Elgin-O'Hare Tollway

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.illinoistollway.com/documents/20184/1104692/2021-04_EOWA_490-390Projects_OnePager.pdf/6f65e9cf-568a-0e82-6314-7210410bdc31?t=1619639214677

Looking at Illinois Tollway's updated plan from 4-28-2021 on the Western Access project (I-490), you can see some of the changes on the scheduled completion of sections...

As of right now, the project is broken down into five separate sections:
1. I-490/IL Route 390 interchange has a 2024 completion date
2. From IL Route 390 interchange northward to I-90 interchange has a completion date of 2025
3. I-294 interchange with I-490 has a completion date of 2024
4. Touhy Avenue (IL Route 72) construction with future I-490 interchange should start this year and has a completion date of 2024
5. I-490 mainline construction between I-294 interchange and IL Route 390 interchange should start this year and has a completion date of 2026

I would expect the northern section of I-490 between the IL Route 390 interchange and the I-90 interchange to open first with the southern section to I-294 to open a year later.

[triplemultiplex]

I just hope they follow through on the intent to make the O'Hare bypass I-490 and don't wuss out and make it a state route just because it's a tollway.

[3467]

Has the numbering been decided by AASHTO?
I think 390 fits  the requirements too. It ends at an NHS route. So does 53 for that matter. I think they could try to extend 355.

[Brandon]

I just hope they follow through on the intent to make the O'Hare bypass I-490 and don't wuss out and make it a state route just because it's a tollway.

Being a tollway didn't stop I-355 from being assigned I-355, I doubt I-490 would be numbered otherwise.

[ilpt4u]

Has the numbering been decided by AASHTO?
I think 390 fits  the requirements too. It ends at an NHS route. So does 53 for that matter. I think they could try to extend 355.

I thought the I-490 designation was already approved for the ORD Ring Tollway

The IL 53 Freeway ends at Lake-Cook Rd - not an NHS route. Of course, the actual signed route of IL 53 exits the IL 53 Freeway at the penultimate exit - Dundee Rd/IL 68 - I don't think that is an NHS route either. Rand Rd/US 12 would qualify, tho

IL 390 is slowly but surely going to be extended. It may never reach the US 20 Elgin Freeway, but it will inch closer and closer

[ET21]

Has the numbering been decided by AASHTO?
I think 390 fits  the requirements too. It ends at an NHS route. So does 53 for that matter. I think they could try to extend 355.

I thought the I-490 designation was already approved for the ORD Ring Tollway

The IL 53 Freeway ends at Lake-Cook Rd - not an NHS route. Of course, the actual signed route of IL 53 exits the IL 53 Freeway at the penultimate exit - Dundee Rd/IL 68 - I don't think that is an NHS route either. Rand Rd/US 12 would qualify, tho

IL 390 is slowly but surely going to be extended. It may never reach the US 20 Elgin Freeway, but it will inch closer and closer

They are already analyzing an extension out to County Farm Rd on the west end of 390

[Roadsguy]

Has the numbering been decided by AASHTO?
I think 390 fits  the requirements too. It ends at an NHS route. So does 53 for that matter. I think they could try to extend 355.

I thought the I-490 designation was already approved for the ORD Ring Tollway

The IL 53 Freeway ends at Lake-Cook Rd - not an NHS route. Of course, the actual signed route of IL 53 exits the IL 53 Freeway at the penultimate exit - Dundee Rd/IL 68 - I don't think that is an NHS route either. Rand Rd/US 12 would qualify, tho

IL 390 is slowly but surely going to be extended. It may never reach the US 20 Elgin Freeway, but it will inch closer and closer

They are already analyzing an extension out to County Farm Rd on the west end of 390

Hasn't the all-freeway option been dropped, though? If it's all made IL 390, that rules out a change to I-390 unless they want it to change to a state route at the end (which I don't know if IDOT ever does).

[ilpt4u]

If it's all made IL 390, that rules out a change to I-390 unless they want it to change to a state route at the end (which I don't know if IDOT ever does).

I-255 and IL 255

[edwaleni]

Has the numbering been decided by AASHTO?
I think 390 fits  the requirements too. It ends at an NHS route. So does 53 for that matter. I think they could try to extend 355.

