. Distracted driving. A lot of crashes are where there is a significant slowdown and a driver doesn't notice it until too late.

Is there a fix for this that doesn't require acquiring more ROW?


OMG, that speed limit on the Kingery/Borman is the biggest offender in all of the Chicago area and potentially the whole Midwest. It should be at least 65. I57 from 294 to 30 is another one.



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