Rexdogg can you get us around Chicago on Friday?

[1956NY150]

Rexdogg

1Oldgoat and US will be coming across on interstate 80 on friday, if everything is going OK probably around noon time.

Would you have some suggestion's on the Route through or around Chicago

Thanks
Bob

[rexdogg]

Re: Rexdogg can you get us around Chicago on Friday?

Bob: you have a couple of choices (Fridays are kind of tough in Chitown anyway, but noontime is a helluva lot better than 4 or 5 pm....);
a) coming in on I-80/90, you could stay on 90 (the split should be just west of Portage, IN); it's still the Indiana Tollroad, it runs west, then turn northwesterly into Chicago; it dumps you off onto I-94 about five miles south of Chicago downtown proper; I-90/94 through Chicago, then outbound toward Chicago's northwest suburbs; 94 splits off from 90 about four miles north of Chicago's downtown (94 runs due north to Milwaukee, Racine, etc.); you would stay on 90 (left lanes of the 90-94 split) and run 90 all of the way (90 picks up 39 in the Rockford, IL, area) into Madison....
b) coming in on 80/90, you could stay on 80, where it picks up 94, then run 80/94 westbound....south of the city, there's a junction for 94 West (comes north into the city), 394 South (goes due south into Chicago's south suburbs), and 80/294 (sign usually says 80 West Iowa/294 North Wisconsin)....it's straight through for 80/294, 294 is the Illinois Tollway (ipasses, ezpasses, etc., are recognized; it's open road tolling, so that transponder equipped cars just roll through (no stopping); a few miles in, there's a spilt off for 80, but 294 traffic keeps on going (there is some construction, with some lane shifting, but traffic rolls pretty good); 294 junctions with 90 in the Chicago O'Hare Airport area (lots of lanes, lots of road signs); you could pick up 90 there, and then run 90 northwest and then north all of the way to Madison;
If it were me, I'd take 80 to 94, then run 80/94 into 294, and run that tollway all the way around (and avoid) Chicago proper; 294 runs pretty well and has several oases for food, gas, restrooms, etc.; their tollway staff (minutemen) for emergency repairs is also very good...
all said and done, if you get a chance, put Chicago, Il, in mapquest, then zoom in or out, or shift around some, to see these routes; seeing them may help you decide......rexx

[4dfide]

Re: Rexdogg can you get us around Chicago on Friday?

Bob ,taking the 294 route up to 90 would be the route i would take.Word to the wise though ,around the Rockford area there is constuction going on.If you make it through Chi-town after lunch and before 3 oclock you will be fine even though when you hit Rockford it could be a mess @ rush hour on a weekend .Fridays ,all of us FIP's that have places in Wisconsin ,are tying to get there to have that first beer by dark.

[street72]

Re: Rexdogg can you get us around Chicago on Friday?

Rexx,You are dead on about your choice to get around Chicago.My niece and nephew live just north of there and he has told me a dozen times to stay out of the city and take 394 to 90..That's what we are taking and will let I pass do it's thing...See you there..

[rexdogg]

Re: Rexdogg can you get us around Chicago on Friday?

well, everyone has their own choices and preferences as far as routes....I'm very close to the Illinois-Indiana state line, and when I leave for Madtown, I will be using I-294 (to avoid the city)..........rexx