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Illinois Tollway Notes

Started by I-39, March 21, 2016, 10:08:41 PM

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JoePCool14

Quote from: JREwing78 on March 03, 2019, 08:37:32 PM
Quote from: Revive 755 on March 02, 2019, 10:29:16 PM
As of today, there's a number of light poles missing in the median of I-90 west of the US 20/Hampshire interchange.  There's a few more missing west of the Kane/McHenry County line as well, but the missing cluster near Hampshire is really noticeable.

There's also a lot of lights that are just out in general. It's still head-and-shoulders a nicer drive than most rural freeways, but the brightness of most stretches makes the burned-out sections really obvious.

Noticed this a couple months ago myself. I wonder what the deal with this is.

:) Needs more... :sombrero: Not quite... :bigass: Perfect.
JDOT: We make the world a better place to drive.
Travel Mapping | 60+ Clinches | 260+ Traveled | 8000+ Miles Logged



Joe The Dragon

ETC only??

Let's see
Cars I-pass $1.40 pay on line $2.80

ilpt4u

Quote from: Joe The Dragon on March 29, 2019, 08:19:27 PM
ETC only??

Let's see
Cars I-pass $1.40 pay on line $2.80
Could also up the toll at the existing I-80 booths where I-80 meets the Tri-State

mgk920

Does the ISTHA have any plans to change to just mailing out bills to the owners of non-transponder cars, like most other states with no-cash toll facilities now do?

:poke:

Mike

Revive 755

Only change I have heard of was maybe going from 7 to 14 days for paying.  At a past public meeting they seemed pretty adamant against going to mailing bills out.

Joe The Dragon

Quote from: Revive 755 on March 30, 2019, 12:04:52 PM
Only change I have heard of was maybe going from 7 to 14 days for paying.  At a past public meeting they seemed pretty adamant against going to mailing bills out.
what about with the longmeadow parkway toll?

SSOWorld

Quote from: mgk920 on March 30, 2019, 11:34:56 AM
Does the ISTHA have any plans to change to just mailing out bills to the owners of non-transponder cars, like most other states with no-cash toll facilities now do?

:poke:

Mike
No reason to. Toll payments are the driver's responsibility.
Scott O.

Not all who wander are lost...
Ah, the open skies, wind at my back, warm sun on my... wait, where the hell am I?!
As a matter of fact, I do own the road.
Raise your what?

Wisconsin - out-multiplexing your state since 1918.

inkyatari

They should just put toll booths up at the state borders and charge people ten bucks to get in.

</kidding>
I'm never wrong, just wildly inaccurate.

Brandon

Quote from: inkyatari on March 30, 2019, 01:39:02 PM
They should just put toll booths up at the state borders and charge people ten bucks to get in.

</kidding>

Don't they want a toll or tax to leave?
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Duke87

Quote from: Brandon on March 15, 2019, 10:09:05 AM
Quote from: Great Lakes Roads on March 15, 2019, 06:03:04 AM
I-90 interchange with SR 23 is currently underway and will be done by the end of this year... super hyped up for a new connection to Marengo!!

https://patch.com/illinois/algonquin/i-90-interchange-project-mchenry-co-gets-started

With an idiotic 45 mph limit on I-90 through there.  Hey, ISTHA, did it ever occur to you to maintain speed through there using concrete barriers to separate traffic from the workers?  Other states (Wisconsin) do this with no issues.

This is extra problematic because of Illinois' standard threat of photo enforcement in all work zones. In most states I'd shrug and keep going however fast everyone else is, but in Illinois... I'll maybe go up to 50 or so if I can clearly see there are no places for cameras to be hiding in the immediate vicinity, but I'm compulsively keeping it under 45 otherwise.
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

Revive 755

#911
Thing is ISTHA has done work zones with the work area separated by concrete barriers, but still dropped the speed limit down to 45.

The work zone on I-355 between IL 56 and IL 38 is worse, as the northbound CD roadway is posted at 35.  Somehow this traffic is supposed to merge into 45 mph mainline traffic (which is still doing 60+).

Quote from: Joe The Dragon on March 30, 2019, 12:25:25 PM
what about with the longmeadow parkway toll?

I think Kane County is somehow managing that one, not ISTHA, though I do recall hearing of a more flexible pay by mail option for it.

Joe The Dragon

Quote from: Revive 755 on March 30, 2019, 10:17:53 PM
Thing is ISTHA has done work zones with the work area separated by concrete barriers, but still dropped the speed limit down to 45.

The work zone on I-355 between IL 56 and IL 38 is worse, as the northbound CD roadway is posted at 35.  Somehow this traffic is supposed to merge into 45 mph mainline traffic (which is still doing 60+).

Quote from: Joe The Dragon on March 30, 2019, 12:25:25 PM
what about with the longmeadow parkway toll?

