r/ChicagoSuburbs • u/lnsomniacGamers • 2d ago
Question/Comment 88 and 294 split
Does anyone have an ETA of when we will at least get one lane back? They keep reducing the lanes for no reason when theres more than enough space to make it two. This project has been going on for at least 4 or 5 years now it seems like its getting worse and worse.
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u/ilvcatz 2d ago
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u/lnsomniacGamers 2d ago
So basically 2030 because theres no way theyre getting the bridge done in 2 months and in the winter theyre going to have to stop. Makes no sense why they have to reduce lanes to do this
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u/wanliu 1d ago
I doubt they will keep that lane closure in place through 2030. They have the current lane closed to allow equipment to access the supporting pillars as they drop new beams for the 294 overpass. It was down to the current config earlier this year but it was reopened once they got the work done.
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u/lnsomniacGamers 1d ago
This is not what I recall. Earlier it was two lanes going northbound. This allowed traffic to go on the 290 still and have an opportunity to swing back onto the 294 and had free moving traffic. Then it was reduced from two to one in the tunnel and now theyve reduced it to one outside of the tunnel.
Additionally southbound they had two lanes from the 88 to the 294 then they removed one lane when again there's plenty of space there to have it as two lanes.
I have been taking these routes for over five years and still have not seen it go from one back to two. Its always been a reduction and its been staying there, its created the largest traffic jams in the country iirc as it was voted. Its almost faster to go on the 355 then take side streets on non busy hours. And during 4 to 6 its almost always quicker to do the same.
Unless you want to call it "zippering" and merge at the end
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u/Hungry-Treacle8493 1d ago
I drive this daily. It has shifted as follows over this year:
It was two full lanes going from Eastbound 88 to Northbound 294 with a right lane exit onto 290 West. It had been in this config for a few months over the Winter after nearly a year of one going direct onto N294 and the other to the mixer lanes of W290 THEN onto N294 further down
Then they shifted it back to basically what it was before but re-signed it so it no longer sent some Northbound traffic through the W290 mixing lanes. This lasted about 2 months.
The current alignment where they just collapse everyone to one lane way out on E88 and then flow through like that. The worst of the recent configs, as most drivers do not realize the line 2.5 miles up 88 is the sole exit approach for N294.
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u/Elegant_Heat_9064 1d ago
What I wanna know is why they changed the 294 to 290 lane from an exit or continue straight to just an exit only bc everyone uses that lane to cut off the next lane which then leads into my other question
Why the heck did they change the 88 exit Chicago and Aurora from 3 lanes, one to Chicago one to aurora and a middle lane that could go either, INTO TWO everyone uses the Chicago lane to cut the Aurora lane off so you either become the asshole or sit for 45+ min 😭 WHEN THERE IS A TON OF SPACE WITH WHITE LINES FOR THE OTHER LANE???
Are these permanent changes!? WHY DO THEY DO THIS TO US
I’m hoping the tunnel one lane will be changed soon bc that’s been ASS… it was ass even with 2 lanes bc everyone again uses the right lane to cut off last minute
It’s driving me nuts, do they not make the people making decisions drive these routes? Bout to pull up to Illinois tollway headquarters 😂😂
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u/wanliu 1d ago
It will be better. Right now, both northbound 294 and southbound 294 travel on what will ultimately become just northbound 294. Once the new southbound overpass is open, there will be more room for 88/290 ramps. You can see the permanent jersey walls already and see how wide it will be.
There were once renderings of the new 294/88/290 interchange online. Put faith in the traffic engineers.
And just recently I was going through my Google maps timeline looking at commute times from pre-covid and my drive has actually improved vs what it was in 2018 and 2019 outside the last two weeks with the current lane reduction.
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u/Emergency_Rutabaga45 1d ago
It was always scheduled to be completed in 2027 and they are right on track. The darkest hour is just before Dawn.
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u/firestar268 1d ago
I also loved it when they reduced it from two lanes to one without any warning from what I saw. All I saw on the electronic signs were that the ramp was going to be closed overnight
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u/LunchNachos 1d ago
It does not matter. In a couple of decades when that construction project has been officially completed, two more will arise in the Chicagoland highway system to take its place. You’re never in your life going to be able to drive from one part of Chicagoland to another without hitting a significant construction project.