Illinois notes

[GeekJedi]

I was in Rockford yesterday, and it looks like they may be changing the IL-2 interchange with US-20 to a diamond configuration. Going WB, the SB loop ramp to IL-2 is closed in place of a single ramp with new directional arrows for Dixon and Rockford.

The on-ramp from IL-2 NB/SB to US-20 EB is now a single EB ramp as well.

[JoePCool14]

Early work (temp signals and temp lighting) has started for the widening of Lake Cook Road through the Buffalo Grove - IL 83 - Weiland Road cluster.

(posted in the correct thread this time).

Wasn't that supposed to have started last year? Either way, it's sorely needed, though that will be a mess until that is done. I used to drive through there daily, and traffic was always a mess.

Any information on when that construction is supposed to last?

Also, ditto on it being needed. The road condition where it narrows is also quite terrible.

[StogieGuy7]

Can't be too hard to have a flat interstate there, given Illinois is the second flattest state, behind Florida.

Delaware is flatter than Illinois too. 

[quickshade]

I was in Rockford yesterday, and it looks like they may be changing the IL-2 interchange with US-20 to a diamond configuration. Going WB, the SB loop ramp to IL-2 is closed in place of a single ramp with new directional arrows for Dixon and Rockford.

The on-ramp from IL-2 NB/SB to US-20 EB is now a single EB ramp as well.

https://www.rrstar.com/news/20190414/rockford-area-motorists-can-expect-delays-throughout-us-20-il-2-construction

Correct, this was a long-overdue project that is finally getting done.

[3467]

Another arrest. It cost a 5000 bribe to get your project. Sandoval is singing.

[inkyatari]

Can't be too hard to have a flat interstate there, given Illinois is the second flattest state, behind Florida.

This is false, Louisiana and Mississippi are definitely flatter, both those states have maximum elevations that are lower than the mean elevation here in IL. They also probably have no steep grades like what is here in IL.

Actually...

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/03/science-several-us-states-led-by-florida-are-flatter-than-a-pancake/284348/

https://www.disruptivegeo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/FlatMap_GeographicalReview_DobsonCampbell_2013Nov.pdf

[Stephane Dumas]

Can't be too hard to have a flat interstate there, given Illinois is the second flattest state, behind Florida.

This is false, Louisiana and Mississippi are definitely flatter, both those states have maximum elevations that are lower than the mean elevation here in IL. They also probably have no steep grades like what is here in IL.

Actually...

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/03/science-several-us-states-led-by-florida-are-flatter-than-a-pancake/284348/

https://www.disruptivegeo.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/FlatMap_GeographicalReview_DobsonCampbell_2013Nov.pdf

If I could add my pinch of salt, there's some tropes about the mountains of Illinois.
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheMountainsOfIllinois

[US71]

They have hills in Illinois: they're called grade separations or off-ramps

[Revive 755]

Parts of Illinois are far from being flat.

[Brandon]

Parts of Illinois are far from being flat.

Most of those are the river valleys.
Another example (urban): https://goo.gl/maps/vtCMLSFo5gmKnCxk9

[SSOWorld]

doesn't get any flatter than this

[mgk920]

doesn't get any flatter than this

It's also very rugged in the south end of the state, south of about I-64.

Mike

[Brandon]

doesn't get any flatter than this

It's also very rugged in the south end of the state, south of about I-64.

Mike

That, like the NW corner of the state, was never glaciated.

[Crash_It]

Parts of Illinois are far from being flat.

Most of those are the river valleys.
Another example (urban): https://goo.gl/maps/vtCMLSFo5gmKnCxk9

Doesn't matter if it's a river valley, still isn't flat. You can even see this when driving down I55.

[paulthemapguy]

Most of Illinois is remarkably devoid of noticeable changes in elevation.  Attempts to refute this fact are denials of reality, or failures to understand how Illinois compares to other places around the world.  There will be a few exceptions to this rule, but they do not disprove the overall trend.  Do we need all of an entire state to be the exact same elevation to call it "flat"?  No, because when we say "Illinois is flat," we say "flat" as a relative, not an absolute, term.  We don't even say "flattest," because it isn't even the flattest state.  But Illinois is flat.  It isn't debatable.

[nwi_navigator_1181]

I'm on my way to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for a road trip, and the majority of the trip involves almost all of I-57 in the state. Any construction projects I should be aware of as I traverse the state? Thank you in advance.

