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Author Topic: Illinois Tollway Notes  (Read 319669 times)

SEWIGuy

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1450 on: August 08, 2022, 10:39:35 AM »

Hope they can build more trumpet type Oases, with room for 5 lanes under ramps.

As much as I'd love this, I don't think the tollway can legally–or has any interest in–construct new oases. The ones that we have are all we'll have. Best to support them while they're there.

Also, regarding the DeKalb oasis: that one is very interesting for the mere fact it's different from the rest in the system. I got my first chance to visit it over the summer. The layout inside is very weird, and unfortunately there's lots of empty space. There is one nice seating area where you can sit right outside the Interstate which is cool.
Why couldn't they from a legal perspective? It may be true that at least at the moment they aren't interested in building new ones but I don't see why there would be any law against it. I wish they would at least rebuild one I miss stopping at O Hare or Hinsdale it would be my first break. Lake Forest is too early and Lincoln is quite a stretch. I was on the Tri State last weekend and it wasn't fun having to wait until Lincon for a break. Another think I also don't like about that Oasis is merging on to the interstate the lane becomes an exit only lane and you don't have much time to get back on the mainline.


The gas stations and convenience stores are still open though right?
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hobsini2

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1451 on: August 08, 2022, 11:30:56 AM »

Hope they can build more trumpet type Oases, with room for 5 lanes under ramps.

As much as I'd love this, I don't think the tollway can legally–or has any interest in–construct new oases. The ones that we have are all we'll have. Best to support them while they're there.

Also, regarding the DeKalb oasis: that one is very interesting for the mere fact it's different from the rest in the system. I got my first chance to visit it over the summer. The layout inside is very weird, and unfortunately there's lots of empty space. There is one nice seating area where you can sit right outside the Interstate which is cool.
Why couldn't they from a legal perspective? It may be true that at least at the moment they aren't interested in building new ones but I don't see why there would be any law against it. I wish they would at least rebuild one I miss stopping at O Hare or Hinsdale it would be my first break. Lake Forest is too early and Lincoln is quite a stretch. I was on the Tri State last weekend and it wasn't fun having to wait until Lincon for a break. Another think I also don't like about that Oasis is merging on to the interstate the lane becomes an exit only lane and you don't have much time to get back on the mainline.


The gas stations and convenience stores are still open though right?

Yes for now.
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Revive 755

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1452 on: August 08, 2022, 10:09:30 PM »


Haven't figured out why they still have one lane open through the old cash plazas since all the high-speed plazas are now "I-Pass or Pay by Plate." I think it's been long enough for almost everyone to know there is no more cash collection.

Probably some combination of capacity issues and weaving for those plazas near interchanges - particularly for the Army Trail and Boughton Plazas on I-355.

What's more questionable is the newer sign for the westbound plaza at the Genoa Road exit marking the wide I-Pass lane for 15 mph.
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lstone19

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1453 on: August 08, 2022, 11:05:07 PM »


Haven't figured out why they still have one lane open through the old cash plazas since all the high-speed plazas are now "I-Pass or Pay by Plate." I think it's been long enough for almost everyone to know there is no more cash collection.

Probably some combination of capacity issues and weaving for those plazas near interchanges - particularly for the Army Trail and Boughton Plazas on I-355.

Any weaving problem is the result of allowing traffic to go through the old cash lanes. Close them and problem goes away.
Quote

What's more questionable is the newer sign for the westbound plaza at the Genoa Road exit marking the wide I-Pass lane for 15 mph.

