Illinois Tollway Notes

[Rick Powell]

I think you would have to toll it all including a bridge or just do something limited like Galena. When they take comments I will give them plenty.
How likely probably not but it never hurts to ask.
The tollway is pretty well maintained.
Also it attracted a new Cultivated Meat plant at the old all state location. Easy access to the tri state is a selling point .

The IL Tollway maintains the roads under its jurisdiction to a higher standard, mostly because they don't have the indemnification limits through the state Court of Claims like IDOT does.

[JoePCool14]

So you can pay more and they still don't maintain it?

ISTHA tollways and IDOT freeways in Illinois are like night and day. Drive the Edens or Stevenson and compare them to the Tri-State or I-355.

If tolling more highways is the only way we get new and/or better highways, toll the whole system. It's sad that that's where we're at, but that's what it is.

[edwaleni]

So you can pay more and they still don't maintain it?

ISTHA tollways and IDOT freeways in Illinois are like night and day. Drive the Edens or Stevenson and compare them to the Tri-State or I-355.

If tolling more highways is the only way we get new and/or better highways, toll the whole system. It's sad that that's where we're at, but that's what it is.

Why just "one" toll authority in Illinois?

Some states have many, I think Florida has at least 5.

If you want to unleash better roads in Illinois, allow more toll authorities.

For those who ask, yes, I remember the Skyway.

ISTHA shed their section bonding limitations years ago and can finance the entire network as an entire system.

[JREwing78]

For US-20 to work as a tollroad it would have to add some transporation value other than simply removing the danger of the geometry beyond Galena. That why I believe for the tolls to work it needs a new bridge across the Mississippi and line up with the beltway Iowa is building for Dubuque. Dubuque wants another bridge for downtown, I think that is a waste. Essentially a new toll bridge with limited access back to Freeport.

Also, the numbers need to work, which is probably why this hasn't happened yet.

Between Dubuque and Galena AADT counts on US-20 (from 2021) are 18,700 vpd on the existing Julien Dubuque Bridge, dropping to 14,000 vpd at the IL-35 split, and leveling off around 10,000 vpd coming into Galena. It dips as low as 3600 vpd between Galena and Stockton before recovering to 8600 vpd at the west Bus US-20 intersection outside Freeport. The Freeport bypass carries between 6000 and 8000 vpd, rising to 14,000 east of the east Bus US-20 interchange, and eventually to 18,000 vpd before the west Bus US-20 interchange outside Rockford.

Not sure if ISTHA has the appetite to build 90+ miles of new tollway and a 4-lane toll bridge to Iowa, based on those traffic counts. I suspect tourist travel to Galena could nudge weekend numbers higher, and a 4-lane straight shot to Chicago from Iowa could pull some additional traffic. The terrain between Dubuque and Freeport limits the options for alternatives (but drives up construction costs). If they plow up one of the sides of the 4-lane sections for new tollway and revert the remaining side to frontage road, it would stand a better chance.

Just tolling the roadway and bridge to tie SW Arterial Corridor into US-20 on the IL side might fly. But without a high-quality modern roadway connecting it to Freeport it's not going to pull a lot of thru-traffic.

As I expressed before, Iowa would expedite whatever work they needed to do to tie into a modern 4-lane US-20 connecting Dubuque to Rockford (and on to Chicago). But Illinois has a lot of needs, and despite the abysmal safety record of the vintage 2-lane US-20 between Galena and Freeport, the (lack of) outrage or of a suitably-connected politician greasing the wheels means 4-laning US-20 is going nowhere fast.

More (note both of these study websites are quite vintage):
https://idot.illinois.gov/projects/us-20-galena-bypass
http://www.idot.illinois.gov/projects/us20-freeport

[Brandon]

Given IDOT's usual lack of maintenance on the Rockford bypass, I'd be in favor of tolling the whole thing.

So you can pay more and they still don't maintain it?

ISTHA has far better roads than IDOT.  I've never driven on a tollway where I'm afraid I'm going to break a rim or get a flat just because I was changing lanes.  I have on IDOT freeways.

Compare I-88: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RTR99YVy72zg87wo7
To I-39: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TehaagYexYb4ZR2y7
And US-20: https://maps.app.goo.gl/H5FvhuAwf4PgFfab8

[mgk920]

Given IDOT's usual lack of maintenance on the Rockford bypass, I'd be in favor of tolling the whole thing.

So you can pay more and they still don't maintain it?

ISTHA has far better roads than IDOT.  I've never driven on a tollway where I'm afraid I'm going to break a rim or get a flat just because I was changing lanes.  I have on IDOT freeways.

Compare I-88: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RTR99YVy72zg87wo7
To I-39: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TehaagYexYb4ZR2y7
And US-20: https://maps.app.goo.gl/H5FvhuAwf4PgFfab8

Agreed, I-94 in Lake County, IL (Tri-State Tollway) was one of the very BEST major highways that I was even on when I last drove it about ten years or so ago (it had been upgraded to eight lanes and repaved a year earlier).  Compare that with most IDOT owned and maintained 'free' interstates.