[ilpt4u]

I'm on my way to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for a road trip, and the majority of the trip involves almost all of I-57 in the state. Any construction projects I should be aware of as I traverse the state? Thank you in advance.

The 3 Laning of I-57 near Johnston City in Southern Illinois is still ongoing, and will be in the area until 57 is 3 Lanes per side between Mount Vernon/I-64 and Marion/I-24

Also, depending on time of day and weekday vs weekend travel, that section between Mount Vernon and Marion can be a "fun"  drive. Lots of trucks on the weekdays, since this stretch is both the NE/SW (I-57) route AND the SE/NW (I-24/64) route

Kankakee to Mount Vernon is a pretty sleep inducing drive, tho. Not quite as bad as I-80 in Nebraska, but not a whole lot going on either, except that giant Effingham Cross

Taking I-57 (and its Future segments) for the whole trip, to Little Rock and onto Hot Springs?

[nwi_navigator_1181]

I'm on my way to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for a road trip, and the majority of the trip involves almost all of I-57 in the state. Any construction projects I should be aware of as I traverse the state? Thank you in advance.

The 3 Laning of I-57 near Johnston City in Southern Illinois is still ongoing, and will be in the area until 57 is 3 Lanes per side between Mount Vernon/I-64 and Marion/I-24

Also, depending on time of day and weekday vs weekend travel, that section between Mount Vernon and Marion can be a "fun"  drive. Lots of trucks on the weekdays, since this stretch is both the NE/SW (I-57) route AND the SE/NW (I-24/64) route

Kankakee to Mount Vernon is a pretty sleep inducing drive, tho. Not quite as bad as I-80 in Nebraska, but not a whole lot going on either, except that giant Effingham Cross

Taking I-57 (and its Future segments) for the whole trip, to Little Rock and onto Hot Springs?

In my years of riding with my dad to and from Tennessee, I've seen how much I-57 has to offer (which we both agree isn't much). I didn't know they were widening I-57 outside of the concurrencies with I-70 and I-64, which will come in handy because of what you said. It shouldn't be too much of a problem going to HS (leaving early Sunday), but we'll hedge our bets when we return on Thursday.

If I were going it alone, I would definitely drive the portions of what will someday be the extension of I-57, but my wife won't have any of that. So I-57>I-55>I-40 will have to be the way to go. One day though...

[Brandon]

I'm on my way to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for a road trip, and the majority of the trip involves almost all of I-57 in the state. Any construction projects I should be aware of as I traverse the state? Thank you in advance.

The 3 Laning of I-57 near Johnston City in Southern Illinois is still ongoing, and will be in the area until 57 is 3 Lanes per side between Mount Vernon/I-64 and Marion/I-24

Also, depending on time of day and weekday vs weekend travel, that section between Mount Vernon and Marion can be a "fun"  drive. Lots of trucks on the weekdays, since this stretch is both the NE/SW (I-57) route AND the SE/NW (I-24/64) route

Kankakee to Mount Vernon is a pretty sleep inducing drive, tho. Not quite as bad as I-80 in Nebraska, but not a whole lot going on either, except that giant Effingham Cross

Taking I-57 (and its Future segments) for the whole trip, to Little Rock and onto Hot Springs?

In my years of riding with my dad to and from Tennessee, I've seen how much I-57 has to offer (which we both agree isn't much). I didn't know they were widening I-57 outside of the concurrencies with I-70 and I-64, which will come in handy because of what you said. It shouldn't be too much of a problem going to HS (leaving early Sunday), but we'll hedge our bets when we return on Thursday.

If I were going it alone, I would definitely drive the portions of what will someday be the extension of I-57, but my wife won't have any of that. So I-57>I-55>I-40 will have to be the way to go. One day though...

Having driven it, I'd recommend US-60 to US-67 instead.  It's mostly divided highway (and freeway at that in Arkansas), and cuts off the I-55/I-40 corner near Memphis.

[ilpt4u]

In my years of riding with my dad to and from Tennessee, I've seen how much I-57 has to offer (which we both agree isn't much). I didn't know they were widening I-57 outside of the concurrencies with I-70 and I-64, which will come in handy because of what you said. It shouldn't be too much of a problem going to HS (leaving early Sunday), but we'll hedge our bets when we return on Thursday.

Having lived down in Carbondale for 4 years now, and seeing the number of times I-57 gets closed on the Mt Vernon/Marion segment due to wrecks w/ fatalities, and even driving it weekdays, trucks doing 65-70 and passenger cars doing 75-85 weaving among the heavy truck traffic, can and does get ugly.