There shouldn’t even be ramp tolls at Genoa Rd. Their presence is one of ISTHA’s broken promises when they went to one-way tolling at Hampshire and Belvedere which was round-trip travelers woulnd’t pay any more. Travelers who make round-trips to/from Genoa Rd. were told they’d pay the double-toll one direction and no toll the other direction. But then someone said “but some people are getting a free ride”  so they decided to screw the Genoa Rd. users. Just one more reason ISTHA’s tolls on I-90 have become super-screwed up (e.g. I-290 at Schaumburg to U.S. 20 at Marengo costs $0.75 but Barrington Rd to IL-47 at Huntley, completely contained within the I-290 to U.S. 20 trip, costs $1.50 with an entry toll (no entry toll five miles back at I-290), the Elgin mainline toll, and an exit toll (no exit toll four miles ahead at U.S. 20)).
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hobsini2

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1454 on: August 10, 2022, 11:02:00 AM »


Haven't figured out why they still have one lane open through the old cash plazas since all the high-speed plazas are now "I-Pass or Pay by Plate." I think it's been long enough for almost everyone to know there is no more cash collection.

Probably some combination of capacity issues and weaving for those plazas near interchanges - particularly for the Army Trail and Boughton Plazas on I-355.

Any weaving problem is the result of allowing traffic to go through the old cash lanes. Close them and problem goes away.
Quote

What's more questionable is the newer sign for the westbound plaza at the Genoa Road exit marking the wide I-Pass lane for 15 mph.

There shouldn’t even be ramp tolls at Genoa Rd. Their presence is one of ISTHA’s broken promises when they went to one-way tolling at Hampshire and Belvedere which was round-trip travelers woulnd’t pay any more. Travelers who make round-trips to/from Genoa Rd. were told they’d pay the double-toll one direction and no toll the other direction. But then someone said “but some people are getting a free ride”  so they decided to screw the Genoa Rd. users. Just one more reason ISTHA’s tolls on I-90 have become super-screwed up (e.g. I-290 at Schaumburg to U.S. 20 at Marengo costs $0.75 but Barrington Rd to IL-47 at Huntley, completely contained within the I-290 to U.S. 20 trip, costs $1.50 with an entry toll (no entry toll five miles back at I-290), the Elgin mainline toll, and an exit toll (no exit toll four miles ahead at U.S. 20)).

Absolutely agree. This is why I was saying the ISTHA needs to reevaluate the mainline tolls "areas of influence" months ago.
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NWI_Irish96

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1455 on: August 10, 2022, 11:33:05 AM »


Haven't figured out why they still have one lane open through the old cash plazas since all the high-speed plazas are now "I-Pass or Pay by Plate." I think it's been long enough for almost everyone to know there is no more cash collection.

Probably some combination of capacity issues and weaving for those plazas near interchanges - particularly for the Army Trail and Boughton Plazas on I-355.

Any weaving problem is the result of allowing traffic to go through the old cash lanes. Close them and problem goes away.
Quote

What's more questionable is the newer sign for the westbound plaza at the Genoa Road exit marking the wide I-Pass lane for 15 mph.

There shouldn’t even be ramp tolls at Genoa Rd. Their presence is one of ISTHA’s broken promises when they went to one-way tolling at Hampshire and Belvedere which was round-trip travelers woulnd’t pay any more. Travelers who make round-trips to/from Genoa Rd. were told they’d pay the double-toll one direction and no toll the other direction. But then someone said “but some people are getting a free ride”  so they decided to screw the Genoa Rd. users. Just one more reason ISTHA’s tolls on I-90 have become super-screwed up (e.g. I-290 at Schaumburg to U.S. 20 at Marengo costs $0.75 but Barrington Rd to IL-47 at Huntley, completely contained within the I-290 to U.S. 20 trip, costs $1.50 with an entry toll (no entry toll five miles back at I-290), the Elgin mainline toll, and an exit toll (no exit toll four miles ahead at U.S. 20)).

Absolutely agree. This is why I was saying the ISTHA needs to reevaluate the mainline tolls "areas of influence" months ago.

I've always looked at it this way and don't know why it couldn't be done.

