Illinois Tollway Notes

[tribar]

I'm thankful that I-355 is an option for me to bypass Tri-State construction. It'll be awesome when it's done, but a bear while construction is underway.

they need to widen the I-88 to I-290 part.

I hope ISTHA considers a complete rebuild of the 1989 sections of I-355 after they are done with the Central Tri-State. That stretch is starting to show its age, especially when compared to most of the rest of the system.

[dcharlie]

Hey somebody deleted a post of mine just reminding other users of troll interaction.  I just said that we should be careful and not engage in discussion with people who will argue back to the point of insult as they live on us doing that.

Considering that the other comebacks posts were not it was deleted by accident when the other user tried his hand at snark back at KP, and I am guessing the moderator thought he was too fresh.

Anyway just backing up I-39 as he did make sense that we antagonize when we try to point out wrongs to that one user, and that we should just ignore him.

Deleted mine too...

[kphoger]

Posts get deleted.  It's just the mods doing their job.  It's not a perfect system, but it's not something to pitch a fit about either.

[dcharlie]

Yeah I know...  But it's frustrating when we have to deal with a certain someones childishness and his stuff remains...

[Rothman]

When I pitch fits, they are all strikes.

[I-39]

I'm thankful that I-355 is an option for me to bypass Tri-State construction. It'll be awesome when it's done, but a bear while construction is underway.

they need to widen the I-88 to I-290 part.

That'll be trouble with the Arboretum, who will block any further expansion in their section

It is going to need to be widened within the next 10-15 years, so too bad if they don't want it.

[I-39]

Looks like the Central Tri-State widening is a go

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-tollway-board-294-widening-0427-20170427-story.html

[tribar]

That's good to hear!

[Quimby]

IMHO, it would be a big loss to lose the oases.  There really isn't that much commercial development near the Tri-State, & the interchanges on the central Tri-State make getting on and off difficult.

Not to mention people don't want to have to pay another toll just to use the bathroom. The main advantage of the oases is that they're part of the tollway network and you don't have to pay to get on or off.

Agreed.  I'd hate to see them go.  It's not always easy to hop off and then hop back on the Tri-State for a food/bathroom break.  The Tri-State covers a long stretch of Interstate - about 75 miles!

Though not part of this project, the one I'd really miss is the Lincoln Oasis.  To me, that one is very well situated for times I'm heading eastbound out of state. 

[ET21]

IMHO, it would be a big loss to lose the oases.  There really isn't that much commercial development near the Tri-State, & the interchanges on the central Tri-State make getting on and off difficult.

Not to mention people don't want to have to pay another toll just to use the bathroom. The main advantage of the oases is that they're part of the tollway network and you don't have to pay to get on or off.

Agreed.  I'd hate to see them go.  It's not always easy to hop off and then hop back on the Tri-State for a food/bathroom break.  The Tri-State covers a long stretch of Interstate - about 75 miles!

Though not part of this project, the one I'd really miss is the Lincoln Oasis.  To me, that one is very well situated for times I'm heading eastbound out of state.

Hinsdale is my go-to stop for food before heading west for late night shenanigans. I'll just have to eat closer to home beforehand in 5 years

I'm thankful that I-355 is an option for me to bypass Tri-State construction. It'll be awesome when it's done, but a bear while construction is underway.

they need to widen the I-88 to I-290 part.

That'll be trouble with the Arboretum, who will block any further expansion in their section

It is going to need to be widened within the next 10-15 years, so too bad if they don't want it.

Oh I agree, but you know how that'll go with the environmentalists wanting to save maybe 10 trees that would be in the way

[I-39]

IMHO, it would be a big loss to lose the oases.  There really isn't that much commercial development near the Tri-State, & the interchanges on the central Tri-State make getting on and off difficult.

Not to mention people don't want to have to pay another toll just to use the bathroom. The main advantage of the oases is that they're part of the tollway network and you don't have to pay to get on or off.

Agreed.  I'd hate to see them go.  It's not always easy to hop off and then hop back on the Tri-State for a food/bathroom break.  The Tri-State covers a long stretch of Interstate - about 75 miles!

Though not part of this project, the one I'd really miss is the Lincoln Oasis.  To me, that one is very well situated for times I'm heading eastbound out of state.

They should have thought about that when rebuilding the oases. I don't understand why they didn't rebuild and lengthen the bridge decks to eliminate the "pinch-points" and accommodate future widening.

