I-55 through Springfield IL: The hell?

[inkyatari]

Drove through Springfield IL twice over the last couple days, going to and from St. Louis, and I noticed something perplexing.  I-55 is 3 laned from Lincoln IL (Specifically the I-155 interchange) to the 55 business loop exit north of springfield. On the south side of Springfield, I-55 is 3 laned from IL104 exit to just past the southern I-72 exit. Each are both directions. I-55 trough Springfield from the south I-72 exit to the business 55 exit on the north is only two laned. I did notice at least one bridge was constructed with 3 lanes in mind, but having gone through both times in non-peak hours, this should be 3 lanes. Why wasn't this constructed as such?

[Brandon]

It's so that your General Assembly can get to Springfield.  They don't give a crap about going around Springfield.

[ChiMilNet]

Drove through Springfield IL twice over the last couple days, going to and from St. Louis, and I noticed something perplexing.  I-55 is 3 laned from Lincoln IL (Specifically the I-155 interchange) to the 55 business loop exit north of springfield. On the south side of Springfield, I-55 is 3 laned from IL104 exit to just past the southern I-72 exit. Each are both directions. I-55 trough Springfield from the south I-72 exit to the business 55 exit on the north is only two laned. I did notice at least one bridge was constructed with 3 lanes in mind, but having gone through both times in non-peak hours, this should be 3 lanes. Why wasn't this constructed as such?

In short, the portions North and South of Springfield are newer than the portion through Springfield itself. Essentially, the plan "has been" (for about 40 years now) to eventually widen the portion through Springfield to match up. There is a study right now to look into widening it (see link below), though it seems it would be a very costly project. Also, I haven't heard of any recent updates.

http://i55springfield.com/site/

[Lyon Wonder]

The I-55 bypass of Springfield was built in the early 1960s and is a decade older than the 6-lane segments of I-55 that were constructed in the 1970s.  IMO, I think the signing of I-172, IL-336, US 67, I-74, I-88 and I-290 as the IL-110 Chicago-Kansas City Expressway from I-72 east of Hannibal to Chicago is a cheap ploy to get truckers and long distance traffic from KC to Chicago off I-55 since segments, especially the Springfield bypass, need rebuilding and widening.

[I-39]

I believe they have money in the FY 2017-2022 budget for the study, but no money for the improvements, which will cost between $600-650 million according to the paragraph in the IDOT FY 2017-2022 packet. So don't expect these improvements anytime soon. It seems that, unless you are District 1, you don't get money to fix Interstate bottlenecks. I mean, we are still waiting on them to fix the I-39/US 20 mess in Rockford (which it appears no one even knows the status on that)

[GeekJedi]

It seems that, unless you are District 1, you don't get money to fix Interstate bottlenecks.

Apparently D5 didn't get that particular memo. The rebuild of I-55 through there cost a couple of bucks.

[alecscradle]

I believe they have money in the FY 2017-2022 budget for the study, but no money for the improvements, which will cost between $600-650 million according to the paragraph in the IDOT FY 2017-2022 packet.

$650 Million seems like a lot for just widening.  That plan has to include fixing all the Cloverleaf interchanges in that area.  If they just wanted to widen it to 3 lanes, it looks like they have enough ROW in the median to throw another lane in there and just add a concrete divider.  Maybe in the future IDOT will split that plan up.

[Avalanchez71]

The I-55 bypass of Springfield was built in the early 1960s and is a decade older than the 6-lane segments of I-55 that were constructed in the 1970s.  IMO, I think the signing of I-172, IL-336, US 67, I-74, I-88 and I-290 as the IL-110 Chicago-Kansas City Expressway from I-72 east of Hannibal to Chicago is a cheap ploy to get truckers and long distance traffic from KC to Chicago off I-55 since segments, especially the Springfield bypass, need rebuilding and widening.

They should have asked to have this posted as US 66.

[captkirk_4]

I believe they have money in the FY 2017-2022 budget for the study, but no money for the improvements, which will cost between $600-650 million according to the paragraph in the IDOT FY 2017-2022 packet.

$650 Million seems like a lot for just widening.  That plan has to include fixing all the Cloverleaf interchanges in that area.  If they just wanted to widen it to 3 lanes, it looks like they have enough ROW in the median to throw another lane in there and just add a concrete divider.  Maybe in the future IDOT will split that plan up.

I72 comes to a rather abrupt end on a narrow, slow speed cloverleaf onto 55. Still, 55 through Springfield is really not that bad compared to other traffic nightmares such as virtually every highway in Chicagoland.

