Route through Chicago

[linnemj]

We are pulling our trailer from Elkhart, IN to Madison, WI in early May. Do you have any route suggestions to avoid traffic and tolls in the Chicago area?

[Trekkar]

GizmosMom wrote:
If you are not pressed for time here is a route that you might consider:
Swing west and take highway 17 to Lowell, Indiana. Then travel west to Kankakee and further west on 17 to 47. Then up to Interstate 80 to Interstate 39.

You might have to look at a map to further understand this route. We have taken 17 from Kankakee to Interstate 65 to avoid Chicago on our way to western Michigan many times.

X2. This works very well, but it isn't at freeway speeds. Lots of 18 wheeler's use this route, but traffic usually moves along quite well.

[doxiemom11]

You can take hwy 17 all the way to it's end, turn right and pick up 18 continue west thru Streator, west 17 more miles to 39. We do this to avoid I-80 which is still very busy.

[Rustycamperpant]

I live off I88 near Aroura and there is a lot of ramp construction westbound between 355N and I39N. To me the milage saved is worth the price of tolls. I would take 80W to 355N (294N gets crazy in my opinion and it is very rough) to 90N. We try to drive through before 6am or after 7pm.

By all means avoid rush hours (7am - 9:30am) and (4:30pm-7:00pm)

[GizmosMom]

If you are not pressed for time here is a route that you might consider:
Swing west and take highway 17 to Lowell, Indiana. Then travel west to Kankakee and further west on 17 to 47. Then up to Interstate 80 to Interstate 39.

You might have to look at a map to further understand this route. We have taken 17 from Kankakee to Interstate 65 to avoid Chicago on our way to western Michigan many times.

[Mickeyfan0805]

Don't go through the city. Beyon that, it really depends on your priorities.

If you want to avoid tolls, going west to I39 would cut some out, but it also adds 40 miles to the trip - which means both time and gas. Taking 294 up to 88 and crossing west there would cut some of the tolls, but would reduce the added miles from 40 to 15. I-90 is obviously the straightest shot you have, but would also be the most costly in regard to tolls.

Traffic is the bigger priority for us. The tri-state isn't too horrible if you avoid rush hour. We try to steer clear of it from 7-9:30a and 4-6:30p on weekdays. If I stear clear of those hours, I don't typically have too much trouble. For whatever reason, Sunday afternoons can be particular bad on 80/294 near the IN/IL state line, but that is often worse eastbound than it is westbound (althought either can be an issue).

All in all, I have done the drive from SE Wisconsin to SE Michigan more than a dozen times in the last 6 months (and many more over the years), and avoiding rush hour and Sunday afternoons generally keeps me out of too much trouble.

[Sam_Spade]

twodownzero wrote:

rr2254545 wrote:
Go west on I80 then north on I39 - its best to go around -

That'd be my suggestion as well.

That really is about the ONLY decent route that will avoid tolls completely......but you still need to avoid rush hours.

[twodownzero]

rr2254545 wrote:
Go west on I80 then north on I39 - its best to go around -

That'd be my suggestion as well.

[AJR]

If you do not have one. Get an I-Pass. It is good anywhere E-ZPass is accepted. You do not have to stop at toll booths and the toll is cheaper.

You give them a credit card number and have them charge $40 to it. Tolls are deducted from the $40 till the balance is $10. Then they automatically bring your balance back up to $40. You have one transponder. You tell them each vehicle and its plate number. They figure out the charge as you pass through.

I am going too Elkhart in May from Madison. I know of one toll for $4.65 on I39. I80 in Indiana is going to cost $27.28 for four axles. My route will be I39 south to I80. Then I80 to Elkhart.

[rr2254545]

Go west on I80 then north on I39 - its best to go around -

[Mfan]

Early morning, late evening, use i94 to us41. No tolls, light traffic

[agesilaus]

I would drive well south if possible, there is no good way thru that mess.