New Buffalo to O'Hare via US-12

[brianreynolds]

Tomorrow morning (3-5-2015) I will go to O'Hare Airport to pick up my wife upon her return from Texas.  I will have loads of time, so I plan to exit the interstate at New Buffalo and take US-12 the entire way from there.

I have traveled the Indiana and lake shore portions of US-12 in Illinois many times before, but not in recent years.  95th Street will be new to me, as well as the north-south portion further west.  Does that north-south road have a name? I can't tell from Google Maps.

It looks like 95th Street might have been the bypass around the Chicago metro area back in the 1920s-30s.  Is that true?

Any hazards to beware of? 

[NE2]

It looks like 95th Street might have been the bypass around the Chicago metro area back in the 1920s-30s.  Is that true?

Not really. The modern US 30 and IL 31 corridor was the bypass back to the 1910s (the Lincoln Highway always bypassed Chicago). US 12-20 was moved to 95th, which had not previously been a numbered route, in the late 1930s. Modern US 6 also predates 95th as a southern bypass, having been part of IL 53 since the 1920s.

On the other hand, the north-south portion (La Grange) is from the 1920s as IL 46/US 45 (other early western bypass routes are IL 53 and IL 59, which still have those numbers).

[brianreynolds]

Yeah, I found some of that a few minutes ago while looking at the historic Illinois official highway maps.

95th Street first shows up as US-12/US-20 on the 1939-1940 official map. 

Prior to that US-12 went through town.  I wasn't really tracking US-20 on the older maps.

It should make for an interesting drive, anyway.

[Revive 755]

Any hazards to beware of?

Yes - beware of the red light cameras on the Chicago section of US 12, as well as at least one speed cameras where the speed limit becomes 20 if a child appears.

EDIT:  from this map, it looks like you will face four speed cameras (boy those things are sprouting like weeds) and one red light camera (the other four red light cameras do not appear to target WB US 12/20).

[Brandon]

Any hazards to beware of?

Yes - beware of the red light cameras on the Chicago section of US 12, as well as at least one speed cameras where the speed limit becomes 20 if a child appears.

EDIT:  from this map, it looks like you will face four speed cameras (boy those things are sprouting like weeds) and one red light camera (the other four red light cameras do not appear to target WB US 12/20).

The speed cameras are easy.  They are signed, and just go at the limit or school limit (whichever is lower).

The red light cameras can be just as easy.  Again, they are signed, and in Chicago, the countdown timers on the pedestrian signals always go to 0 when the light turns yellow.  The pedestrian signals also work regardless of whether a pedestrian is at the corner or not.

[US 41]

Any hazards to beware of?

Gary isn't exactly the safest city in the world. I believe it was the murder capital of the world at one point. As long as you don't stay there too long though you should be fine. Some of the areas south of Chicago are a little rough too. Whatever you do, I wouldn't drive through Gary at night..

[brianreynolds]

Thanks to all for the advice.  The Chicago traffic map is a great link.  Thanks.  I like the way Chicago city limits is prominently highlighted.  It is interesting to see how O'Hare Airport got gerrymandered into the city.

[NWI_Irish96]

Tomorrow morning (3-5-2015) I will go to O'Hare Airport to pick up my wife upon her return from Texas.  I will have loads of time, so I plan to exit the interstate at New Buffalo and take US-12 the entire way from there.

I have traveled the Indiana and lake shore portions of US-12 in Illinois many times before, but not in recent years.  95th Street will be new to me, as well as the north-south portion further west.  Does that north-south road have a name? I can't tell from Google Maps.

It looks like 95th Street might have been the bypass around the Chicago metro area back in the 1920s-30s.  Is that true?

Any hazards to beware of? 

The N-S portion of US 12 is called LaGrange Road between 95th and Cermak, and Mannheim Road north of Cermak.

[02 Park Ave]

There is a Geordano's on Cermak just west of Mannheim if you want to get a deep dish pizza.