The 336 KC expressway thing makes no sense, just take I55 to I72 to Hannibal. US 36 is 4 lane and smooth sailing across Missouri, made excellent time when I went that way, don't remember any stoplights, at grade crossings were in very rural areas with controlled access through a few small towns.

[Brandon]

I believe they have money in the FY 2017-2022 budget for the study, but no money for the improvements, which will cost between $600-650 million according to the paragraph in the IDOT FY 2017-2022 packet.

$650 Million seems like a lot for just widening.  That plan has to include fixing all the Cloverleaf interchanges in that area.  If they just wanted to widen it to 3 lanes, it looks like they have enough ROW in the median to throw another lane in there and just add a concrete divider.  Maybe in the future IDOT will split that plan up.

I72 comes to a rather abrupt end on a narrow, slow speed cloverleaf onto 55. Still, 55 through Springfield is really not that bad compared to other traffic nightmares such as virtually every highway in Chicagoland.

The 336 KC expressway thing makes no sense, just take I55 to I72 to Hannibal. US 36 is 4 lane and smooth sailing across Missouri, made excellent time when I went that way, don't remember any stoplights, at grade crossings were in very rural areas with controlled access through a few small towns.

Gotta love the marketing ploy put forth by some boosters from Quincy, Illinois.  They're the ones who had the brilliant idea of IL-110 as a Chicago to Kansas City route.

[The Ghostbuster]

Maybe Springfield politicians wanted to keep driving through Springfield on Interstate 55 a living hell!

[sparker]

MO/IL 110 is to Western Illinois as I-69 is to Southern Arkansas:  a way to channel development $$ -- as well as a healthy dose of PR -- into a region of the state considered (mostly by residents and regional public figures) overlooked in both political and functional terms.       

[edwaleni]

IDOT has slowly been working to prep for 3 lanes around Springfield over the (many) years.

When the bridges for IL29 and IL54 were redone in 1985, the third lane was built (but not used). When the bridge over Sangamon River was rebuilt in 1992, the supports (but not the decks) were built 3 lanes wide on each side to support a future lane.

However, there are issues in other places.

The median width is not up to spec in many places since most of the ROW dates back to the start of construction in 1962 to move the US66 bypass traffic off Dirksen Parkway.

There are 2 railroad bridges that present median and clearance issues.  The original Illinois Central bridge which used to support coal trains backing up into the Springfield Power Plant, is still there. CN technically owns the bridge, but they will probably have it removed as the rails are cut back at West Lake Shore currently (CN still maintains crossbucks). The coal comes in by truck now. The rail loop has been pulled up around the plant.

The former Wabash, now NS west line to Kansas City is still there and is very much in use. The support approaches for the railroad don't meet current safety standards and the center beam may be too thick to allow a 3rd lane on both sides and will probably not allow a shoulder if a 3rd lane is built.  Essentially the road will have to be re-positioned in the working width unless the entire bridge is rebuilt to newer standards (expensive)

There are 3 rural style overpasses that will have to be demolished and rebuilt to current specs. The external support beams don't meet current safety standards. Illinois has typically tried to remove rural flyovers that still use the center pylon as they are deemed unsafe.

The effort to reconstruct this length will not be cheap or easy.  The stretch carries not just I-55 traffic, I-72 around the south side and the trucks coming down from Peoria off the I-155 Peoria Cutoff.

Also another issue is the I-55 left side exit on the breakaway wye with I-72.

Many state DOT's are trying to move away from these left hand styles, especially ones that don't contain a control lane.  The issue is mostly around trucks and left lane usage. Many trucks have to start lining up in the left lane fairly early and it causes problems with cars attempting to overtake. 

So either I-72 West gets a right side control lane, or I-55 will get a right side flyover. Knowing IDOT, to save money it will be the former, and not the latter.

The other issue is that it took Illinois way too long to get the work done. While they were good at installing preparatory bridges and such, those preps are in some cases over 30 years old and will hit 40 before any work is done.  It is very possible they will choose to demolish everything and start over.

[Rick Powell]

It seems that, unless you are District 1, you don't get money to fix Interstate bottlenecks.

Apparently D5 didn't get that particular memo. The rebuild of I-55 through there cost a couple of bucks.

