Next IL Tollway

[rmsandw]

In todays Joliet Herald News, the officials from Grundy and Kendall Counties have gone to the ISTHA to ask them to take over the building of the Prairie Parkway.  Currently funding is in place to build the Fox River bridge and conntect IL 71 to U.S. 34, west of Yorkville, and buy land from I-80 to I-88.  The two counties see the highway being part of the tollway as a way to get the entire route built faster than if it was left to IDOT.

[SSOWorld]

Just what we need - more toll roads... to clinch...

[mightyace]

Chicagoland sprawls out even further...

[SSOWorld]

That too.

[rmsandw]

What's funny, four years ago when the studies started, all they wanted to do was pick a path and built in 20-30 years...

[Chris]

Just what we need - more toll roads... to clinch...

We Europeans are still a bit jealous of the low tolls they have in the U.S. Driving in France or Spain usually costs you 4 - 8 times more per mile compared to long distance turnpikes. The New York City toll cordon is a bit different though.

I think that tollway can be a good idea, if extended to I-90 it can give a nice bypass west of Chicago. I-90/I-94, I-294 and I-355 still travel right through an urbanized area. Besides that, I don't think through traffic from Rockford to Gary doesn't pay much more than they do now, since the alternative routes are also tollways.

[SSOWorld]

The cheapest you get is by going through downtown Chicago, taking I-90 to I-94, then following I-94 to Indiana.  the drawback is that you run into the jams that frequently happen there. (you still have to pay one toll though. (from I-290 eastward)

[rmsandw]

One thought that I have not seen anywhere in the Prairie Parkway talk to connecting it to the Illiana Expressway.  As that stands right now Will County is wanting that to end at I-55 south of Joliet, not at I-57.  So the Illiana would run from I-65 west to I-55.  So I say the Prairie Parkway/Tollway be say...new I-588, and the Illiana be I-765!

[FLRoads]

One thought that I have not seen anywhere in the Prairie Parkway talk to connecting it to the Illiana Expressway.  As that stands right now Will County is wanting that to end at I-55 south of Joliet, not at I-57.  So the Illiana would run from I-65 west to I-55.  So I say the Prairie Parkway/Tollway be say...new I-588, and the Illiana be I-765!

Nope, gonna have to exchange those I's for SR's.  Remember, we cannot make any new tolled interstates in this country.  And the I-355 southern extension was an exception since the northern portion was already in existence.  No, when built, those two tolled facilities will more than likely have state route designations, not interstate ones.  And if they do for whatever reason get interstate designations, then I know a whole slew of tolled roads in the Orlando area that had better get some interstate shields...

[Brandon]

flaroadgeek,  it has happened before in Illinois, and it will most likely happen again.  The Veterans Memorial Tollway (formerly North-South Tollway) was opened in 1989 as I-355 from Bolingbrook to Itasca.  It was never intended to have a state route number, and it was toll from day one as an interstate.  Any new toll facility in Illinois will also likely have an interstate number.  I suspect the Prairie Parkway will be an I-x80, and the Illiana Expressway will be an I-x65, I-x57, or I-x55.

[leifvanderwall]

flaroadgeek may have a point. Three recent tollways all have been SR numbers: PA 43 & California rts. 241 & 261. But then again Brandon may have a point; It has been discussed PA wants to change Toll SR 60 to I-376 and I-476 in PA used to be SR 9.

[mgk920]

Also, in Illinois, I-88 was opened as a fully functioning tollway long before it was declared to be 'I-88'.  It opened as IL 5 (the locals all called it 'I-5').

Mike

[mightyace]

Also, in Illinois, I-88 was opened as a fully functioning tollway long before it was declared to be 'I-88'.  It opened as IL 5 (the locals all called it 'I-5').

Mike

And, of course, the Pennsy Turnpike, the Ohio Turnpike and others opened before the interstate system even existed.

[Sykotyk]

i-376 is because it was written into law. Not because it was approved.

Again, if 2di or 3di designations were allowed on NEW toll roads, Orlando and Miami would be lined up for designations. My problem, though, is states don't have any obvious shield design to separate freeway from non-freeway state routes. At least say "FREEWAY" across the top, or different colors, etc. Or use an entirely different styled shield. Love not knowing when a U.S. or state route is or isn't a freeway if I'm not obsessively looking at my map before taking the exit, etc.

Sykotyk

[agentsteel53]

indeed, I'd love for all freeway shields to be blue or something. 

[mightyace]

At least say "FREEWAY" across the top, or different colors, etc. Or use an entirely different styled shield. Love not knowing when a U.S. or state route is or isn't a freeway if I'm not obsessively looking at my map before taking the exit, etc.
Sykotyk

At least in Florida and Pennsylvania the tolled state highways have different shields.

[Brandon]

At least in Florida and Pennsylvania the tolled state highways have different shields.

In Illinois, we use a "TOLL" sign plate (like "NORTH" or "JCT") and mark the road as "TOLLWAY" on the big green signs.

[SSOWorld]

At least in Florida and Pennsylvania the tolled state highways have different shields.

In Illinois, we use a "TOLL" sign plate (like "NORTH" or "JCT") and mark the road as "TOLLWAY" on the big green signs.

Not consistently as far as I've seen so far.

[Brandon]

Not consistently as far as I've seen so far.

The "TOLLWAY" on the bgs's is very consistent.  I've yet to see a bgs for a tollway that lacks them.  The "TOLL" plates could be more consistent.

[SSOWorld]

Not consistently as far as I've seen so far.

The "TOLLWAY" on the bgs's is very consistent.  I've yet to see a bgs for a tollway that lacks them.  The "TOLL" plates could be more consistent.

oops - forgot to clarify.  I mean't the "TOLL" plate, sorry.