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Illinois Tollway Expects 8M Travelers During Extended Memorial Day Weekend

An estimated 8 million motorists in Illinois are expected to take a trip through the tollway during Memorial Day weekend, the agency Illinois Tollway announced.

Illinois Tollway estimated that 8 million vehicles will pass through the state tollway system between Friday and next Tuesday, a nearly 4% increase from last year.

The busiest travel day is expected to be Friday, when 1.9 million vehicles are expected to be on the tollway, according to the agency. That’s compared to the 1.6 million vehicles the agency typically sees in a day.

“Our road crews will be out in force during the holiday weekend to provide prompt help to drivers whose vehicles become disabled on our system,” Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse said in a statement.

The agency is asking drivers to follow posted speed limits, especially in work zones.

Most temporary maintenance and construction lane closures on the Illinois Tollway will be suspended from noon Friday through 9 a.m. next Tuesday to accommodate holiday travel, according to the agency.

Areas where ongoing work zones may impact traffic include:

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

• On northbound I-294 between St. Charles Road and North Avenue, traffic is shifted to the left into a counterflow configuration.
• On southbound I-294 between St. Charles Road and I-55, traffic is shifted into a split configuration with three left lanes operating as express lanes. There is no access to exit to eastbound I-290, westbound I-88, Ogden Avenue or I-55 from these three express lanes. Traffic must remain in the right lane to exit.
• On the ramps connecting westbound I-290 to northbound I-294 and westbound Roosevelt Road to southbound I-294, closures and detours are in place.
• On southbound I-294, access to I-55 in both directions has moved further north and is located between 55th Street and the Hinsdale Oasis.

Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88)

• On eastbound I-88 between Illinois Route 23 and the DeKalb Oasis, traffic is reduced to a single lane.

The auto club AAA predicts 2.1 million Illinoisans will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day period. The organization defines the period from Thursday to Monday, and includes travelers by car, plane or other modes of transportation in its estimate.

This year’s travel estimate is an increase of 50,000 travelers in Illinois compared to last year, according to AAA. Nationwide, the auto club estimates a record 45.1 million are expected to travel for Memorial Day weekend.

"Despite economic uncertainty and global challenges, travel remains a priority for Americans, with millions eager to make memories with a Memorial Day getaway,” AAA Vice President of Travel Debbie Haas said in a statement.

Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]

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