# Looking For Best Route Through Or Around Chicago



## RLW7302 (Feb 27, 2005)

Hi all!

I am looking for some input on the best way through or around Chicago. We make this trip a couple of times a year, but this will be the first time this year, and the first time that we'll be pulling a trailer.

Our normal route is I-65 to I-90, across the Skyway to I-90/I-94 (The Dan Ryan to the Kennedy), then follow I-90 (The Northwest Tollway) to the northwest suburbs (our destination).

Our alternate route is I-65 to I-80/94 to I-80 to I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) to I-290 to I-90 west.

For those of you in and around the area, and familiar with the current construction, which route would you recommend?







Are there any other routes that you would suggest?

Thanks for your help.
- Roger.


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## renegade21rs (Oct 8, 2006)

Between the tolls and the price of gas, my travel budget would be shot!!!










Good luck, and have a safe trip!


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

Growing up in Michigan and now living in northern Illinois, we often find ourselves on the tollways "going back home" quite often. When coming from your direction, we take 94 to 294, 294 to 290, 290 to 90 heading west. We have traveled this route several times while traveling with and without the TT. As all off the roadway is at least 4 lane in each direction, we have found this route (IMHO) to be much better then the skyway. And now with the "open road tolling" the toll booths don't get backed up like they they did not long ago. If you can, try to plan your travel times to miss the rush hours, I'd say between 6am - 10am and 3pm to 7pm. I find it easy enough if you pick your lane and a speed that you are comfortable with and let the others lead foots worry about going around you. Enjoy your trip, the northern Illinois / southern Wisconsin area is beautiful. What area are you planning on visiting?


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## longhare (Jul 9, 2006)

I agree w/H20Sprayer on the route and his advice regarding travel time. The 4 lanes (if they aren't under construction) take some stress out of towning the TT through the city.

The wife and I drove through Chicago to/from the Niagra Falls last year in rush hour traffic coming home. Once I was allowed to merge on the freeway, the drive wasn't too bad. My biggest regret was not having an an I-Pass and nose plugs when driving near Gary, IN







.

Good luck in your travels.

Bill


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## mike (Dec 17, 2006)

Again agree with h2o but if u can drive early in the am or after rush hour or during the weekend, It seems lately that inbetween 6am and 8pm it is rush hour, but if u do need to go during the day try for those middle hours. Good luck


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

longhare said:


> My biggest regret was not having an an I-Pass ....
> Bill


A word of caution with the I-Pass. Yes, the I-Pass is a great thing. It dramatically shortens the drive time by not having to wait at the toll booths, it greatly improves fuel economy by not having to get your truck and trailer back upto speed and the tolls cost 1/2 of what you would pay if paying with cash. HOWEVER, be sure that you register your I-Pass to your trailer license plate as well as each vehicle that may use it. Especially when towing a trailer, make sure that you keep a close eye on the $$$ that is in your I-Pass account and what had been deducted for tolls. Before a trip last year that included several tolls, I called IDOT to ask about the open road tolling while towing. I was told that the loop sensors embedded in the roadway were able to detect how may axles have gone over it and charge your account accordingly. Well, when I got home and checked our account for accuracy, I found that we were overcharged by about $25 total for the trip. My suggestion to you, if you use an I-Pass for the open road tolling, be sure that sometime during your day, that you go through a manual toll booth so that the correct amount can be deducted by an attendant, and use that as proof of what you should have been charged compared to what you were actually charged. They were very polite and apologetic when I called to get my refund for the overcharges and stated that the system still needed a few "tweaks" to get it just right.


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## RLW7302 (Feb 27, 2005)

Thanks everyone for all the input. We'll be heading up there next month. I'm looking forward to the trip, but never like dealing with Chicago traffic







.

Happy camping!
- Roger


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