Illinois may increase speed limit 70

[dave069]

Saw some 60 MPH signs on I-294 south of I-55 yesterday. Central Tri-State is still 55 though. I assume it is also 60 MPH north of Touhy Ave and still 55 MPH south of I-57.

[ChiMilNet]

Saw some 60 MPH signs on I-294 south of I-55 yesterday. Central Tri-State is still 55 though. I assume it is also 60 MPH north of Touhy Ave and still 55 MPH south of I-57.

There were some 60 MPH signs north of Touhy.

[Mrt90]

Speed Limit 70 signs are now up on the Tri-State going south (I-94 East) from the WI state line to approximately Grand Avenue. I saw one 65 sign immediately south of Grand, and then I inexplicably stopped paying attention to the signs, but I exit at Route 60 so I probably missed 2 or 3 65 signs.

[dave069]

Speed Limit 70 signs are now up on the Tri-State going south (I-94 East) from the WI state line to approximately Grand Avenue. I saw one 65 sign immediately south of Grand, and then I inexplicably stopped paying attention to the signs, but I exit at Route 60 so I probably missed 2 or 3 65 signs.

Really!? That sounds awesome! I didn't think any part of the Tri-State was going to 70 MPH.

[abefroman329]

Saw some 60 MPH signs on I-294 south of I-55 yesterday. Central Tri-State is still 55 though. I assume it is also 60 MPH north of Touhy Ave and still 55 MPH south of I-57.

There were some 60 MPH signs north of Touhy.

I was on 294 yesterday from Lake-Cook to Willow and it was 60 for at least that stretch.

[dave069]

If I-94 is 70 MPH north of Gurnee Mills while still in Illinois then I-90 better have gone to 70 between Rockford and Elgin.

[bahnburner]

Thought this was clever:

via Raise the Speed Limit in Metro Chicago & Illinois on facebook

The Illinois Tollway is running a contest to select a cover for the 2016 map. All of them feature the monarch butterfly, a species they seem concerned about preserving (moreso than humans it seems). I submitted this to the Director and the Board of Directors. Doubt it will win, but hope it gets some people's attention.

edit: Here's the CDM Smith report containing the USLIMITS2 results: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZG9uZXJkZXNpZ25zLm9yZ3xkb25lci1kZXNpZ25zfGd4Ojc0MDU4MjZkYWUyYWEwZWQ

[quickshade]

If I-94 is 70 MPH north of Gurnee Mills while still in Illinois then I-90 better have gone to 70 between Rockford and Elgin.

Not yet, but with all the construction still on 90 I wouldn't expect that until the entire roadway is done next year.

[johndoe780]

**** this butterfly, gimme 75 mph speed limits.

I don't see anyone complaining and throwing a fit whenever someone gets prescribed antibiotics.

[roadman65]

I saw those 70 mph speed limits on I-70 east of St. Louie.

[dave069]

If I-94 is 70 MPH north of Gurnee Mills while still in Illinois then I-90 better have gone to 70 between Rockford and Elgin.

Not yet, but with all the construction still on 90 I wouldn't expect that until the entire roadway is done next year.

When I e-mailed them about it in August I got this in response:

"The Tollway has already raised the speed limit for both cars and trucks to 70 mph on the rural segment on I-90 west of the I-39 (Cherry Valley) Interchange to the western terminus of this segment near the Wisconsin state line. We plan to perform a speed limit study on the segment of I-90 between Elgin and Cherry Valley later this year after we have accumulated operating data to support the study. This segment is currently posted at 65 mph. The eastern segment of I-90 is under construction until 2016, and will be evaluated in 2017. We appreciate your interest and again thank you for your e-mail."

Hopefully they're doing it now. I mean the year is almost over and they have no excuse to keep that segment at 65. It's not urban at all.

[JREwing78]

If I-94 is 70 MPH north of Gurnee Mills while still in Illinois then I-90 better have gone to 70 between Rockford and Elgin.

Not yet, but with all the construction still on 90 I wouldn't expect that until the entire roadway is done next year.

When I e-mailed them about it in August I got this in response:

"The Tollway has already raised the speed limit for both cars and trucks to 70 mph on the rural segment on I-90 west of the I-39 (Cherry Valley) Interchange to the western terminus of this segment near the Wisconsin state line. We plan to perform a speed limit study on the segment of I-90 between Elgin and Cherry Valley later this year after we have accumulated operating data to support the study."

