Community Corner

Hitting the Highway this Holiday Weekend? Beware of Construction Zones

Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer travel season. The Illinois Tollway reminds drivers to slow down in work zones.

Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer travel season.

This weekend, more than 7 million vehicles are expected to hit state tollways, and drivers should be aware of the 37 miles worth of road construction work between the Elgin Toll Plaza and Illinois 39 in Rockford.

Tollway officials want to remind drivers the speed limit in construction work zones is 45 mph, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of whether workers are present.

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“This weekend marks the beginning of the busy summer travel season on the Tollway and we want our customers to stay safe,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur.

 

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The heaviest travel day is anticipated today (Friday, May 24).

  On I-90, all traffic between I-39 in Rockford and the Elgin Toll Plaza is now traveling on the westbound side of the road, with two lanes available in both directions.

Truck traffic is encouraged to travel in the left lanes rather than on the right. Drivers have access to all entrance and exit ramps, with crossovers in place to allow eastbound traffic to access the interchanges through the work zone.

Between Irene Road near Belvidere and I-39, westbound traffic is reduced to one lane for rebuilding and widening the Kishwaukee River Bridge. An alternate route via Irene Road and U.S. Route 20 is posted.

Tips for driving in the I-90 work zone

  • Obey the speed limit and slow down.
    Speeding is a factor in nearly half of all fatal crashes in Illinois.  The speed limit is 45 mph at all times, 24/7, even when workers are not present. 
  • Pay attention.
    Watch for signs posted throughout the I-90 construction zone advising of traffic shifts, roadway incidents and other warnings.
  • No cell phones in work zones.
    Distracted driving laws prohibit the use of all hand-held electronic devices in construction work zones.
  • Don't tailgate.
    One of the most common crashes in a work zone is a rear-end collision.  Traffic in work zones makes sudden stops.  Give trucks the space they need to change lanes. 
  • If passing a truck, do so quickly and keep out of a truck’s blind spot.

Don’t continuously drive alongside a truck - you’re in the driver’s blind spot. Change lanes only when you can see the truck’s headlights or front grill in your rearview mirror.

  • Trucks create wind gusts. 

Keep both hands on the wheel when passing or being passed by a truck.

  • Expect the unexpected.
    Traffic patterns change often in the I-90 construction work zone and pavement may be uneven in sections.
  • Speeding will cost you.

The minimum penalty for speeding in a work zone is $375 for the first offense and a minimum of $1,000 for the second offense, which also may result in your driver's license being suspended.  Hitting a worker in a work zone could result in a fine of $10,000 and up to 14 years in jail.

Construction Activity Suspended for Memorial Day Weekend

To accommodate increased holiday travel, the Tollway is restricting construction activity and suspending all temporary construction lane closures over the weekend to better serve its customers.

All temporary maintenance and construction lane closures will be suspended from noon on Friday, May 24, through 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28. Some work may continue behind barriers to keep work on schedule, but this work will not impact traffic. 

Other construction areas where drivers should plan for slower traffic during the holiday include:

  • Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80)

Between 159th Street and Kedzie Avenue, I-294 traffic in both directions is reduced to three lanes for I-294/I-57 Interchange Project construction. 

  • Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355)

On the northbound entrance ramp from I-55, the right ramp lane is closed; two lanes remain open.

Between the Boughton Road Toll Plaza and I-55, traffic in both directions is shifted to the right for resurfacing.

On the collector-distributor road at Butterfield Road, southbound traffic is shifted to the right for resurfacing

Illinois State Police District 15 Out in Force

Illinois State Police District 15 will be out in force patrolling the Illinois Tollway system throughout the holiday week.

District 15 Troopers will be conducting Special Traffic Enforcement Patrols concentrating on enforcement of the fatal four offenses including speeding, DUI, seat belt compliance and distracted driving.

About the I-90 Rebuilding and Widening Project

Rebuilding and widening the 54-year-old Jane Addams Memorial Tollway from the Kennedy Expressway to I-39 in Rockford is part of the 15-year, $12 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.

When complete, I-90 will be a 21st century, state-of-the-art corridor linking Rockford to O'Hare Airport with eight lanes from the Kennedy Expressway to the Elgin Toll Plaza and six lanes from the Elgin Toll Plaza to I-39.

 

Information submitted by the Illinois Tollway Authority

 

 

 

 


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