On an E-W tollway, take the midpoint between any two mainline toll plazas. Interchanges east of that midpoint have westbound entry and westbound exit tolls only. Interchanges west of that midpoint have eastbound entry and eastbound exit tolls only. Seems like the fairest way of doing it.

Yes, if you happen to be someone who gets on one interchange on one side of that midpoint and go to the next one on the other side you kinda get screwed, but it still seems like the fairest way.
« Last Edit: August 10, 2022, 11:42:16 AM by NWI_Irish96 »
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Joe The Dragon

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1456 on: August 10, 2022, 11:38:03 AM »

just do an EOE and add more tolling points
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lstone19

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1457 on: August 10, 2022, 11:48:52 AM »

There shouldn’t even be ramp tolls at Genoa Rd. Their presence is one of ISTHA’s broken promises when they went to one-way tolling at Hampshire and Belvedere which was round-trip travelers woulnd’t pay any more. Travelers who make round-trips to/from Genoa Rd. were told they’d pay the double-toll one direction and no toll the other direction. But then someone said “but some people are getting a free ride”  so they decided to screw the Genoa Rd. users. Just one more reason ISTHA’s tolls on I-90 have become super-screwed up (e.g. I-290 at Schaumburg to U.S. 20 at Marengo costs $0.75 but Barrington Rd to IL-47 at Huntley, completely contained within the I-290 to U.S. 20 trip, costs $1.50 with an entry toll (no entry toll five miles back at I-290), the Elgin mainline toll, and an exit toll (no exit toll four miles ahead at U.S. 20)).

Absolutely agree. This is why I was saying the ISTHA needs to reevaluate the mainline tolls "areas of influence" months ago.

I-90 began getting screwed up more than 25 years ago when the eliminated the WB entry toll at I-290. Originally, things were balanced with the areas of influence of the mainline tolls being Kennedy to Barrington Rd. (originally WB exit/EB entry only) for the O'Hare complex tolls and IL-59 (originally EB exit/WB entry only) to US-20 (Marengo/Hampshire) for the Elgin toll. Roselle Rd. was also WB exit/EB entry) so after the I-290 ramp tolls to/from the west, there were no other ramp tolls until IL-25 to/from the east. Then they started making a real mess of things when the added the Beverly Rd. ramps to/from the east without ramp tolls even though in the Elgin toll area of influence. Their solution to that potential free ride was first to add the EB exit toll at IL-59 and then add the WB exit tolls at Roselle Rd., Barrington Rd., IL-59 and Beverly Rd. With that, the WB boundary between areas of influence moved to I-290. It also created what I consider a flaw in that a person entering EB at IL-25 paid an entry toll but then had no place the could exit without paying another toll (I believe that having paid a toll, there should be at least one place you can exit without paying another toll).

If you subscribe to the idea of "areas of influence" for a mainline toll, then there should never be a place where there is both an exit and an entry toll in the same direction. And there should be a boundary interchange (could be split between two half-interchanges as it used to be between Barrington Rd., and IL-59) where there are no ramp tolls. This has been grossly violated by ISTHA on I-90 with ramp tolls both ways at Meacham Rd. (partial interchange - WB exit and entry only), Roselle Rd., Barrington Rd., and IL-47. And none of that gets into the mess they created with the one-way tolls west of the US-20 Marengo/Hampshire interchange. I suspect their thinking is that some of these ramp tolls are to pay for the interchange improvements rather than the mainline usage but that's not how tolling has traditionally worked. But it's also created the bizarre situation I encountered a couple of years ago when I-90 was closed due to "police activity" between US-20 (Marengo/Hampshire) and IL-47 with traffic detoured via US-20 and IL-47. But ISTHA was not going to be denied their entry tolls at IL-47 so the detoured traffic paid more in tolls for the "privilege" of a longer and slower back roads route.

