I spent all my high school breaks in the south suburbs of Chicago (Steger, Glenwood, Landsing, Calumet City) and I remember everytime I was there that section where you began to the interchange of I-80 for Iowa (that was my normal route to head back to the Quad Cities) was under construction and it finally ended when I was a senior in high school back in 2009. It’s so smooth now. I love going up and down 294.
294's come a long, long way. I remember when south of 95th was still 6 lanes. During weekday rush hour, it would back up. NB-from about Harlem, to the 83rd Toll Plaza. SB-IL 7 or 115th Street to wherever an incident was. It was in the early 90s, that from O'Hare to 95th, it became 8 lanes. Yes, I remember when 95th-394/94 was redone/widened to 8 lanes. In 2000-2001, the interchange at 127th was redone. The SB on-ramp was moved. I always loved 294, but OMG, it has never been this smooth or fun to drive/ride on. Always a treat.
25:50 - 27:50 the 88/290/294 cluster interchange is getting a MASSIVE overhaul, one of the main centerpieces of the Tri-State expansion project between O'Hare Airport and 95th Street (US 12/20). the Illinois Tollway has a whole TH-cam video showing all the movements for the future interchange.
The tollway oasis you used is one of two left on the Tri-State Tollway. The other one is the Lake Forest Oasis. The Hinsdale and O'Hare (technically Irving Park Road) ones, along with the Des Plaines Oasis on Jane Addams Tollway, have been demolished.
The one on the Jane Addams tollway at Belvidere will eventually be demolished as well. I believe that the one on I-88 at DeKalb is safe since it is not on a bridge deck over the road.
all of which were taken down when lanes were added to the tollways. the future I-490 junction at I-90 essentially will be where the Des Plaines Oasis used to be, in fact.
I've been driving this since the days of tossing a quarter into a basket and waiting for the gate to come up. Lord, wotta muckin' fess! Must have been Sunday morning to get that kind of a break on traffic. I will miss the Oases; always fun to grab a burger, sit and watch as the other crazies zipped below you; got some of the astronomically-priced (even for Illinois) gas and rejoin the rat race. Just isn't the same anymore; good thing I still have an I-Pass.
I'm old enough to remember there not being an exit at 294 and 57 at all. They made it because of the congestion caused by the inner exits at 80 and 57.
I did, but it was kinda dumb 😂 294 passes 57 about 2 miles from where 294 intersects 80. that's the point blank reason IDOT and the Illinois Tollway didn't consider it a priority need for the longest. Traffic going northbound on 294 could just opt to stay on 80 West for 3 miles to get to 57. if you wanted to get on 57 from US 6/159th Street (the exit between 80 and 57 on 294), you could just stay on 159th for about a mile west for the full cloverleaf interchange there. the only direction that really needed the direct 294-to-57 movement was southbound 294 to southbound 57. that created quite a lot of headache on westbound 80 (which has its own headaches) between 294 and 57. especially since the LEFT-handed exit ramp for southbound 57 is one lane. as far as 57 ... that needed the direct connection to 294 a bit more. primarily southbound 57 to southbound 294, and northbound 57 to northbound 294. the northbound to northbound one was a headache for ME personally most of my young adult life, driving from Memphis to the western suburbs 😂
Just wondering if you think Illinois and Indiana will ever build a bypass around the I-80, I-94 and I-294 bottleneck? If nothing else for the sake of more efficient movement of commerce.
There have been several proposals for an “Illiana Expressway” further south that would connect Interstates 57 and 65. All have been scrapped due to various reasons (cost, local opposition, environmental impact studies, etc.).
Part of the agreement in the Indiana Toll Road concession is that no competing road can be be built to divert traffic off of it. They tried to do the Illiana to sorta bypass the area, but it would never have been a complete bypass. Don’t sell off your toll roads, kiddos.
it will never happen. it's just a hazard of Chicago being the major US transportation hub NOT attached to any coast. and with TWO interstates that go from the Pacific to the Atlantic ... ONE interstate that connects to the Gulf of Mexico ... and ONE interstate that connects to Canada.
I-94 joins up with the Tri-State near Deerfield. There used to be a toll plaza at Deerfield Road that was just a massive bottleneck. Thankfully it was removed during the last big construction project.
I spent all my high school breaks in the south suburbs of Chicago (Steger, Glenwood, Landsing, Calumet City) and I remember everytime I was there that section where you began to the interchange of I-80 for Iowa (that was my normal route to head back to the Quad Cities) was under construction and it finally ended when I was a senior in high school back in 2009. It’s so smooth now. I love going up and down 294.
294's come a long, long way. I remember when south of 95th was still 6 lanes. During weekday rush hour, it would back up. NB-from about Harlem, to the 83rd Toll Plaza. SB-IL 7 or 115th Street to wherever an incident was. It was in the early 90s, that from O'Hare to 95th, it became 8 lanes. Yes, I remember when 95th-394/94 was redone/widened to 8 lanes. In 2000-2001, the interchange at 127th was redone. The SB on-ramp was moved. I always loved 294, but OMG, it has never been this smooth or fun to drive/ride on. Always a treat.
