Morning traffic in Chicago (Washington, Madison: how much, construction, live in)

[WebDude]

I would like to know a few things about Chicago traffic (in comparison to Washington DC if you've ever been there.) I will be coming through on a Friday morning, from the Indiana state line, to the Wisconsin state line.

Can anyone tell me what I-90 is like in the morning? When does rush hour start / end? Does it get better after passing downtown? How long could I expect to get from Indiana to Wisc?

Your answers are much appreciated.

[chirack]

Traffic really starts building around 6:30am but it does not get into the bad category until 8:00. Traffic will decrease after 9:00am but really wont be clear until after 9:30.

The trip up the Dan Ryan will be the fastest part of the trip(if rush hour has not jammed it too bad). There will be traffic on the circle interchange(where the Dan Ryan becomes the kennedy). The traffic on the circle interchange is not bad if you travel during non rush.

There will be a slow down on the Kennedy in the downtown area(no matter what time you travel) because of the closely spaced exits and the number of people going to\from downtown. Another slow down is where I90 and I94 split again on Chicago's far northwest side on the Kennedy.

If rush hour is cleared the Kennedy will be ok speed wise but if not the Kennedy is one of the worse expressways in the area traffic wise.

The Kennedy is also a tad unpredictable because there are really not enough lanes on this expressway and it does not take much to stop it. The Dan Ryan on the other hand is lanes aplenty and it is difficult to cause problems on it.

I would consider using 294 as it will bypass the city traffic if I were coming from Indiana to Wisconsin and did not plan to stop in Chicago.

[WebDude]

Originally Posted by chirack

I would consider using 294 as it will bypass the city traffic if I were coming from Indiana to Wisconsin and did not plan to stop in Chicago.

Thanks. If I did consider the 294 option, how much would the total toll cost me being an EZ-Pass customer?

[chirack]

here are two links:

http://www.illinoistollway.com/portal/page?_pageid=133,1&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL (broken link)
http://www.getipass.com/tollcalc/TollCalcMain.jsp

My best guess is that it will cost $3.30 each way assuming that ezpass does not have extra charges(I don't think so but not sure). If you pay cash it will cost double. They say ezpass is accepted on the toll road. Also I 90 becomes a toll road after it splits from the Kennedy.

If you want toll free take 94.

The other thing I should mention is that there is construction on 294. Not sure how this will effect things.

[linicx]

What you need to understand is that Chicago traffic that isn't *bad* to those who drive in it everyday, it can be frightening to those who are unfamiliar with the city, the toll roads and the interchanges. There are two ways to get to your destination: thru Chicago or the scenic route around it.

Through Chicago is I-94 to I-90 to I-39 North. The scenic route is I-80 West to I-39 North. This route is a little longer and few miles more, but, you miss the worst of Chicago rush hour, yet you will still get a good taste of Chicago traffic. Once you cross I-90 the traffic will increase. all the way into Wisconsin - especially if it is on a weekend. The best time to drive trough Chicago is early Sunday morning when traffic is very light.

If I was determined to drive through Chicago M-Sa, I would be on I-94 by 3am and in Wisconsin for breakfast. I don't like 8 lane traffic. The LA I-5 is a picnic compared to Chicago, and a whole lot lot more fun than the I-35 in Dallas.

I expect many of the members who live in Chicago to disagree with me.

[chirack]

I think that route is a little too scenic. Yes, you will miss the big city/suburban traffic, but that route takes you a little too far out the way.

[WebDude]

I did read the Illinois toll Web page a few days ago regarding tolls on the EZ-Pass tend to be a bit higher -- but this really does not tell me much, as in how much higher? Thanks for the suggestions.

[linicx]

Originally Posted by chirack

I think that route is a little too scenic. Yes, you will miss the big city/suburban traffic, but that route takes you a little too far out the way.

Did I not say that clearly enough? It is not too far if the OP does not want to drive in morning rush hour traffic.
Rush hour is not for the feint of heart.

[prelude91]

your best bet is 294, do not get on the kennedy early in the morning...generally speaking the traffic in Chicago is not as bad as that on the beltway, but pretty damn close. Tolls are cheaper in Illinois than on the EZ pass system by about 40%

[chet everett]

The only way I would recommend taking I-80 all the way to I-39 is if the OP needs to get to Madison WI , otherwise that is just way way too far west.

The OP ought to be aware that in comparison to the DC beltway traffic the Chicago region is a breeze. Traffic flows and distances are far more tolerable.

That said going all the way from Indiana to Wisconsin involves driving through several major choke points, the only way to avoid them is to plan to traverse the area very very early in the morning, relatively late at night. If you get to the IL-IN border well before 6:30 you can be clear of O'Hare before 7:30 and that is the biggest choke point. There is significant suburb-to-suburb traffic that clogs the tollways north of O'Hare, and because of construction it is not uncommon for speed to fall below 35 MPH, though in the clear stretches the traffic will run above the posted limit unless there is an accident that ties things up.