DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. — Illinois Tollway officials say they expect the roadway to be flooded with as many as 8.8 million local and out-of-town travelers for the Thanksgiving holiday, with the heaviest travel period being Nov. 22.
“Before getting behind the wheel this Thanksgiving holiday, we remind our I-PASS and Pay By Plate customers that they can use the Illinois Tollway App to temporarily add rental cars or out-of-town family and friends’ vehicles to their accounts to pay tolls conveniently,” said Illinois Tollway executive director Cassaundra Rouse. “It’s our goal to make travel simple and convenient for customers.”
The Pay By Plate system allows drivers to be billed on the Illinois Tollway for accounts set up within 14 days of scheduled travel. Travelers are also entitled to use the E-ZPass system. By setting up or accessing their account through the Illinois Tollway app or the website (www.getipass.com), drivers can also add the license plates of family or friends traveling for the holiday.
Illinois Tollway will also temporarily suspend maintenance and construction lane closures from noon on Nov. 22, through 9 a.m. on Nov. 27.
However, existing construction on current work zones may continue to be worked on to keep work on schedule for scheduled future projects.
Areas where Tollway drivers can expect to see ongoing work include:
Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80)
- On I-294 between Wolf Road and 75th Street, traffic shifts in both directions with counterflow lanes throughout the Central Tri-State corridor. Watch for signage indicating changing traffic patterns.
- On I-294, the ramps from westbound I-290 to northbound I-294, from northbound I-294 to eastbound I-290 and westbound Roosevelt Road to southbound I-294 are closed and detours are posted. In addition, the ramp connecting northbound I-294 to westbound I-290 is reduced to a single lane.
- On I-294, I-294 between 95th Street and the 83rd Street Toll Plaza, northbound traffic is shifted.
- On I-294 between 171st Street and 159th Street, traffic is shifted
Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355)
- At the I-88 Interchange, the ramps carrying eastbound I-88 to northbound I-355 and southbound I-355
In time for the holiday travelers, Illinois Tollway provided some well-known tips that they say need to be heard again.
- Safety belts first.
- Call *999 for roadside assistance.
- Get real-time road condition updates.
According to the statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, wearing safety belts in all vehicles, including in the back seat, cuts the risk of fatal injuries in a crash by nearly half. When getting into vehicles, ensure all individuals are in the safety belts, and all children under the age of eight are safely restrained in the correctly installed appropriate-sized child safety or booster seats.
If you need aid regarding your vehicle, you can call *999 to get help from Tollway roadway maintenance crews or Illinois State Police Tropp 15, who patrol the tollway system 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Vehicle aid patrols are on standby to help stranded customers change tires, jump-start batteries, add coolant, dispense fuel, transport customers, move vehicles away from traffic and call for a tow truck.
Whether the trip is short or long, you can sign up for Tollway Trip Tweets with real-time roadway incident information and weather conditions at Tollway Trip 90, Tollway Trip 88, Tollway Trip 355, Tollway Trip 94/294 and Tollway Trip 390.
Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Erica N. Guy decided to stay in her hometown to begin her professional career in journalism. Since obtaining her bachelor’s degree from UAPB, Erica has professionally written for several publications about several topics ranging from lifestyle, tech, culture, and entertainment, just to name a few. Continuing her love for her hometown, she joined our team in June 2023, where she is currently a staff writer. Her career goals include continuing storytelling through her writing by being the best professional writer she can be. In her spare time, Erica enjoys trying new foods, cozying up with a good book, spending time with family and friends, and establishing herself as a future businesswoman.
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