I thought the I-490 designation was already approved for the ORD Ring Tollway

The IL 53 Freeway ends at Lake-Cook Rd - not an NHS route. Of course, the actual signed route of IL 53 exits the IL 53 Freeway at the penultimate exit - Dundee Rd/IL 68 - I don't think that is an NHS route either. Rand Rd/US 12 would qualify, tho

IL 390 is slowly but surely going to be extended. It may never reach the US 20 Elgin Freeway, but it will inch closer and closer

They are already analyzing an extension out to County Farm Rd on the west end of 390

Hasn't the all-freeway option been dropped, though? If it's all made IL 390, that rules out a change to I-390 unless they want it to change to a state route at the end (which I don't know if IDOT ever does).

IDOT dropped the priority of the US20 Freeway from Lake Street west to IL-59 back in the 1990's, but they never gave up the ROW and still own 90% of it.

The biggest constraint was the intersection of Bartlett Road, but the City of Bartlett cut a deal where IDOT could connect it with Oak Ave. This would allow IDOT to condemn the businesses at the corner of Lake and Oak.

Other than some small land needed for frontage access, this was the last 10% remaining.

By my reckoning, when the O'Hare Western Access actually opens, pressure will grow to get it finished as far as IL-59.

As for farther west between IL-59 and Bluff City Boulevard, and connectivity to the US-20 Freeway - Elgin Bypass, not in any lifetime.

It was always the "plan" way back when, but I just don't think IDOT or ISTHA have the will or interest even if the AADT is off the scales.

[3467]

Lake Cook is an SRA and all the SRAs were put on the NHS.

[JoePCool14]

Lake Cook is an SRA and all the SRAs were put on the NHS.

In plain English?

[mvak36]

Lake Cook is an SRA and all the SRAs were put on the NHS.

In plain English?

SRA: https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/data/transportation/traffic/sra-resources

The Strategic Regional Arterial (SRA) system is intended to carry larger volumes of traffic at higher speeds as a complement to the region's expressway system. Efforts are made to preserve the level of service on these roadways through appropriate access and traffic signal locations and spacing. To ensure a high level of service for traffic on the SRA system, the Illinois Department of Transportation maintains more restrictive criteria in determining the need for and spacing of traffic signals and access points.

NHS: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/nhs.pdf

[I-39]

Has the numbering been decided by AASHTO?
I think 390 fits  the requirements too. It ends at an NHS route. So does 53 for that matter. I think they could try to extend 355.

I thought the I-490 designation was already approved for the ORD Ring Tollway

The IL 53 Freeway ends at Lake-Cook Rd - not an NHS route. Of course, the actual signed route of IL 53 exits the IL 53 Freeway at the penultimate exit - Dundee Rd/IL 68 - I don't think that is an NHS route either. Rand Rd/US 12 would qualify, tho

IL 390 is slowly but surely going to be extended. It may never reach the US 20 Elgin Freeway, but it will inch closer and closer

They are already analyzing an extension out to County Farm Rd on the west end of 390

Hasn't the all-freeway option been dropped, though? If it's all made IL 390, that rules out a change to I-390 unless they want it to change to a state route at the end (which I don't know if IDOT ever does).

IDOT dropped the priority of the US20 Freeway from Lake Street west to IL-59 back in the 1990's, but they never gave up the ROW and still own 90% of it.

The biggest constraint was the intersection of Bartlett Road, but the City of Bartlett cut a deal where IDOT could connect it with Oak Ave. This would allow IDOT to condemn the businesses at the corner of Lake and Oak.

Other than some small land needed for frontage access, this was the last 10% remaining.

By my reckoning, when the O'Hare Western Access actually opens, pressure will grow to get it finished as far as IL-59.

As for farther west between IL-59 and Bluff City Boulevard, and connectivity to the US-20 Freeway - Elgin Bypass, not in any lifetime.

It was always the "plan" way back when, but I just don't think IDOT or ISTHA have the will or interest even if the AADT is off the scales.

I'm not sure if it was ever the plan to make US 20 fully accessed controlled between the end of the EOE/North Ave and the Elgin bypass. I think it was more a boulevard like partial access control.

Speaking of the Elgin bypass, one thing they need to get a move on is upgrading that freeway for its entire length to modern standards. With the exception of the McLean Blvd interchange that was redone, the entire road is dated.