Fortunately, we're moving in two months to a state without toll roads after which I can largely put ISTHA and their bizarre tolls behind me.
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abefroman329

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1458 on: August 10, 2022, 11:58:01 AM »

Any weaving problem is the result of allowing traffic to go through the old cash lanes. Close them and problem goes away.
OK, but then you'd have to block the entrance with the cash lanes with Jersey barriers or something similar, lest someone drive towards the cash lanes, discover they're all closed, and then do something boneheaded like reversing (or, worse, driving in the wrong direction) to get back to the ETC lanes.  And then there's a risk of someone who's driving using muscle memory crashing into the barriers.

And you still have to leave at least one cash line (ideally, more than one, given the backups I've seen) open on 294 south at Irving Park, 294 north before Touhy, etc.
« Last Edit: August 10, 2022, 08:33:07 PM by Alps »
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hobsini2

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1459 on: August 10, 2022, 12:13:37 PM »

There shouldn’t even be ramp tolls at Genoa Rd. Their presence is one of ISTHA’s broken promises when they went to one-way tolling at Hampshire and Belvedere which was round-trip travelers woulnd’t pay any more. Travelers who make round-trips to/from Genoa Rd. were told they’d pay the double-toll one direction and no toll the other direction. But then someone said “but some people are getting a free ride” so they decided to screw the Genoa Rd. users. Just one more reason ISTHA’s tolls on I-90 have become super-screwed up (e.g. I-290 at Schaumburg to U.S. 20 at Marengo costs $0.75 but Barrington Rd to IL-47 at Huntley, completely contained within the I-290 to U.S. 20 trip, costs $1.50 with an entry toll (no entry toll five miles back at I-290), the Elgin mainline toll, and an exit toll (no exit toll four miles ahead at U.S. 20)).

Absolutely agree. This is why I was saying the ISTHA needs to reevaluate the mainline tolls "areas of influence" months ago.

I-90 began getting screwed up more than 25 years ago when the eliminated the WB entry toll at I-290. Originally, things were balanced with the areas of influence of the mainline tolls being Kennedy to Barrington Rd. (originally WB exit/EB entry only) for the O'Hare complex tolls and IL-59 (originally EB exit/WB entry only) to US-20 (Marengo/Hampshire) for the Elgin toll. Roselle Rd. was also WB exit/EB entry) so after the I-290 ramp tolls to/from the west, there were no other ramp tolls until IL-25 to/from the east. Then they started making a real mess of things when the added the Beverly Rd. ramps to/from the east without ramp tolls even though in the Elgin toll area of influence. Their solution to that potential free ride was first to add the EB exit toll at IL-59 and then add the WB exit tolls at Roselle Rd., Barrington Rd., IL-59 and Beverly Rd. With that, the WB boundary between areas of influence moved to I-290. It also created what I consider a flaw in that a person entering EB at IL-25 paid an entry toll but then had no place the could exit without paying another toll (I believe that having paid a toll, there should be at least one place you can exit without paying another toll).

If you subscribe to the idea of "areas of influence" for a mainline toll, then there should never be a place where there is both an exit and an entry toll in the same direction. And there should be a boundary interchange (could be split between two half-interchanges as it used to be between Barrington Rd., and IL-59) where there are no ramp tolls. This has been grossly violated by ISTHA on I-90 with ramp tolls both ways at Meacham Rd. (partial interchange - WB exit and entry only), Roselle Rd., Barrington Rd., and IL-47. And none of that gets into the mess they created with the one-way tolls west of the US-20 Marengo/Hampshire interchange. I suspect their thinking is that some of these ramp tolls are to pay for the interchange improvements rather than the mainline usage but that's not how tolling has traditionally worked. But it's also created the bizarre situation I encountered a couple of years ago when I-90 was closed due to "police activity" between US-20 (Marengo/Hampshire) and IL-47 with traffic detoured via US-20 and IL-47. But ISTHA was not going to be denied their entry tolls at IL-47 so the detoured traffic paid more in tolls for the "privilege" of a longer and slower back roads route.