Mike

[ilpt4u]

NB Tri-State is effectively closed at 95th St right now for a wreck. Wreckers are on the scene trying to clear

NBC-5 Chicago Chopper is on scene. Nice imagery of the new NB mile long bridge, but traffic is backed up to 127th St/Cicero

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/northbound-lanes-of-i-294-closed-near-75th-st-due-to-fully-engulfed-fire-involving-car-hauler/3278026/

Some of the chopper footage showed drivers using the new Cork Ave exit to get off the blocked tollway. No idea if that exit is legitimately open yet. GSV on Cork Ave is 3 months old and pavement work on the ramp appears complete as of the GSV car

[Brandon]

NB Tri-State is effectively closed at 95th St right now for a wreck. Wreckers are on the scene trying to clear

NBC-5 Chicago Chopper is on scene. Nice imagery of the new NB mile long bridge, but traffic is backed up to 127th St/Cicero

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/northbound-lanes-of-i-294-closed-near-75th-st-due-to-fully-engulfed-fire-involving-car-hauler/3278026/

Some of the chopper footage showed drivers using the new Cork Ave exit to get off the blocked tollway. No idea if that exit is legitimately open yet. GSV on Cork Ave is 3 months old and pavement work on the ramp appears complete as of the GSV car

Twitter with video: https://twitter.com/NeilFiorito/status/1724564219805221233

[StogieGuy7]

Agreed, I-94 in Lake County, IL (Tri-State Tollway) was one of the very BEST major highways that I was even on when I last drove it about ten years or so ago (it had been upgraded to eight lanes and repaved a year earlier).  Compare that with most IDOT owned and maintained 'free' interstates.

Mike

Still is the case, you can honestly go 85-90 mph and it's still a smooth ride because that road is so good.  In contrast to the Edens (if you follow 94), which is inconsistent and not nearly at the same level of build quality.  FWIW, I 94 north of the Cheddar Curtain (unnecessarily diplexed with I 41) is almost as good as to Tollway. The only thing that WisDOT skimped on was the interchanges, which are mostly still simple diamonds with waaaaay too many mistimed traffic signals controlling them.

[ET21]

That whole stretch from the 80/294 JCT to Milwaukee on 294/94 is gonna be one of the smoothest rides in the region once the central project is complete

[Henry]

May as well admit it too: Since I normally use the ISTHA tollways to get into Chicago like I did today, this is one of the very few highways that I'd gladly pay to drive on, since they are better-maintained than the IDOT freeways/expressways. Sort of like a Jekyll and Hyde thing they have out here.

[3467]

I was watching the tollway cameras on Ch. 7 stream. Is the center lane at Balmoral exceptionally wide . I just saw a car next to a semi both inside the center lane?

[3467]

I see Google maps is updated and it widens for the split at 90 But it seems to be wide quite a long way before.

[ET21]

I was watching the tollway cameras on Ch. 7 stream. Is the center lane at Balmoral exceptionally wide . I just saw a car next to a semi both inside the center lane?

Not that I've noticed when I drive it once a week, was it NB or SB lanes?

[3467]

Northbound right before or after Balmoral. .It's widening out before the split with 90. It seems they are starting it early.

[ET21]

Northbound right before or after Balmoral. .It's widening out before the split with 90. It seems they are starting it early.

Ahh yeah I've always been in that lane to get ready for the Touhy exit or to get off for I-90. It does get pretty wide in that middle lane.

[KMOX4]

Not sure if anybody notices this, but anyone going north near 163rd ST on I-294 NB, The Toll Plaza is Missing.

[Great Lakes Roads]

Not sure if anybody notices this, but anyone going north near 163rd ST on I-294 NB, The Toll Plaza is Missing.

Spot is going to be truck parking

[Brandon]

Not sure if anybody notices this, but anyone going north near 163rd ST on I-294 NB, The Toll Plaza is Missing.

Spot is going to be truck parking

That's probably the best thing for a lot of the former manual lanes.  This state has a serious dearth of truck parking, and converting these can help alleviate it.

[SSOWorld]

Not sure if anybody notices this, but anyone going north near 163rd ST on I-294 NB, The Toll Plaza is Missing.

Spot is going to be truck parking

That's probably the best thing for a lot of the former manual lanes.  This state has a serious dearth of truck parking, and converting these can help alleviate it.

Given that they banned parking on the Oasis ramps....

with good reason.

[ET21]

We have a new shift on NB 294.

Two right lanes are now the locals for the Hinsdale Oasis, Ogden Ave, and I-88.
Two left lanes are express from Plainfield Rd to Cermak.
Split begins before the I-55 ramp

Also new signage has been put up on the NB side of the Mile Long Bridge, work continues along at the 290/88 JCT which is just a black hole of gridlock these days, and they are moving dirt to begin the eventual ramp climb to NB 490 from NB 294 to meet up with the already present steel beams hanging over the side of SB 294.

[ET21]

We are on new concrete from Plainfield Road to Cermak Rd on NB-294, including some new signage as well. Work has now shifted to the middle, SB 294 lanes remain the same in this section.

[SSOWorld]

Not sure if anybody notices this, but anyone going north near 163rd ST on I-294 NB, The Toll Plaza is Missing.

The SB plaza is now gone at that point as of Saturday 12/30/2023

Spot is going to be truck parking

That's probably the best thing for a lot of the former manual lanes.  This state has a serious dearth of truck parking, and converting these can help alleviate it.

[Quimby]

I-Pass transponders are officially being replaced by windshield stickers.  Stickers will be available by the end of January, but motorists can keep using their existing transponders until they expire.

https://patch.com/illinois/across-il/il-tollway-transponders-being-replaced-stickers-report

[wanderer2575]

I-Pass transponders are officially being replaced by windshield stickers.  Stickers will be available by the end of January, but motorists can keep using their existing transponders until they expire.

https://patch.com/illinois/across-il/il-tollway-transponders-being-replaced-stickers-report

Nothing said about out-of-state I-PASS owners.  I assumed (perhaps in error) that previously ISTHA mailed a new transponder when the current one expires.  I live outside of Detroit; I don't want to have to drive to Chicago to get a sticker when my transponder expires later this year.