[Joe The Dragon]

I'm thankful that I-355 is an option for me to bypass Tri-State construction. It'll be awesome when it's done, but a bear while construction is underway.

they need to widen the I-88 to I-290 part.

That'll be trouble with the Arboretum, who will block any further expansion in their section

not in the way of I-355

[ILRoad55]

Technically it is land owned by the Arboretum. I've seen tons of coyotes (or foxes?)  along the fence at the top of that wall. I know the Arboretum will try and oppose it.

But I am curious about the tunnel under 88.

[tribar]

Do we know yet if ISTHA will be re designing any of the Central Tri State interchanges?

[ET21]

I'm thankful that I-355 is an option for me to bypass Tri-State construction. It'll be awesome when it's done, but a bear while construction is underway.

they need to widen the I-88 to I-290 part.

That'll be trouble with the Arboretum, who will block any further expansion in their section

not in the way of I-355

Yes, it is hence why nothing has been done to that section for years

[slorydn1]

When I pitch fits, they are all strikes.

And that's why they keep getting hit over the ivy in left center. 

[Joe The Dragon]

Technically it is land owned by the Arboretum. I've seen tons of coyotes (or foxes?)  along the fence at the top of that wall. I know the Arboretum will try and oppose it.

But I am curious about the tunnel under 88.

I will make it easy for you IL-56 to I-290 part does arboretum owns that? That part needs widening.

[ET21]

Technically it is land owned by the Arboretum. I've seen tons of coyotes (or foxes?)  along the fence at the top of that wall. I know the Arboretum will try and oppose it.

But I am curious about the tunnel under 88.

I will make it easy for you IL-56 to I-290 part does arboretum owns that? That part needs widening.

So you'll just leave the IL-56 to I-88 section 3 lanes, surrounded by 4 lane sections? 

[Rick Powell]

Do we know yet if ISTHA will be re designing any of the Central Tri State interchanges?

I went to 2 of the meetings, and it looks like I-55 and I-290/88 will get major makeovers...and 290/88 will need to accommodate the future I-290 project from there to the Jane Byrne interchange. I would think the local interchanges will get a makeover, though not sure to what extent.

[ILRoad55]

Did they show any designs or plans of what they might do? Or did they just explain that those interchanges will need to makeovers?

[Stephane Dumas]

I saw a old topo map showing the half-interchange of IL-171/US12-20-45 with on-ramps from IL-171 to Central Tri-State southbound but it also show a off-ramp to Cork Avenue allowing northbound Tri-State users to access IL-171 via Cork Avenue and now that ramp is removed and I wondered when that ramp was removed?  http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=41.74674,-87.84149&z=15&t=T

[ILRoad55]

By going to Historic Aerials, it looks like the ramp was removed between 1988 and 1998. 1992 was when a 4th lane was added in each direction. So maybe they needed room for it. Not sure but it looks like they could add a ramp there onto Cork.

[Rick Powell]

Did they show any designs or plans of what they might do? Or did they just explain that those interchanges will need to makeovers?

What I saw were simple line drawings of the existing route. They had some other displays but I didn't go over and look at them. The Hinsdale meeting was so crowded that you could barely see the lady from the Tollway who was giving the presentation. I went back and looked at the 15 slide hearing presentation that the Tollway posted at their website, and no conceptual drawings or renderings.

[Joe The Dragon]

Technically it is land owned by the Arboretum. I've seen tons of coyotes (or foxes?)  along the fence at the top of that wall. I know the Arboretum will try and oppose it.

But I am curious about the tunnel under 88.

I will make it easy for you IL-56 to I-290 part does arboretum owns that? That part needs widening.

So you'll just leave the IL-56 to I-88 section 3 lanes, surrounded by 4 lane sections? 

That part has C/D lanes.

[ET21]

Technically it is land owned by the Arboretum. I've seen tons of coyotes (or foxes?)  along the fence at the top of that wall. I know the Arboretum will try and oppose it.

But I am curious about the tunnel under 88.

I will make it easy for you IL-56 to I-290 part does arboretum owns that? That part needs widening.

So you'll just leave the IL-56 to I-88 section 3 lanes, surrounded by 4 lane sections? 

That part has C/D lanes.

True, but 4 mainline lanes would still be needed just to keep consistent traffic flow