Fortunately, we're moving in two months to a state without toll roads after which I can largely put ISTHA and their bizarre tolls behind me.

In the case of Route 25 having a toll and not getting off without a free point, Route 59 was that free point ages ago when it was a EB off/WB only interchange.

As i posted before...
I-88 Reagan (E-W) Twy
York/Meyers I-290 to Rt 59
Aurora Rt 59 to Rt 47
DeKalb Rt 47 to I-39/US 51
Dixon I-39 to US 30

I-90 Jane Addams (NW) Twy
River/Devon I-190/Kennedy Expy to I-290/Rt 53
Elgin I-290/Rt 53 to Rt 47
Marengo/Belvidere Rt 47 to I-39/US 20/US 51
South Beloit I-39/US 20/US 51 to Rockton Rd
(Honestly, they should move the South Beloit Toll to south of Riverside Blvd. and make it Rockford or do a split direction like they did with Marengo/Belvidere with the plazas at the current South Beloit for Northwestbound and south of Riverside Blvd for Southeastbound)

I-94/I-294/I-80 Tri State Twy
163rd St I-94/Rt 394 to Rt 50 Cicero Ave/127th St
83rd/82nd Rt 50 Cicero Ave/127th St to I-55
Cermak I-55 to I-290
Irving Park/Touhy I-290 to Willow Rd
*NEW Half Day Willow Rd to Rt 132 Grand Ave (This would include the Edens Spur Plaza at Pfingsten Rd. I would put this just north of Rt 22 Half Day Rd)
Waukegan Rt 132 Grand Ave to US 41

I-355 Veterans Memorial (N-S) Twy
Spring Creek I-80 to I-55
Boughton I-55 to I-88
Army Trail I-88 to I-290 (the free section north of Army Trail remains free)
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ET21

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1460 on: August 15, 2022, 09:34:33 AM »

294 rebuild notes

-No major changes between 95th and I-55. Bridge work continues on 88th Ave, Mile Long, I-55 mainline, and the new ramp from I-55 to NB 294. Roadway work continues especially between Willow Springs Rd and the I-55/NB 294 ramp. Noise walls going up along the NB lanes between Willow Springs and I-55. There will be a big traffic shift happening this week in this section.

-Plainfield Rd to I-88, the EB Plainfield Rd bridge is almost ready and the WB side is expected to start getting torn down soon. Hinsdale Oasis minus the median supports is gone. The new pedestrian bridge adjacent to 47th St is 50% up over the NB lanes. BNSF bridge is pretty much done it looks like, work is now adjusting to begin 294 expansion. Ogden Ave has begun shifts/bridge work. Expansion work continues from Ogden onto the NB294 to WB I-88 ramp.

-I-88 to St. Charles, an absolute mess during rush hour lol. The split on the NB294 to I-290 ramp causes gridlock now every day cause people still don't read signs and dart over last minute. But, WB-290 ramp has shifted onto the new concrete, now they have begun to tear out parts of the old ramp. Bridge supports continue to go up for the new ramps. EB 290 to SB 294 is shifted to the left while they build the new ramp to its right.

-St. Charles to Bensenville Bridge, no major changes. Expansion work continues on the SB lanes between WB 290 ramp to just before EB 290 ramp. Reconstruction continues in the middle from WB 290 to Wolf Rd. 490 interchange continues, most of the steel beams are up for the NB 294 to NB 490, they have now begun to build the median bridge support. A big traffic shift is expected here as well over the next week.

-Bensenville Bridge and northward, shifts continue for bridge rebuilds on both NB/SB 294 including through O'Hare Oasis. Otherwise north of that roadwork has been completed.
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JoePCool14

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1461 on: August 20, 2022, 08:15:07 AM »

When it comes to the tolling, I think ISTHA should consider moving towards a EOE-styled approach. It's definitely more simple to understand and means you pay per segment you travel. No double paying or being charged for exiting and re-entering.
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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1462 on: August 24, 2022, 12:36:31 AM »

When it comes to the tolling, I think ISTHA should consider moving towards a EOE-styled approach. It's definitely more simple to understand and means you pay per segment you travel. No double paying or being charged for exiting and re-entering.

