Another traffic question (Chicago, Peoria, Joliet: how much, houses, construction)

[bullfish15]

I know what you're thinking... "Oh God, not another out of towner with traffic questions..." so I apologize in advance.

I will be traveling from Denver to Ohio the week of Christmas and will take I-80. My best guesses put me westbound on I-80 near Joliet around 3:00 or 4:00 PM on Tuesday, prime rush hour. How much longer will rush hour traffic set me back when traveling from one end of town to the other? Is it a matter of half an hour or so or more like 2 hours? Thanks for your help.

[chet everett]

The section of I-80 that is most roublesome is the section right at the Indiana border -- depending on the reason for the tie-up (accident, weather, construction, general over crowding, stupidity) speeds often drop under 20 MPH. No real good alternate routes, you just build it into your calculation. Those 10 miles or so can and 30 minutes or more...

Around Joliet there is some traffic, but not a truly stifling amount.

[cubssoxfan]

As Chet stated, try to get through the NW Indiana section as early as possible. Around Joliet, the only slow up is where it goes down from 3 lanes to 2 lanes before the bridge over the Des Plaines river. You are staying south enough of Chicago where the traffic may have heavy pockets but really not be too bad. The only unpredicatble event is if there is Lake Effect snow. That can slow down and once a every year or two, shut down the interstate.
WBBM-AM 780 has traffic reposts on the 8's. I80-94 is called The Borman. Start listening in past LaPorte for reports. If there is an accident between I80-94 junction and Cline avenue that produces major delay, stay on I-90 (Tollroad) and take Cline Av. South (Rte 912) to reconnect with the Borman I-80.
Safe Travels!

[studedude]

You don't say what part of Ohio you are headed for. If it is Columbus or south you can take I74 on the western end of IL and miss Chicago area. It would take you thru Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign IL and Indianapolis. None of those places present any big traffic problem.

[JerichoHW]

I-80 gets really clogged right by the border, as mentioned above. Right around the Dixie Hwy. exit there tend to be some major issues.

[cubssoxfan]

You don't say what part of Ohio you are headed for. If it is Columbus or south you can take I74 on the western end of IL and miss Chicago area. It would take you thru Peoria, Bloomington, Champaign IL and Indianapolis. None of those places present any big traffic problem.

Good call Stude-Dude. If OP is Lima bound I can share a good connection with US 30 which may be quicker than I-80 to I-75.

[bullfish15]

I am traveling to Youngstown, right off I-80. I have driven both I-80 and I-70 <only on weekends though> and I don't like 70. It is longer and out of the way. My biggest concern was whether or not I-80 is really really backed up during rush hour. I am fine with some slowdowns, I just didn't want to be parked on the freeway like if you were near downtown.

[cubssoxfan]

My biggest concern was whether or not I-80 is really really backed up during rush hour. I am fine with some slowdowns, I just didn't want to be parked on the freeway like if you were near downtown

You'll be OK. Just listen for accident, weather or construction delays.

[Chicago60614]

they finally expanded that area out to 8-12 lanes from 6 lanes?

It use to be an absolute parking lot for miles and miles at all times of the day. I'm glad they went all out and expanded it to upwards of 14 lanes where 294 and 80 meet...

[EnchantedEvergreen]

I am going to agree with everyone else here. I want to add that the stretch of 80 that is teamed up with 294 is very bad. That's because of a few reasons. Number one, both 294 and 80 have a lot of trucks! A lot of them...on a regular basis. Linking that to number two, plenty of warehouses and industry. Deliveries of all kinds of products come from transportation on 80/294 and 80/94. Three, I always hear about all kinds of circumstances preventing a continuous flow of traffic at the state line.
So, because of that, what you can do is bypass it all by getting off at Dixie Highway and go a few miles out of your way to Lincoln Highway. Stay on 30 until you are well into Indiana. Then, find a road that will take you back to 80.
As for the Joilet area, in my leisure, I like to go ride around there. Traffic wise, between Larkin Ave (Illinois 7) and Lincoln Highway (US Route 30), there is a lot of traffic during the daytime. I would say between 10:00 AM and roughly 7:00 PM. It usually moves at a continous flow but can get very bad with the frequent amount of accidents that occur at the bridge that takes you over the Des Plaines River. East and west of that, everything is a continuous flow (one by one procession of vehicles).
I hope this helps.