Tollway for US 20 west of Rockford, IL?

[adt1982]

They need to build a northwestern bypass aroung Macomb, Illionis.

What does this have to do with anything in this thread?  I know Terre Haute is boring, but you really need to stop this before the admins stop it for you.

[Alps]

Trust me, we're getting damn close.

[3467]

There is a thread on IL 110 Chicago -Kansas City that would be the proper location for teh Macomb By Pass if 641 is really interested in it.
The discussion of suicide lanes somehow developed because US 20 has a lot of passing lanes existing or under construction. US 20 is a really expensive roade because the passing land sections are coming in at 3 million a mile twice the cost of Miissouri.
http://abetter54.com/54.html

[3467]

http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1249727817/In-Sundays-paper-Tolls-might-be-best-way-to-expand-U-S-20

Here is an update. They got it on the Tollways radar.

[3467]

http://www.journalstandard.com/opinions/x1115118955/Chuck-Sweeny-Mayor-Jim-Gitz-puts-U-S-20-back-on-the-front-burner?zc_p=1

I guess the tollway idea is dead US 20 probably is too but IDOT is buying some ROW around Galena so it exists in the borderland between a live project and fictional highways

[Henry]

Why they want to make US 20 a Tollway is beyond me. I thought the Tollways leading into Chicago are enough as it is.

[GeekJedi]

Why they want to make US 20 a Tollway is beyond me. I thought the Tollways leading into Chicago are enough as it is.

Simple.  The only way major road projects seem to get done in IL is if they're tollways.  Otherwise there's no money to pay for them.

[3467]

There is some money for new roads but not for a full interstate that is running over 20 million a mile like US 20. If it cant support a tollway they really need to look at continuous passing lanes . There are several already It would cost a fraction. and maybe just focus on the Galena bypass but that would just be too sensible

[Revive 755]

Simple.  The only way major road projects seem to get done in IL is if they're tollways.  Otherwise there's no money to pay for them.

Although a large amount of money for the Circle Interchange reconstruction somehow managed to appear fairly quickly.

[Brandon]

Simple.  The only way major road projects seem to get done in IL is if they're tollways.  Otherwise there's no money to pay for them.

Although a large amount of money for the Circle Interchange reconstruction somehow managed to appear fairly quickly.

IDOT always has money for Cook County.

[3467]

Yep a lot of money ....but nothing for the mid City transitway which would help the west side But it will probably be rebuilt so poorly it will have to be closed to prevent a disaster

[midwesternroadguy]

Although a large amount of money for the Circle Interchange reconstruction somehow managed to appear fairly quickly.
[/quote]

IDOT always has money for Cook County.
[/quote]

It seems like IDOT had lots of money to waste on the whole Western Illinois 110/336 project.  How busy is that road anyway? 

[3467]

A little less than US 20 See the update on that  section but I would be more than happy with 3 lanes instead of these more expensive projects

[triplemultiplex]

My work has taken me back and forth on US 20 in that area recently and though it was mid-week, I didn't see enough traffic to justify a four lane expansion at this time.  A few more passing lanes and some intersection improvements is all I would recommend.  Any bypass of Galena or the other communities on the corridor should be of the two lane variety with enough space for another carriageway in a couple decades. 

Speaking of Galena, this gave me a chuckle west of town:
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=42.46236,-90.51501&z=16&t=S
Now that's what I call a cheap 4 lane expansion!

[NE2]

Speaking of Galena, this gave me a chuckle west of town:
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=42.46236,-90.51501&z=16&t=S
Now that's what I call a cheap 4 lane expansion!

Missouri used to have one of those: http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=38.86901,-94.17327&z=18&t=O

[Joe The Dragon]

My work has taken me back and forth on US 20 in that area recently and though it was mid-week, I didn't see enough traffic to justify a four lane expansion at this time.  A few more passing lanes and some intersection improvements is all I would recommend.  Any bypass of Galena or the other communities on the corridor should be of the two lane variety with enough space for another carriageway in a couple decades. 

super 2?

[3467]

http://apps.dot.illinois.gov/ActiveCalendar/EventList.aspx?view=EventDetails&eventidn=174&information_id=482&type=&syndicate=syndicate

This is a meeting for a 3 laning maybe someone in the area could go ask why this couldn't solve the problem.
Joe I think that is on the 4 lane west of Galena

[paleocon121171]

Why they want to make US 20 a Tollway is beyond me. I thought the Tollways leading into Chicago are enough as it is.

My guess is to keep milking money of out of Chicago suburban motorists that had to get off of I-90 (already a tollway) in order to head further northwest in the state to say, Elizabeth or Galena.

[ET21]

Yeah let's milk out another area for tolls to pay a broke state

Been riding and driving US20 since I was 8 years old going to Galena, and honestly, the bypass is gonna kill Stockton and Elizabeth and wipe Woodbine and Eleroy off the map.

[Crazy Volvo Guy]

http://www.rrstar.com/carousel/x1186097781/Chuck-Sweeny-U-S-20-freeway-is-no-longer-worth-pursuing

Probably the more realitic suggestion. I would add that US 20 with a continuous passing lane would solve all the problems. The billion is low allready The Galena Bypass alone is up to 250 million. I do not see where the toll money comes from. There have been 2 previous downtate toll studies (I-24 extension and Chicago -Kansas City) Neither were feasable. I suspect if IDOT offered a 3  lane to everybody or a future dream I think most would take the 3 lane now

3-lanes ("2+1") work great for those driving a car, but one of the primary reasons for expanding the road mentioned in the OP's article would be to give trucks to the area a better corridor to use, and alternating passing lanes are almost useless for trucks.

[JREwing78]

I had opportunity to travel US-20 between Rockford and Dubuque on Sunday.

The section between Freeport and Galena has clearly not evolved from its early 20th century origins; the tight curves and steep grades wouldn't be so bad for a sports car, but it's a seriously challenging route for heavy trucks. Wisconsin Highway 11 is by comparison a far superior route, with much more forgiving grades, wide shoulders, and gradual curves.

A reroute and new build of US-20 on 4-lane right-of-way, even if it's only built with 2 lanes initially, would dramatically improve travel on this stretch.

[JoePCool14]

Expanding the true "4-lane" highway to Iowa = good.

Tollway to pay for it = bad.

There is already more than enough tolls in the state.

[silverback1065]

I thought us highways aren't allowed to be toll roads

GT-N5110

[Brandon]

I thought us highways aren't allowed to be toll roads

GT-N5110

US-51 (IL) and US-412 (OK) beg to differ.

[hobsini2]

Toll road to pay for the bonds = good. Once bonds are paid, then make a freeway.