I think Kane County is somehow managing that one, not ISTHA, though I do recall hearing of a more flexible pay by mail option for it.
I-294/I-94 has some 55 work zones

Crash_It

Quote from: dcharlie on March 15, 2019, 02:51:34 PM
I've always looked at speed limit signs in Illinois as being more of a suggestion, than something that should be followed...   :bigass:

Hence why there are so many crashes and troopers being killed.

Brandon

Quote from: Crash_It on March 31, 2019, 10:54:06 AM
Quote from: dcharlie on March 15, 2019, 02:51:34 PM
I've always looked at speed limit signs in Illinois as being more of a suggestion, than something that should be followed...   :bigass:

Hence why there are so many crashes and troopers being killed.

That has little to do with it.  Does a wrong way driver, as the one last night, care about any laws whatsoever?
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Crash_It

#915
Quote from: Brandon on March 31, 2019, 11:30:33 AM
Quote from: Crash_It on March 31, 2019, 10:54:06 AM
Quote from: dcharlie on March 15, 2019, 02:51:34 PM
I've always looked at speed limit signs in Illinois as being more of a suggestion, than something that should be followed...   :bigass:

Hence why there are so many crashes and troopers being killed.

That has little to do with it.  Does a wrong way driver, as the one last night, care about any laws whatsoever?

Yes it does have to do with it. If one is speeding and being reckless about it, he/she has a greater chance of causing a collision than a non reckless speeder or speed limit driver would. Especially if they aren't paying as much attention as they should. The single reason why there are so many crashes is because people simply aren't obeying the rules of the road. If more people did, the amount of crashes would be reduced significantly.

Take my latest collision for example.. It was explicitly because the driver that hit me, wasn't following the rules of the road
https://youtu.be/IUtC75NNqjQ

StogieGuy7

Quote from: Brandon on March 31, 2019, 11:30:33 AM
Quote from: Crash_It on March 31, 2019, 10:54:06 AM
Quote from: dcharlie on March 15, 2019, 02:51:34 PM
I've always looked at speed limit signs in Illinois as being more of a suggestion, than something that should be followed...   :bigass:

Hence why there are so many crashes and troopers being killed.

That has little to do with it.  Does a wrong way driver, as the one last night, care about any laws whatsoever?

+1  - It doesn't.

:clap:

The main problems are inattention, the piss-poor driving skills of the average driver and a growing number of people abusing various substances and then driving.

Crash_It

Quote from: StogieGuy7 on April 01, 2019, 02:34:17 PM
Quote from: Brandon on March 31, 2019, 11:30:33 AM
Quote from: Crash_It on March 31, 2019, 10:54:06 AM
Quote from: dcharlie on March 15, 2019, 02:51:34 PM
I've always looked at speed limit signs in Illinois as being more of a suggestion, than something that should be followed...   :bigass:

Hence why there are so many crashes and troopers being killed.

That has little to do with it.  Does a wrong way driver, as the one last night, care about any laws whatsoever?

+1  - It doesn't.

:clap:

The main problems are inattention, the piss-poor driving skills of the average driver and a growing number of people abusing various substances and then driving.


Inattention and piss poor driving skills both involve disobeying the rules of the road.

Great Lakes Roads


JoePCool14

Quote from: Great Lakes Roads on April 03, 2019, 05:29:27 AM
ABC7 Chicago did a segment on the 30 years of changes on the Illinois Tollway...

https://abc7chicago.com/traffic/30-years-of-changes-on-the-illinois-tollway/5228912/

Pretty good summary. This also just proves how much more competent ISTHA is at road-building than IDOT.

:) Needs more... :sombrero: Not quite... :bigass: Perfect.
JDOT: We make the world a better place to drive.
Travel Mapping | 60+ Clinches | 260+ Traveled | 8000+ Miles Logged

ilpt4u

Quote from: JoePCool14 on April 03, 2019, 07:34:37 AM
Quote from: Great Lakes Roads on April 03, 2019, 05:29:27 AM
ABC7 Chicago did a segment on the 30 years of changes on the Illinois Tollway...

https://abc7chicago.com/traffic/30-years-of-changes-on-the-illinois-tollway/5228912/

Pretty good summary. This also just proves how much more competent ISTHA is at road-building than IDOT.
IDOT has built some new Freeway in that timespan...

Really the new I-70 alignment in E St Louis between the I-55 thru/I-64/I-70 bump interchange and the Stan Musian Bridge is about the only new IDOT Freeway in a while...

I guess the Macomb bypass, but 1) its not complete and 2) I'm not sure I would call it a freeway

JoePCool14

Quote from: ilpt4u on April 03, 2019, 01:03:17 PM
Quote from: JoePCool14 on April 03, 2019, 07:34:37 AM
Quote from: Great Lakes Roads on April 03, 2019, 05:29:27 AM
ABC7 Chicago did a segment on the 30 years of changes on the Illinois Tollway...

https://abc7chicago.com/traffic/30-years-of-changes-on-the-illinois-tollway/5228912/

Pretty good summary. This also just proves how much more competent ISTHA is at road-building than IDOT.
IDOT has built some new Freeway in that timespan...