[JoePCool14]

Lake Cook is an SRA and all the SRAs were put on the NHS.

In plain English?

SRA: https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/data/transportation/traffic/sra-resources

The Strategic Regional Arterial (SRA) system is intended to carry larger volumes of traffic at higher speeds as a complement to the region's expressway system. Efforts are made to preserve the level of service on these roadways through appropriate access and traffic signal locations and spacing. To ensure a high level of service for traffic on the SRA system, the Illinois Department of Transportation maintains more restrictive criteria in determining the need for and spacing of traffic signals and access points.

NHS: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/nhs.pdf

Thanks. I should've known what the NHS is. I'm in a college course and we just talked about it a couple months back.

[Rothman]

Eesh.  Makes me wonder what was taught about it and if it differs from the FHWA definition.

[3467]

EOW was originally to connect . Then an EIS suggested 20 remain an arterial ...then CMAP revived the idea to 20.
Now it's the ramps to county Farm. These are all NHS routes so they could all be interstates. It would be interesting to know the full story

[edwaleni]

EOW was originally to connect . Then an EIS suggested 20 remain an arterial ...then CMAP revived the idea to 20.
Now it's the ramps to county Farm. These are all NHS routes so they could all be interstates. It would be interesting to know the full story

LOL....Full story on US20? How far back would you like to go?

It's been a full on drama since the Tri-State was built in the 50's.

Then the Eisenhower Extension (I-90 at the time) relocated it. A lot of beef from residents due to traffic that got pushed into IL-64 North Avenue in Elmhurst.

But the problem just came back because IDOT never finished FAP43 and left it hanging at Army Trail Road, people exited at US-20 and it kicked the bucket down a few years and Lake Street is a problem again.

While a US-20 Expressway had been on the books for sometime, the traffic using Lake/Army Trail/North Ave going east were cars headed to O'Hare, or trucks coming in and out of Zenith, Jewel and some other industrial at the time.

A couple of things happened, land was getting scarce as IDOT didn't have a lot of dough after 1975. There was a political movement to relocate O'Hare traffic to a western access and Chicago balked at any access outside I-190.

IDOT did acquire vacant land west of now I-290 and around Thorndale when a new development (Hamilton Lakes) was being built out with the idea that it would either be a freeway or a transit corridor. US-20 was supposed to extend here (someday)

Small trivia, Hamilton Lakes Tower was originally planned to be 75-80 stories high and was going to be the 2nd tallest building west of Chicago, but they couldn't get a permit from the FAA to have a building so tall so close to O'Hare. WBBM-AM and WGN-AM also filed against it and Hamilton Lakes offered a new transmission tower to them in return. The building was truncated to its current 20 story height.

After that it became all political again as Chicago blatantly refused to allow anything to access O'Hare from the west.  When Republican's got control of the Illinois Legislature, they funded IDOT to complete the EOH from I-290 to Lake Street in Hanover Park and to complete the land acquisition to IL-59.

In fact the original EOH had a wide center median to allow the future use of transit, if/when they could. The Republican's in DuPage County were furious that Chicago refused to play ball to help alleviate a regional transportation issue.

After that, there were quite a few private entities that wanted to build a transit service into O'Hare from the west and take it down the EOH. DuPage County was most interested in funding it publicly and several county board members got in trouble for a Disney junket to look at their monorail, (right).

Cook County interfered perfectly when a political contingent in Schaumburg demanded any airport service connect with Woodfield Mall, and then flirted with the CTA coming out that far. (it only got to OHare fortunately).

With a political stalemate, the EOH sat in its pre-tollway form for a few years until this time things changed. During this political stalemate, the EOH/US-20 never moved any further. Some widening and left turn lanes and incremental improvements, but no freeway past Hanover Park.

With politics now starving IDOT budgets, the US-20 Freeway planning had a few more public hearings in the early 1990's and it was shelved. (but IDOT never gave up the land or its intent)

Chicago was losing air traffic and the configuration of the airport was inefficient and they needed several new E-W runways to fix it.

When they came to DuPage County leadership they said "western access please" Chicago threatened to file suit. But it was the City of Bensenville to the rescue and filed a massive lawsuit. Chicago saw years and years of delays and called uncle.

