I-88 tollway in Illinois

[A.J. Bertin]

In just a few short weeks, I will be getting ready to make my drive from my home in Michigan to Dubuque, Iowa, for the road meet coming up on May 4. I've already determined most of my route, and it will include clinching I-88 (between my route out to Dubuque and my route back to Michigan).

I do not have an I-Pass or EZPass and will if course plan to use cash to pay the tolls along I-88. My question is... does I-88 use a ticket system for its tolls (with a live person at each toll plaza), or do I need to have exact change for each toll? One of the things I plan to do is stay overnight at a motel off I-88 in DeKalb, so I will exit I-88 and then re-enter the next morning. I know sometimes those minor exits do not have a live person working the tolls.

I've driven very little of that tollway, so any information would be helpful as I plan this upcoming trip. Thanks in advance!

[SSOWorld]

You do not need exact change unless you get off the toll road at a tolled interchange.  Point of fact NONE of the interchanges are manned.

Your best bet is to get off at ILL 56, take it to ILL 47 and take 47 north to ILL 38, then retrace that route back as ILL 47 and get back on at ILL 47.  Downfall, you miss the portion between those two as they are only partials 56 is WB Off/EB On and 47 is WB On/EB Off.

The next two interchanges going west serve DeKalb more directly, but you are tolled getting off in the westbound direction.  They are Peace Road (1.50 cash) and Annie Glidden Road (2.10 cash).  Getting off at these interchanges is ill-advised since if you get back on at them, you're hit by the mainline plaza right away for 3.60 cash.

I-39 comes after that which is another free interchange, but further away from DeKalb AND you pass through the mainline plaza.  Take 39 N to ILL 38 then take 38 east to DeKalb.  Then go back to 39 and get on there to avoid the double toll.  This is your best bet

http://www.illinoistollway.com/roadway-information/maps/entrances-and-exits#Reagan

[Brandon]

In just a few short weeks, I will be getting ready to make my drive from my home in Michigan to Dubuque, Iowa, for the road meet coming up on May 4. I've already determined most of my route, and it will include clinching I-88 (between my route out to Dubuque and my route back to Michigan).

I do not have an I-Pass or EZPass and will if course plan to use cash to pay the tolls along I-88. My question is... does I-88 use a ticket system for its tolls (with a live person at each toll plaza), or do I need to have exact change for each toll? One of the things I plan to do is stay overnight at a motel off I-88 in DeKalb, so I will exit I-88 and then re-enter the next morning. I know sometimes those minor exits do not have a live person working the tolls.

I've driven very little of that tollway, so any information would be helpful as I plan this upcoming trip. Thanks in advance!

No.  The East-West Tollway uses a barrier system.  There are four barriers along the tollway: York(EB)/Meyers(WB) ($1.60), Aurora ($1.60), DeKalb ($3.80), and Dixon ($3.80).  You will need $10.80 in cash.  If you use cash, you will exit the tollway to the cash booths, and dollar bills are just fine.  They're all manual lanes now.  You may have a bit of a delay as usually only one manual lane tends to be open as 85% of tollway users use I-Pass.  You will need change to exit at these points west of Aurora: Peace Rd (Exit 94), Annie Glidden Rd (Exit 91), and Dixon (Exit 52); however, you can also choose to pay afterward within 7 days via illinoistollway.com.

I would suggest a hotel in Rochelle as the exit (IL-5251, Exit 76) is free.  Otherwise, I would suggest IL-59 as another possible hotel area (free exit), or going past to Rock Falls (Exit 44).

There is one Oasis (Service Area) along I-88 at DeKalb between Exits 91 and 94 with food (McDonald's, Panda Express, and Subway) and fuel (Mobil/7-Eleven) serving both directions.  It is the only Oasis not over the tollway.

I-88 is eight lanes from the Tri-State to IL-59, six lanes from IL-59 to IL-56 (Exit 113), and four lanes west of there to I-80.  The exit numbers starts at Orchard Road (Exit 115).  The only exits that are not full exits are IL-York Rd, Spring Rd, IL-83, Midwest Rd, IL-56 Sugar Grove, and IL-47.

Friday evening can be very busy westbound (outbound) from the Tri-State to Sugar Grove.

If you want all of I-88 without going through the Circle Interchange, take I-294 north to the I-290 EAST exit.  Exit at Mannheim Rd NORTH (US-12/20/45) and get on the Ike (I-290) WEST.  Then move to the left and take the very beginning of I-88 - signed for Aurora and IL-38, Roosevelt Rd.

[mrose]

$3.80? Egad. Last time I went through there (I-80 to I-39) it was $0.95 and that doesn't seem like that long ago.