Honestly one of my favorite Interstates in the country
Last time I was on this tollway, there was so much construction and caused traffic
25:50 - 27:50 the 88/290/294 cluster interchange is getting a MASSIVE overhaul, one of the main centerpieces of the Tri-State expansion project between O'Hare Airport and 95th Street (US 12/20). the Illinois Tollway has a whole TH-cam video showing all the movements for the future interchange.
The most dangerous spot out of the whole 294 😬😬😬
Nice ride along interstate 294 [tri state tollway]
The tollway oasis you used is one of two left on the Tri-State Tollway. The other one is the Lake Forest Oasis. The Hinsdale and O'Hare (technically Irving Park Road) ones, along with the Des Plaines Oasis on Jane Addams Tollway, have been demolished.
Wow.
The one on the Jane Addams tollway at Belvidere will eventually be demolished as well. I believe that the one on I-88 at DeKalb is safe since it is not on a bridge deck over the road.
all of which were taken down when lanes were added to the tollways.
the future I-490 junction at I-90 essentially will be where the Des Plaines Oasis used to be, in fact.
@@dhinton1 I liked the oasises. They were handy to get out, stretch the legs and use the facilities.
Nice drive
My old stomping grounds.
I always go north on I-294 when I go home with my dad.
Look to your right at 32:01 and you’ll see the Chicago skyline clearly from 17 miles away
been over 30 years since I've seen that place!!
I've been driving this since the days of tossing a quarter into a basket and waiting for the gate to come up. Lord, wotta muckin' fess! Must have been Sunday morning to get that kind of a break on traffic. I will miss the Oases; always fun to grab a burger, sit and watch as the other crazies zipped below you; got some of the astronomically-priced (even for Illinois) gas and rejoin the rat race. Just isn't the same anymore; good thing I still have an I-Pass.
I'm old enough to remember there not being an exit at 294 and 57 at all. They made it because of the congestion caused by the inner exits at 80 and 57.
I never understood that.
I did, but it was kinda dumb 😂
294 passes 57 about 2 miles from where 294 intersects 80. that's the point blank reason IDOT and the Illinois Tollway didn't consider it a priority need for the longest.
Traffic going northbound on 294 could just opt to stay on 80 West for 3 miles to get to 57.
if you wanted to get on 57 from US 6/159th Street (the exit between 80 and 57 on 294), you could just stay on 159th for about a mile west for the full cloverleaf interchange there.
the only direction that really needed the direct 294-to-57 movement was southbound 294 to southbound 57. that created quite a lot of headache on westbound 80 (which has its own headaches) between 294 and 57. especially since the LEFT-handed exit ramp for southbound 57 is one lane.
as far as 57 ... that needed the direct connection to 294 a bit more. primarily southbound 57 to southbound 294, and northbound 57 to northbound 294. the northbound to northbound one was a headache for ME personally most of my young adult life, driving from Memphis to the western suburbs 😂
@@dhinton1Maybe for a faster way to get to i-57. It's not dumb
You Passing By Alsip Illinois Where I Used To Live
U Still Live In The Chicago,Illinois Area From Where U Use To Live AT 3:30
I had a great-grandparents in Alsip (saw back in the 90s, when it was 6 lanes, south of 95th). I'm from Hickory Hills (91st/Roberts Rd).
That interchange with I-57 did not exist until recently so I’m glad it’s complete. I wish this was a ramp for southbound I-57 though .
Mike, I hope you got Downtown Chicago filmed and ready to go.
Lake Shore Dr has already been uploaded.
@@Markkos1992 I meant the rest of Downtown Chicago besides Lake Shore Drive, including Chinatown, Navy Pier, etc.
Soon
@@MileageMikeTravels Can you do Joliet Illinois?
@@Markkos1992 Lake Shore Drive is so pretty on a clear day.
Just wondering if you think Illinois and Indiana will ever build a bypass around the I-80, I-94 and I-294 bottleneck? If nothing else for the sake of more efficient movement of commerce.
There have been several proposals for an “Illiana Expressway” further south that would connect Interstates 57 and 65. All have been scrapped due to various reasons (cost, local opposition, environmental impact studies, etc.).
And the Indiana legislators have written a law that the "Illiana Expressway" to be removed from discussion...
Part of the agreement in the Indiana Toll Road concession is that no competing road can be be built to divert traffic off of it. They tried to do the Illiana to sorta bypass the area, but it would never have been a complete bypass. Don’t sell off your toll roads, kiddos.
it will never happen. it's just a hazard of Chicago being the major US transportation hub NOT attached to any coast. and with TWO interstates that go from the Pacific to the Atlantic ... ONE interstate that connects to the Gulf of Mexico ... and ONE interstate that connects to Canada.
I’m a Ga resident. I’m riding to Milwaukee to visit Harley museum. How much are the tolls if I ride the entire length of 294?
37:23 I did not know that Ryan Dempster did enough for the Cubs to get a road named ever him. 😂
😂😂😂😂
I guess I-94 in this direction just shows up out of nowhere. I did not see any indication that it was coming...
I-94 joins up with the Tri-State near Deerfield. There used to be a toll plaza at Deerfield Road that was just a massive bottleneck. Thankfully it was removed during the last big construction project.
They've never found a reason to sign the approach of 94.
46:16