I am rather surprised with the Central Tri State rebuild they don't just simply remove the toll plazas where it is being rebuilt, for instance, the Cermak Rd Toll Plaza honestly could just be removed and then the sides turned into a regular C/D type of ramp
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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1463 on: August 24, 2022, 08:47:00 PM »

When it comes to the tolling, I think ISTHA should consider moving towards a EOE-styled approach. It's definitely more simple to understand and means you pay per segment you travel. No double paying or being charged for exiting and re-entering.
That is a good point I remember when I visited Yorktown Mall this summer I was charged to exit then getting back on had to go through another toll check point.
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dvferyance

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1464 on: August 31, 2022, 06:13:31 PM »

I was at the Lincoln Oasis last week and I was surprised it's half empty. I would think now that Hinsdale closed some of the businesses that were there would have moved over to Lincoln. There is no Taco Bell, KFC or Panera at Lincoln and there was at Hinsdale. Why not move them there? That would make sense. The Lake Forest Oasis to my surprise also has spaces available as well why? With 2 Oasis closed I would think the other 2 remaining ones would be filled with as many tenants as they can take but they're not.
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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1465 on: August 31, 2022, 07:30:07 PM »

I was at the Lincoln Oasis last week and I was surprised it's half empty. I would think now that Hinsdale closed some of the businesses that were there would have moved over to Lincoln. There is no Taco Bell, KFC or Panera at Lincoln and there was at Hinsdale. Why not move them there? That would make sense. The Lake Forest Oasis to my surprise also has spaces available as well why? With 2 Oasis closed I would think the other 2 remaining ones would be filled with as many tenants as they can take but they're not.

Because Oasis interests beyond gas and a bathroom has been waning for many years for general motorists.

When the Tollways had more restrictive options for getting off and on, it had some value, but today with it getting easier to traverse the Tollway system, therefore the Oasis format is less viable as a retail entity.

When they were conceived, autos averaged only 12 mpg on the highway, today with the average highway mpg exceeding 23, cars can travel nearly twice as far without having to stop.

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Revive 755

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1466 on: August 31, 2022, 10:48:30 PM »

I was at the Lincoln Oasis last week and I was surprised it's half empty. I would think now that Hinsdale closed some of the businesses that were there would have moved over to Lincoln. There is no Taco Bell, KFC or Panera at Lincoln and there was at Hinsdale. Why not move them there? That would make sense. The Lake Forest Oasis to my surprise also has spaces available as well why? With 2 Oasis closed I would think the other 2 remaining ones would be filled with as many tenants as they can take but they're not.

The various pandemic restrictions (with Illinois having more than Wisconsin and Indiana) probably didn't help.
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The Ghostbuster

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1467 on: September 01, 2022, 07:06:05 PM »

I wonder if any of the still-open Oasises on the tollway system will eventually be closed in the future. The Dekalb Oasis on Interstate 88 and the Belvidere Oasis on Interstate 90 are the only oases that are in rural areas (relatively speaking). If all of the oases on the Tri-State Tollway closed, I'm not sure how much people would miss them, as there are likely plenty of other options in the surrounding communities to get food and fuel from. I assume that is why no oases were built on the Interstate 355 Veterans Memorial Tollway.
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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1468 on: September 01, 2022, 08:26:31 PM »

When they were conceived, autos averaged only 12 mpg on the highway, today with the average highway mpg exceeding 23, cars can travel nearly twice as far without having to stop.