I can't see how I-90 in that area couldn't support 70 mph speed limits, at least once they're done replacing overpasses. Especially with the excellent lighting in place, it's probably one of the best-designed interstate highways anywhere.

[quickshade]

So it looks like they wanted to have a full years worth of data with I90 at 3 lanes. I would think during the spring they would have a decision made, however I still think they hold off until 90 is done with construction.

[Revive 755]

Thing is the way the law seems to read, that section of I-90 should be posted at 70 and the Tollway studying if they need to drop the speed limit, not the current way of keeping the speed limit down and studying whether it can be raised.

Although it is unlikely for anyone to be ticketed on the Tollway system for doing 70 in a 65, has anyone heard of someone challenging a ticket on the tollway lately due to the posted speed limit not being legal?

[quickshade]

Thing is the way the law seems to read, that section of I-90 should be posted at 70 and the Tollway studying if they need to drop the speed limit, not the current way of keeping the speed limit down and studying whether it can be raised.

Although it is unlikely for anyone to be ticketed on the Tollway system for doing 70 in a 65, has anyone heard of someone challenging a ticket on the tollway lately due to the posted speed limit not being legal?

But the data they have built up for the past 10 years was on a 4 lane highway with a broken surface and then 3 years of construction. With a higher quality surface, an added lane in each direction, bigger shoulders, a better median and much better lightning I would suspect that the new data would be much different.

As for the ticket thing, I routinely do 75 in these sections and have never had a cop flinch when I pass them. Not to mention most times I surrounded by packs of cars doing the same speed.

[bahnburner]

via Raise the Speed Limit in Metro Chicago & Illinois (on facebook)

We heard from Senator Oberweis this week that he and Tollway leaders continue to work the speed limit issue. It felt like a defeat when the 60 mph signs went up, but that was simply the result of what the prior administration set in motion. There is still hope!

[ChiMilNet]

via Raise the Speed Limit in Metro Chicago & Illinois (on facebook)

We heard from Senator Oberweis this week that he and Tollway leaders continue to work the speed limit issue. It felt like a defeat when the 60 mph signs went up, but that was simply the result of what the prior administration set in motion. There is still hope!

I was on I-88 a couple days ago going out towards DeKalb. Seriously, it's an absolute joke where the speed limit lowers to 65 from 70 at route 47. If there were a compromise (using this tollway as an example), MAYBE have the limit lower at the Aurora toll plaza from 70 to 65, and leave it at 65 to Hillside Strangler, and then put it at 60 to the city limits at least.

quotefix --sso

[dietermoreno]

I-355 has had the speed limit increased from 55 mph to 60 mph from south of Roosevelt Rd to I-55.

The speed limit from I-55 to I-80 still remains at 65 mph.

The logic for the slow down to 55 mph from Roosevelt to Army Trail Rd, and then back up to 60 mph from Army Trail to I-90 does not make much sense to me.

Why IL 53 didn't have the speed limit raised to 60 mph but I-290 and sections of I-355 did does not make much sense to me.

Should be speed limit 65 from Lake Cook to I-55 and should be speed limit 70 from I-55 to I-80.

There are cloverleafs at I-90, Euclid, and Palatine that require traffic in the right lane to be driving slower than 65, but a speed limit is a maxium speed, not a minimum speed.

Right now the posted speed limit is actually more of the minimum speed.

[Brandon]

I-355 has had the speed limit increased from 55 mph to 60 mph from south of Roosevelt Rd to I-55.

The speed limit from I-55 to I-80 still remains at 65 mph.

The logic for the slow down to 55 mph from Roosevelt to Army Trail Rd, and then back up to 60 mph from Army Trail to I-90 does not make much sense to me.

That 60 mph extends all the way to Army Trail Road, not just Roosevelt.  It's 55 mph between Army Trail and Thorndale.

[dave069]

I thought the normal limit was 60 all the way from I-55 to I-90 just between Army Trail and Thorndale was under construction and had a work zone speed limit of 55.

[ChiMilNet]

I-355 has had the speed limit increased from 55 mph to 60 mph from south of Roosevelt Rd to I-55.

The speed limit from I-55 to I-80 still remains at 65 mph.

The logic for the slow down to 55 mph from Roosevelt to Army Trail Rd, and then back up to 60 mph from Army Trail to I-90 does not make much sense to me.

That 60 mph extends all the way to Army Trail Road, not just Roosevelt.  It's 55 mph between Army Trail and Thorndale.