Once traffic hits the forks in Mt Vernon with 64 and Marion with 24 (where the NW/SE route traffic exits), more "normal"  rural interstate traffic levels resume and 57 is easy driving

I try to avoid it Locally, using 127 to 64 to go to North to St Louis and points west, 51 up to 50 to reach I-57 up to Chicago, and IL 13->US 45->IL 1 up to 64 near the IN state line to go points east. IMHO all are much easier and less stressful drives

Coming all the way from NW Indiana, I'd have a hard time recommending IL 1 or US 41 over I-57, tho

AFA the overall I-57 widening process in the area...I believe Johnston City to West Frankfort is the current construction zone. North to Benton is after that. From Johnston City to Marion is already done. IDOT is doing it in pieces. I assume the segment between Benton and Ina will be the most challenging and expensive, with Rend Lake being right there...I'm sure there are extra environmental concerns there, especially since Rend Lake is the water supply for much of Southern Illinois, in addition to the extra engineering concerns of where 57 crosses the lake

[ET21]

I was in Rockford yesterday, and it looks like they may be changing the IL-2 interchange with US-20 to a diamond configuration. Going WB, the SB loop ramp to IL-2 is closed in place of a single ramp with new directional arrows for Dixon and Rockford.

The on-ramp from IL-2 NB/SB to US-20 EB is now a single EB ramp as well.

I saw that this past weekend. I wonder if they'll do the same for the IL-251/US-20 interchange. I think the IL-2 was prioritized due to heavier volumes of traffic.

[ChimpOnTheWheel]

Coming all the way from NW Indiana, I'd have a hard time recommending IL 1 or US 41 over I-57, tho

I can recommend US 41. When I went to Atlanta a few years ago from Chicago, I took US 41 from St. Johns (Indiana) to Evansville, then I-69 to I-24. Smooth sailing pretty much the whole way, 60 mph throughout. (We drove at 70 pretty much)

If I were going from NW Indiana, I'd take US 41 over I-57 or I-65 anyday. Then to get to I-57 I'd probably cut over from I-64 or something.

Off topic though.

[SEWIGuy]

Coming all the way from NW Indiana, I'd have a hard time recommending IL 1 or US 41 over I-57, tho

I can recommend US 41. When I went to Atlanta a few years ago from Chicago, I took US 41 from St. Johns (Indiana) to Evansville, then I-69 to I-24. Smooth sailing pretty much the whole way, 60 mph throughout. (We drove at 70 pretty much)

If I were going from NW Indiana, I'd take US 41 over I-57 or I-65 anyday. Then to get to I-57 I'd probably cut over from I-64 or something.

Off topic though.

I have taken both routes multiple times.  US-41 is a breeze, but you are going to slow down through Terre Haute and Henderson, as well as the remaining stop lights along the way.

I-65 is a pain in the ass, but it will get you there quicker.  Google says 10h 30m, which is about 20 minutes faster than US-41.  Intuitively this makes sense.  When I have had time to kill, I would take US-41.

I-57 isn't even worth discussing.  It takes an additional 20 minutes than the US-41 routing, and will be more crowded as well.

From Chicago, I-65 is still the best option speed wise, but I-57 becomes more viable.

From Rockford, I-57 is by far the best option.

[Paulinator66]

I'm on my way to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for a road trip, and the majority of the trip involves almost all of I-57 in the state. Any construction projects I should be aware of as I traverse the state? Thank you in advance.

https://www.gettingaroundillinois.com/RoadConstruction/index.html

[Paulinator66]

I'm on my way to Hot Springs, Arkansas, for a road trip, and the majority of the trip involves almost all of I-57 in the state. Any construction projects I should be aware of as I traverse the state? Thank you in advance.

Google maps says taking I-55 down through St. Louis and then picking up US 67 at Festus, MO into Little Rock only adds 8 miles and 18 minutes. You'd be traveling on the future I-57 corridor AND you'd be trading the boring I-57 drive for the equally boring I-55 drive.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hot+Springs,+Arkansas/Chicago,+IL/@37.0302596,-90.0149677,7z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x87cd2a9388325047:0xbaa8bef944021e0d!2m2!1d-93.0551795!2d34.5037004!1m5!1m1!1s0x880e2c3cd0f4cbed:0xafe0a6ad09c0c000!2m2!1d-87.6297982!2d41.8781136!3e0