Really the new I-70 alignment in E St Louis between the I-55 thru/I-64/I-70 bump interchange and the Stan Musian Bridge is about the only new IDOT Freeway in a while...

I guess the Macomb bypass, but 1) its not complete and 2) I'm not sure I would call it a freeway

I suppose. It's mostly the quality of their work, and the countless issues in the Chicagoland area. Not all issues are IDOT's fault of course, (for instance, NIMBYs), but there certainly is a lack of quality control and innovation in their road design both on and off the expressway.

:) Needs more... :sombrero: Not quite... :bigass: Perfect.
JDOT: We make the world a better place to drive.
Travel Mapping | 60+ Clinches | 260+ Traveled | 8000+ Miles Logged

ilpt4u

IDOT's bigger hurdles are funding, and then spending that does not bear fruit (Prairie Parkway, Illiana, Peotone Airport, IL 336 Peoria-Macomb, IL 53 North, Fox Valley Expressway to name a few - tho NIMBY can and does influence some of the projects that have not happened). And then there are silly projects like IL 110/the "so called"  Chicago-Kansas City Expressway...

Heck, it took ISTHA taking over the Elgin-O'Hare to get it to approach O'Hare! And if it is to ever connect to the US 20 Freeway in Elgin, it would probably take ISTHA to make that happen, too

edwaleni

Quote from: ilpt4u on April 03, 2019, 03:39:53 PM
IDOT's bigger hurdles are funding, and then spending that does not bear fruit (Prairie Parkway, Illiana, Peotone Airport, IL 336 Peoria-Macomb, IL 53 North, Fox Valley Expressway to name a few - tho NIMBY can and does influence some of the projects that have not happened). And then there are silly projects like IL 110/the "so called"  Chicago-Kansas City Expressway...

Heck, it took ISTHA taking over the Elgin-O'Hare to get it to approach O'Hare! And if it is to ever connect to the US 20 Freeway in Elgin, it would probably take ISTHA to make that happen, too

I agree they have spent plenty on the concept of "planning", but those dollars don't compare to what it actually costs to build.

Also many of the planning events you list were politically driven, not necessarily numbers driven.

The Prairie and the Fox Valley were political animals.  The Fox Valley was pushed by DuPage Chair Jack Knuepfer after the success of getting I-355 built.  The Prairie was invented by former House Speaker Dennis Hastert as a way to get leverage in various House spending bills. To get his approval on certain bills, he would get his constituents to vote for Prairie related funding.

The ones supported by numbers are IL-53 north and finishing the EOE.

IL-110 CKC is a complete compromise between the numbers and politics and a shortage of cash. That is why it is the way it is.  Instead of a fairly straight line to KC, we get the stairway to heaven, stepping (some still missing) through every voting district to make sure it got approval in the IL House.  That part of Illinois that likes to call itself "Forgottonia". Missouri simply drew a line from Hannibal to north of KC. Illinois, nah.

Some of them will eventually have merit, (Illiana) but don't have the numbers just yet.

How many IDOT studies were financed in southern Illinois simply to get them to approve something in the northern part? (ie: US50 O'Fallon to Carlyle, Olney to Lawrenceville)

When IL Senator Paul Simon was elected and making his runs for president, how many contracts got approved for upgrading IL-13 between Murphysboro and Harrisburg?  Why does this area need 2 viable airports?

Veterans Airport in Marion just spent $22 Million on a new terminal to woo back 1 airline. They did not return (Allegiant).

So its not just the highways, but its always the politics.

ilpt4u

#924
Absolutely correct. IDOT could budget tighter, but Politics to align the varied interests around the state has to happen, and should happen imho

I still call the recently added Carterville Interchange on IL 13 the "bridge to nowhere"

The SPUI and DDI at the Marion I-57 Interchanges are nice, but are both fully necessary, on consecutive interchanges?

Are you referring to BLV and MWA or is the 2 airport pair MWA and MDH? BLV does have Allegiant flights. MWA has Cape Air flights on 8 seater turbo props to puddle jump to STL-Lambert Field. In any event, probably a bit of pork in the passenger terminals at both. MDH functions as part of the Aviation school @ SIU - not sure if that is more IL Dept of Education or IDOT...maybe both

Not to mention the Billions spent on upgrading the Rail Route from Chicago to St Louis so passenger trains can up their speeds to a whooping 110 mph...

One thing I have learned, now living in Southern IL, is there is a wide belief that taxes collected here subsidize Chicago...Even tho it simply is not true, when the numbers on receipts vs expenditures from Springfield...Chicagoland subsidizes Downstate



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