[hbelkins]

$10.80 to drive the entire length of I-88? Talk about highway robbery.

[Brandon]

$10.80 to drive the entire length of I-88? Talk about highway robbery.

It's still cheaper per mile than the Chicago Skyway for $4.00 for a mere 7 miles, or even the NYC Bridges which are $$$$.
Of course, if you have an I-Pass or and EZ-Pass, the toll for the entire length is $5.30.

[A.J. Bertin]

Thanks, Scott and Brandon, for your suggestions. This is helpful information. I have an interesting route planned:

Going out to Dubuque:
I-88 west
I-39 north
U.S. 20 west

Coming back to Michigan from Dubuque:
U.S. 61 south
I-80 east
I-88 east
I-39 south
I-80 east

On the Friday evening, I have yet to decide how I want to get from Michigan to I-88. I'm considering limiting the tolls as much as possible because I know I'll spend something like $10.80 on the tolls just on I-88. I like Brandon's suggestion of taking I-294 north to I-290 east and then turning around. However, I'm considering taking the Bishop Ford and Dan Ryan downtown to I-290 west to the beginning of I-88. (By the time I get to the Chicago area, it will probably be after rush hour so I'm not too concerned about traffic.)

What I plan to do is clinch I-88 in its entirety, so whatever I can do to reduce my tolls but still clinch the entire highway would be great. I'm considering both of Scott's options (using IL 56, IL 47, and IL 38 - along with the idea of just passing DeKalb altogether Friday night and taking I-39 north to IL 38 back into town). I'll be staying at the Super 8 Motel on Annie Glidden Rd.

We'll see what happens! Thanks again for the suggestions.

[3467]

That is not a bad route even if you were not touring roads because of construction on 90. I have taken 88 on weekends and I think there may be a lot of people using 88/39 instead of 90.
When you take your route from downtown Chicago out to 88 You will ask what is the 110.
We have threads on that look for Chicago/KC initiative

[SSOWorld]

When you take your route from downtown Chicago out to 88 You will ask what is the 110.

an appropriate response to that would be

"Yawn"

[agentsteel53]

When you take your route from downtown Chicago out to 88 You will ask what is the 110.

and you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile ...

[Brandon]

When you take your route from downtown Chicago out to 88 You will ask what is the 110.

and you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile ...

and you may find yourself with a large house and a beautiful wife...

[Alps]

When you take your route from downtown Chicago out to 88 You will ask what is the 110.

and you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile ...

and you may find yourself with a large house and a beautiful wife...

and you should end the song right there while you have those things

[mrose]

For years, we would head back to Nebraska that way (and home) from southern WI, and we always used I-88 / Illinois 5 to get to the Quad Cities and I-80 from Rockford (via 90/39)... it was always in terrible condition. The irony of it having to pay a toll to use it was never lost on us.

[Revive 755]

^ It's just as bad now west of I-39 - the pavement quality still goes up where maintenance switches from ISTHA to IDOT.  I heard once from an employee of the Toll Authority that I-88 had to be subsidized by the rest of the tollway system.  I've also heard from an IDOT employee that (caution:  probable rumor follows) that the Toll Authority wanted (or might still want to) swap I-88 for I-80 with IDOT.

[Brandon]

^ It's just as bad now west of I-39 - the pavement quality still goes up where maintenance switches from ISTHA to IDOT.  I heard once from an employee of the Toll Authority that I-88 had to be subsidized by the rest of the tollway system.  I've also heard from an IDOT employee that (caution:  probable rumor follows) that the Toll Authority wanted (or might still want to) swap I-88 for I-80 with IDOT.

I-88 was just redone, pavement-wise from I-39 to Sugar Grove (IL-56) last year.  IMHO, it usually has better pavement quality than I-80.

[Stratuscaster]

Have you considered making an investment in getting an I-PASS? Yes, it's $50 to start - but $40 of that is toll money, and it's usable pretty much everywhere EZ-Pass is used.

Then you wouldn't really have to worry about the tolls. You could pick one up at the Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis as you come into the state.

[Brandon]

^^ I concur.  You can then use it on the Indiana Toll Road and the Ohio Turnpike as well (think of the Ohio meet and trips to Cedar Point).

A few things to look for along I-88 west of Sugar Grove (IL-56):

- The speed limit signs are all reinforced in the back like the big green signs.
- ISTHA uses yellow reflectors on the left side when there is a grassy median.
- The long distances between exits and that the next exit is routinely posted at each exit.
- The DeKalb Oasis, the only Oasis not over the Tollway.
- Exit number tabs are in use, and they are aligned with the side the exit is on.