The political compromise was to use ISTHA, now free to refinance bonds at will, (due to a previous law change for I-355 that didn't exist at the last go around) and having a joint political control in Springfield, to "bottle up" the airport, build western access, give them their runway extensions and compensate the City of Bensenville for the hassle.

IDOT used to be really good at planning and building freeways speculatively using solid regional business data.

But when they ran out of money and were starved, everything became reactionary and they had to let the demand get "pent up" so that public hearings would be more favorable.

FAP43 was a prime example where people were so fed up, they gladly let it be built. So it will be for the future of US-20 and the EOH. People between Elgin and Hanover park will finally get so fed up and it will get the momentum to get it finished.

[Henry]

Article and video from ABC7 Chicago about the new I-490. The people on this video are really stressing the great benefit of this route as a connector between I-90 and I-294. Obviously, less emphasis on the Western Access to O'Hare. Overall, I do maintain I-490 will be a great benefit to the region, and the stress reliever on the I-90/294 interchange will be welcome.

https://abc7chicago.com/traffic/construction-underway-for-new-i-490-western-ohare-corridor/10560340/

That one has the completion date for I-490 now as 2026.  Previously I had been hearing 2025.

Possible it has been pushed back due to the situation with the railroad negotiations and any redesigns to go along with it. Either way, I am glad to see this is continuing. Even without the Western O'Hare Access being an immediate item, it does set it up nicely for it, and the Western Ring around the airport will make traffic flow easier in the area.

Also, COVID-19 is another likely factor in the delay, but at least there's determination in getting it done, which is always welcome news.

[I-39]

Any new information on the extension to County Farm Road?

[edwaleni]

Any new information on the extension to County Farm Road?

Per the City of Hanover Park:

The Illinois Tollway is conducting a Preliminary Engineering Study for the Illinois Route 390 Tollway at U.S. Route 20 (Lake Street) Interchange Improvement. This study will determine if extending the interchange ramps to County Farm Road, along with local intersection improvements, can address local traffic issues. The Phase One for the study is expected to require about 18 months to complete with a planned study conclusion scheduled in 2020. For more information, visit the Illinois Tollway Website.

Per ISTHA:

https://www.illinoistollway.com/outreach/projects-in-your-community/us20-interchange-improvement-study

A public information meeting for the project took place on August 20, 2019, at Hanover Park Village Hall to present the existing conditions and solicit input on potential solutions. A final public meeting is anticipated in 2021 to present the preferred alternative.

[US20IL64]

Gov. Jim Edgar pushed EOE, and got built by 1993. Was to be IL 19, but got no # for years.

The US 20 bypass looks like it was built in the 50's, [reminds me of Pasadena CA Freeway]  with the short ramps and nearly driveways entering from Elgin, but was opened in mid 60's. Saw maps recently on AASHO site, with the request for "Business US 20".

The 59/20 interchange was first built in the 30's [?], then replaced some time ago.

[dvferyance]

If it's all made IL 390, that rules out a change to I-390 unless they want it to change to a state route at the end (which I don't know if IDOT ever does).

I-255 and IL 255

IL 255 can't be part of I-255 because it is a spur and those have to start with an odd number.

[ilpt4u]

If it's all made IL 390, that rules out a change to I-390 unless they want it to change to a state route at the end (which I don't know if IDOT ever does).

I-255 and IL 255

IL 255 can't be part of I-255 because it is a spur and those have to start with an odd number.

Its pretty clear by now that the 1st Digit Even/Odd Rules for 3DIs are more like Guidelines than Rules - plenty of examples of Even and Odd 3DIs that should seemingly be the opposite value

[US20IL64]

IL 3d's roads don't have same "rules" like 3di's.

[Henry]

If it's all made IL 390, that rules out a change to I-390 unless they want it to change to a state route at the end (which I don't know if IDOT ever does).

I-255 and IL 255

IL 255 can't be part of I-255 because it is a spur and those have to start with an odd number.

Its pretty clear by now that the 1st Digit Even/Odd Rules for 3DIs are more like Guidelines than Rules - plenty of examples of Even and Odd 3DIs that should seemingly be the opposite value

IL 3d's roads don't have same "rules" like 3di's.

Well, there's IL 394, which should've been I-394 by now, but nothing has ever come of that.