The 6 laning of I-55 around Bloomington Normal was mostly done when it was in District 3; it was transferred to District 5 around 2006, with the portion from I-39 to the northeast Veterans Parkway interchange being the only section that was built under District 5's supervision.  I'd guess the whole bunch of it (from Veterans Parkway NE to the 55-74 south split) cost somewhere around $250 million at the time. There are a few interesting parts to it:
1. The state and McLean County couldn't come to a funding agreement on the Oakland Avenue bridge replacement, so it was left in place. The roadway had to be lowered from what had been planned to provide the necessary overhead clearance (it had increased from the old interstate standards). If you look for it, the bridge is noticeable as an old element that looks out of place with the rest of the reconstruction.
2. Wal-Mart or its developer funded the widening of Illinois 9 at the interchange and to the west ahead of time, to accommodate the west side Wal-Mart that they were building. The money was funneled thru the City of Bloomington which actually built the roadway, and IDOT refunded the money to the city a few years later when the I-55 widening and interchange replacement was done. The city borrowed a few items from IDOT to get the work done, such as a concrete "bump" smoothness tester.
3. The section from I-39 to Veterans NE might have not been built but for the capital jobs bill passed during Gov. Quinn's term. I think the local paper even came out with an article against it, stating that there were other pressing needs around the area other than widening that particular section. The NE interchange was rebuilt several years before, as well as the portion from I-39 to the west and south; it was a gap section, the last to be built.

^^^
Hopefully, this minutiae pegs a few roadgeek-meters.

[SpringfieldSteven]

IDOT has slowly been working to prep for 3 lanes around Springfield over the (many) years.

When the bridges for IL29 and IL54 were redone in 1985, the third lane was built (but not used). When the bridge over Sangamon River was rebuilt in 1992, the supports (but not the decks) were built 3 lanes wide on each side to support a future lane.

However, there are issues in other places.

The median width is not up to spec in many places since most of the ROW dates back to the start of construction in 1962 to move the US66 bypass traffic off Dirksen Parkway.

There are 2 railroad bridges that present median and clearance issues.  The original Illinois Central bridge which used to support coal trains backing up into the Springfield Power Plant, is still there. CN technically owns the bridge, but they will probably have it removed as the rails are cut back at West Lake Shore currently (CN still maintains crossbucks). The coal comes in by truck now. The rail loop has been pulled up around the plant.

The former Wabash, now NS west line to Kansas City is still there and is very much in use. The support approaches for the railroad don't meet current safety standards and the center beam may be too thick to allow a 3rd lane on both sides and will probably not allow a shoulder if a 3rd lane is built.  Essentially the road will have to be re-positioned in the working width unless the entire bridge is rebuilt to newer standards (expensive)

There are 3 rural style overpasses that will have to be demolished and rebuilt to current specs. The external support beams don't meet current safety standards. Illinois has typically tried to remove rural flyovers that still use the center pylon as they are deemed unsafe.

The effort to reconstruct this length will not be cheap or easy.  The stretch carries not just I-55 traffic, I-72 around the south side and the trucks coming down from Peoria off the I-155 Peoria Cutoff.

Also another issue is the I-55 left side exit on the breakaway wye with I-72.

Many state DOT's are trying to move away from these left hand styles, especially ones that don't contain a control lane.  The issue is mostly around trucks and left lane usage. Many trucks have to start lining up in the left lane fairly early and it causes problems with cars attempting to overtake. 

So either I-72 West gets a right side control lane, or I-55 will get a right side flyover. Knowing IDOT, to save money it will be the former, and not the latter.

The other issue is that it took Illinois way too long to get the work done. While they were good at installing preparatory bridges and such, those preps are in some cases over 30 years old and will hit 40 before any work is done.  It is very possible they will choose to demolish everything and start over.

Nail on the head. They're also probably going to insert downstate's second collector express lanes at Exits 96-98 (the first are in Marion along Interstate 57).

The entire thing is going to be a start-over.

[Revive 755]

They're also probably going to insert downstate's second collector express lanes at Exits 96-98 (the first are in Marion along Interstate 57).

There are multiple C-D lanes already outside of the Chicago District of IDOT:

* I-55 through the PSB Complex
* I-255 at I-64 (for all directions)
* SB IL 255/I-255 at I-270 and EB I-270 at IL 255/I-255
* SB I-55 at Business 51 and I-39

[paulthemapguy]

It's so that your General Assembly can get to Springfield.  They don't give a crap about going around Springfield.

Nailed it.

[Revive 755]

^ If that was really the case, then why isn't I-55 six lanes between the Sherman interchange and the northern I-72 interchange?  It seems much faster to reach downtown Springfield via I-55 and Clear Lake Avenue than proceeding in via the business loop to/from the Sherman interchange.