If cars today get twice the mileage, given that there's now about half as many oases as before, it kind of works out.  :-D
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Joe The Dragon

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1469 on: September 01, 2022, 09:52:23 PM »

I wonder if any of the still-open Oasises on the tollway system will eventually be closed in the future. The Dekalb Oasis on Interstate 88 and the Belvidere Oasis on Interstate 90 are the only oases that are in rural areas (relatively speaking). If all of the oases on the Tri-State Tollway closed, I'm not sure how much people would miss them, as there are likely plenty of other options in the surrounding communities to get food and fuel from. I assume that is why no oases were built on the Interstate 355 Veterans Memorial Tollway.
and say EOE like tolling with lot's of tolling points + filling in the missing ramps may be the final nail in the coffin for them.
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kphoger

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1470 on: September 01, 2022, 10:10:00 PM »


When they were conceived, autos averaged only 12 mpg on the highway, today with the average highway mpg exceeding 23, cars can travel nearly twice as far without having to stop.

If cars today get twice the mileage, given that there's now about half as many oases as before, it kind of works out.  :-D

Cars may be getting twice the mileage, but how many more cars are there on the highways now?  I'm guessing it's more than twofold.
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edwaleni

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1471 on: September 02, 2022, 10:55:00 AM »

I wonder if any of the still-open Oasises on the tollway system will eventually be closed in the future. The Dekalb Oasis on Interstate 88 and the Belvidere Oasis on Interstate 90 are the only oases that are in rural areas (relatively speaking). If all of the oases on the Tri-State Tollway closed, I'm not sure how much people would miss them, as there are likely plenty of other options in the surrounding communities to get food and fuel from. I assume that is why no oases were built on the Interstate 355 Veterans Memorial Tollway.

I-355 was not conceived originally as a tollway. It was supposed to be the FAP to replace IL-53 as a primary north-south arterial.  Land was already at a premium when the first part of I-355 was built, I don't think it even occurred to ISTHA to build one when they were handed the project.
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CtrlAltDel

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1472 on: September 02, 2022, 11:50:04 AM »


When they were conceived, autos averaged only 12 mpg on the highway, today with the average highway mpg exceeding 23, cars can travel nearly twice as far without having to stop.

If cars today get twice the mileage, given that there's now about half as many oases as before, it kind of works out.  :-D

Cars may be getting twice the mileage, but how many more cars are there on the highways now?  I'm guessing it's more than twofold.

That's what we call a confounding variable.  :-D

More seriously, from what I've been able to glean from things I've found online, there is about 7.5 times as much traffic on 294 than there was in 1960. So, interest is definitely declining.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2022, 11:54:10 AM by CtrlAltDel »
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abefroman329

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1473 on: September 02, 2022, 01:35:22 PM »

I wonder if any of the still-open Oasises on the tollway system will eventually be closed in the future. The Dekalb Oasis on Interstate 88 and the Belvidere Oasis on Interstate 90 are the only oases that are in rural areas (relatively speaking). If all of the oases on the Tri-State Tollway closed, I'm not sure how much people would miss them, as there are likely plenty of other options in the surrounding communities to get food and fuel from. I assume that is why no oases were built on the Interstate 355 Veterans Memorial Tollway.
The only one I've set foot in during the past ten years is the Lake Forest Oasis, and I would not be surprised at all if it closed.

One more thing that's contributing to the lack of traffic in Oases that no one has brought up yet: In the age of ETC, it's not really THAT inconvenient to leave and re-enter a tollway.
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kphoger

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Re: Illinois Tollway Notes
« Reply #1474 on: September 02, 2022, 02:11:32 PM »

One more thing that's contributing to the lack of traffic in Oases that no one has brought up yet: In the age of ETC, it's not really THAT inconvenient to leave and re-enter a tollway.

I assumed that's what |edwaleni| meant by the statement quoted below.  I guess maybe I assumed wrong.

When the Tollways had more restrictive options for getting off and on, it had some value, but today with it getting easier to traverse the Tollway system, therefore the Oasis format is less viable as a retail entity.
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