That stretch between Army Trail and I-290 has always been a favorite speed trap for cops. I wouldn't be surprised if that is part of what goes into keeping that stretch at 55 mph. It really should be 65 mph all the way down I-355 and the stretch of I-290 between Addison and I-90. The portion of L 53 North of I-90 should at least be 60 mph.

[ET21]

Some more sections of the Tollways will see speed limit increases pending state approval. I-355 from 55 to 80 and I-90 from Rockford to Elgin toll plaza will go up to 70 mph. The link is here, but you need a digitalPlus subscription to read it on the Tribs website.

http://da.feedsportal.com/c/34253/f/622810/s/4c1f75dc/sc/3/l/0L0Schicagotribune0N0Cnews0Clocal0Cbreaking0Cct0Etollway0Espeed0Elimit0Emet0E20A15120A90Estory0Bhtml/ia1.htm

EDIT: Forgot about the thread already talking about this  If you want to move it there mods, go ahead

[dave069]

Finally! I will be so happy to see the 70 MPH signs on I-90! I think I-355 may not get approval because its connecting interstates have speed limits no higher than 65 MPH, unless I-80 has been changed to 70 MPH. If it did that would be really nice.

[Joe The Dragon]

Some more sections of the Tollways will see speed limit increases pending state approval. I-355 from 55 to 80 and I-90 from Rockford to Elgin toll plaza will go up to 70 mph. The link is here, but you need a digitalPlus subscription to read it on the Tribs website.

http://da.feedsportal.com/c/34253/f/622810/s/4c1f75dc/sc/3/l/0L0Schicagotribune0N0Cnews0Clocal0Cbreaking0Cct0Etollway0Espeed0Elimit0Emet0E20A15120A90Estory0Bhtml/ia1.htm

EDIT: Forgot about the thread already talking about this  If you want to move it there mods, go ahead

What about I-90 Elgin to I-290 and I-290 to I-294 waiting for road work to be done?

I-355 Army Trail to I-290? Waiting for EOE work to be done?

I-294 I-90 to I-55 upgrade 60? 65? 70?

I-295 I-90 to I-94 65 or 70.

I-94 I-294 to WI should be 70.

EOE 65 or maybe 60

IL-53 60 to lake cook road

IL-53 / I-XXX lake cook road to IL-120 / I-XXX 65 or 70.

IL-120 / I-XXX I-94 to US-12 65 or 70.

Us 12 / I-XXX IL-120 to US-12 WI 70 (FAP 420)

I-94 EXT 65 or 60

I-94 US-41 to I-90 or some where before (US-14?) 65 or 60

I-90 I-294 to I-94 or some where before (IL-43?) 60

I-290 I-355 to I-294 60 or 65

I-88 I-294 to I-355 60 or 65

I-290 to US 12/45 60

I-55 I-355 to I-294 65

[ET21]

Some more sections of the Tollways will see speed limit increases pending state approval. I-355 from 55 to 80 and I-90 from Rockford to Elgin toll plaza will go up to 70 mph. The link is here, but you need a digitalPlus subscription to read it on the Tribs website.

http://da.feedsportal.com/c/34253/f/622810/s/4c1f75dc/sc/3/l/0L0Schicagotribune0N0Cnews0Clocal0Cbreaking0Cct0Etollway0Espeed0Elimit0Emet0E20A15120A90Estory0Bhtml/ia1.htm

EDIT: Forgot about the thread already talking about this  If you want to move it there mods, go ahead

What about I-90 Elgin to I-290 and I-290 to I-294 waiting for road work to be done?

I-355 Army Trail to I-290? Waiting for EOE work to be done? 

I-294 I-90 to I-55 upgrade 60? 65? 70? There have been random 60 mph postings, especially between I-88 and Touhy

I-295 I-90 to I-94 65 or 70.

I-94 I-294 to WI should be 70.

EOE 65 or maybe 60

IL-53 60 to lake cook road

IL-53 / I-XXX lake cook road to IL-120 / I-XXX 65 or 70.

IL-120 / I-XXX I-94 to US-12 65 or 70.

Us 12 / I-XXX IL-120 to US-12 WI 70 (FAP 420)

I-94 EXT 65 or 60

I-94 US-41 to I-90 or some where before (US-14?) 65 or 60

I-90 I-294 to I-94 or some where before (IL-43?) 60

I-290 I-355 to I-294 60 or 65

I-88 I-294 to I-355 60 or 65

I-290 to US 12/45 60

I-55 I-355 to I-294 65

Couldn't tell you, it's Illinois so don't expect an answer in this decade