Gov.
Blagojevich opens more nonstop toll lanes to ease Thanksgiving
holiday travel
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I-PASS
added to Boughton Road Plaza on I-355
[NOV. 22, 2005]
CHICAGO -- Beginning this week, commuters
and holiday travelers who use the Boughton Road Toll Plaza on the
North-South Tollway should arrive at their destinations sooner than
planned, with the completion of Open Road Tolling lanes for I-PASS
users. On Monday, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich opened new nonstop toll
lanes at the second toll plaza to be converted in just over a week,
which means that drivers with I-PASS transponders will get places
faster, because they will no longer have to slow down or stop to go
through tollbooths.
The Boughton Road Toll Plaza is the second of eight toll plazas
scheduled to provide Open Road Tolling lanes by the end of 2005.
Drivers with I-PASS are already saving time with Open Road Tolling
at the Irving Park Toll Plaza on I-294, and drivers will also soon
be able to drive through without stopping at the following plazas:
Edens Spur, Interstate 94; Army Trail Road, I-355; and Cermak, 82nd
Street, 83rd Street and Touhy, I-294; with the remaining mainline
plazas to be converted by fall 2006.
Illinois is the first state
in the nation to convert a barrier toll plaza system to the new Open
Road Tolling technology.
"Getting to family get-togethers or the shopping malls this
holiday season will be easier and smoother for commuters and holiday
travelers," Blagojevich said. "Just think about what you can do
instead of waiting in line at toll plazas. Soon, rather than
spending time sitting in traffic, you will have more time to do the
things that matter to you, like spending time with your family."
The conversion of the tollway's traditional toll plazas to a
barrier-free system allows I-PASS users to travel at highway speeds
while their tolls are collected electronically by a monotube
overhead, reducing congestion and travel times.
Vehicles without I-PASS or that need to exit shortly after the
plaza will pull right into smaller, traditional toll plazas, where
they can pay cash to toll collectors or use I-PASS and not affect
the free flow of traffic on the mainline. Separating I-PASS traffic
from vehicles paying cash also improves safety at toll plazas.
"This is the light at the end of the tunnel for the construction
that is under way at multiple toll plazas," said Jack Hartman,
executive director of the Illinois Tollway. "Drivers who have been
inconvenienced by toll plaza conversion work are already reaping the
benefits of reduced travel times at the Irving Park Toll Plaza and
will see further benefits by the end of December as additional plaza
conversions are completed."
The debut on Monday included representatives from communities
served by the tollway that are benefiting from the 42,000 jobs
created this year and economic development related to the governor's
10-year, $5.3 billion Congestion-Relief Plan, "Open Roads for a
Faster Future."
Open Road Tolling is just one of the projects under way as part
of the Congestion-Relief Plan, which will reduce average travel time
on the tollway by another 10-15 minutes one way. Construction has
also started on the extension of I-355 south to Will County; the
reconstruction of the Reagan Memorial Tollway, I-88; and the
rebuilding and widening of the South Tri-State, I-294, from the
Kingery Expressway, I-394, to 167th Street.
In addition to delivering Open Road Tolling at eight toll plazas,
other construction milestones coming up in 2005 include completion
of the rebuilding and widening of the "washboard" section of I-88 in
DuPage County, the rehabilitation of 32 miles of pavement on the far
end of I-88 in Lee and Ogle counties, and the rebuilding and
widening of the northbound lanes on the first five miles of the
South Tri-State by year's end.
Construction closures on hold also to ease holiday travel
The Illinois Tollway will suspend all temporary mainline lane
closures on construction projects over the Thanksgiving holiday
weekend, from noon Wednesday until 9 a.m. on Monday.
Over the holiday weekend, motorists may notice workers in the
construction areas, including closed toll lanes for the conversion
to Open Road Tolling at the Army Trail Road Toll Plaza on I-355; the
South Beloit, Belvidere, Marengo, Elgin, Devon and River Road plazas
on I-90; and the 82nd-83rd Street, Cermak and Touhy plazas on I-294.
But contractors will not be moving equipment or closing lanes, so as
not to impede traffic beyond the existing work zone.
Because lane reconfigurations into crossovers still exist,
motorists are asked to allow extra time when driving through
construction zones. Slower speeds may be necessary due to shifts in
traffic, narrow lanes or no shoulders. Motorists must still obey the
construction zone speed limit of 45 mph as posted, even if no
workers are present.
Getting information
The Illinois Tollway has been working hard to minimize the impact
of construction by maintaining the same number of lanes during
construction whenever possible, sending alerts to media about
temporary lane closures (usually scheduled off-peak) and providing
construction and traffic information to the public through the
following mechanisms:
Roadway and overhead signs, including dynamic message signs
Website,
www.illinoistollway.com -- Check the construction section
for details about road and lane closures.
1 (800) TOLL-FYI -- Call for information on any lane
closures. The tollway attempts to maintain the same number of
lanes during construction, except for temporary, usually
off-peak lane closures.
The Illinois Tollway maintains and operates 274 miles of
interstate tollways in 12 counties in northern Illinois, including
the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, I-88; the North-South Tollway,
I-355; the Northwest Tollway, I-90; and the Tri-State Tollway, I-94,
I-294, I-80/I-294. In 2005, the tollway kicked off the governor's
10-year, $5.3 billion Congestion-Relief Plan, which will reduce
travel times by rebuilding and restoring 90 percent of the system,
adding lanes to about 117 miles of existing roads, converting 20
mainline toll plazas to barrier-free Open Road Tolling, and
extending I-355 south to I-80 in Will County.