[bulldog1979]

A.J.'s aware of the benefits of an I-Pass. We used mine on the trip to Baltimore for that meet a few years ago. For a Michigan resident working in Ohio spitting distance from the turnpike, I use mine quite a bit. Recently, I even used it in Illinois!

[SSOWorld]

Also - the I-PASS is one of those programs where you don't have a monthly fee or expiring $$$.  I only go onto EZ-Pass roads once or twice a year at most now.  plus the IL roads don't eat as much out of your tolls as Pennsaylvania, New Jersey or New York would...

There is a fee charged by ISTHA for use on roads other than theirs - but it's chump change.

Don't let your funds go below $10 though - they may not like that.

[Brandon]

Also - the I-PASS is one of those programs where you don't have a monthly fee or expiring $$$.  I only go onto EZ-Pass roads once or twice a year at most now.  plus the IL roads don't eat as much out of your tolls as Pennsaylvania, New Jersey or New York would...

There is a fee charged by ISTHA for use on roads other than theirs - but it's chump change.

Don't let your funds go below $10 though - they may not like that.

That's where automatic replenishment comes in handy.  They add $40 from the account/credit card of your choice when you hit $10.  The charge per toll for processing on other toll roads is $0.03/toll (regardless of toll charge by the other toll road).

[A.J. Bertin]

Have you considered making an investment in getting an I-PASS? Yes, it's $50 to start - but $40 of that is toll money, and it's usable pretty much everywhere EZ-Pass is used.

Then you wouldn't really have to worry about the tolls. You could pick one up at the Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis as you come into the state.

Yes - I have considered that. And Michael (bulldog1979) confirms that I know the benefits because I rode with him and Larry Harvilla to the Baltimore meet in April 2010. The I-Pass was used on the Ohio and Pennsylvania Turnpikes.

I do understand the benefits of I-Pass. I have decided, however, that I do not want to invest in that. I do not travel on toll roads enough for me to justify the hassle of having the account. The minor inconvenience of figuring out the toll situations (manned vs. un-manned, exact change, etc.) trumps having another account to worry about. If I lived in a state where driving on toll roads was a regular occurrence, I would obviously make that investment. It's just not worth the trouble for me. I would just prefer to pay with cash and be done with it.

[jwags]

Also - the I-PASS is one of those programs where you don't have a monthly fee or expiring $$$.  I only go onto EZ-Pass roads once or twice a year at most now.  plus the IL roads don't eat as much out of your tolls as Pennsaylvania, New Jersey or New York would...

There is a fee charged by ISTHA for use on roads other than theirs - but it's chump change.

Don't let your funds go below $10 though - they may not like that.

That's where automatic replenishment comes in handy.  They add $40 from the account/credit card of your choice when you hit $10.  The charge per toll for processing on other toll roads is $0.03/toll (regardless of toll charge by the other toll road).

The 3 cent charge is only on Indiana Toll Road and the Chicago Skyway.  On the other roads you pay the EZ-Pass rate.

[Mdcastle]

Is there such a agency that would
A) Rent me a transponder with my Minnesota plate
B) Allow me to use it on a rental car, and
C) Not have recurring rental charges or hassle me if it doesn't get used too often?

[Brandon]

Is there such a agency that would
A) Rent me a transponder with my Minnesota plate
B) Allow me to use it on a rental car, and
C) Not have recurring rental charges or hassle me if it doesn't get used too often?

A - I know of no agency that rents transponders.  You'd have to obtain one.
B - Yes, you can use a transponder on your rental car.
C - Moot point as the transponder would be yours, see A.

[ET21]

In just a few short weeks, I will be getting ready to make my drive from my home in Michigan to Dubuque, Iowa, for the road meet coming up on May 4. I've already determined most of my route, and it will include clinching I-88 (between my route out to Dubuque and my route back to Michigan).

I do not have an I-Pass or EZPass and will if course plan to use cash to pay the tolls along I-88. My question is... does I-88 use a ticket system for its tolls (with a live person at each toll plaza), or do I need to have exact change for each toll? One of the things I plan to do is stay overnight at a motel off I-88 in DeKalb, so I will exit I-88 and then re-enter the next morning. I know sometimes those minor exits do not have a live person working the tolls.

I've driven very little of that tollway, so any information would be helpful as I plan this upcoming trip. Thanks in advance!

If you want all of I-88 without going through the Circle Interchange, take I-294 north to the I-290 EAST exit.  Exit at Mannheim Rd NORTH (US-12/20/45) and get on the Ike (I-290) WEST.  Then move to the left and take the very beginning of I-88 - signed for Aurora and IL-38, Roosevelt Rd.

Why wouldn't he or she just take the ramp from 294 North onto 88 instead of having to deal with the Hillside Strangler?