Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2020
OVERNIGHT RAMP CLOSURES SCHEDULED TO BEGIN THIS WEEK
FOR UTILITY RELOCATION ALONG THE CENTRAL TRI-STATE (I-294) TOLLWAY
Nightly, full closures planned on ramps connecting I-294, I-290, Lake Street and North Avenue
DOWNERS GROVE, IL – Overnight closures are scheduled to begin this week at multiple ramps and local roadways along the Tri-State Tollway (I-294), including I-290, Lake Street (U.S. Route 20) and North Avenue (Illinois Route 64), to accommodate ComEd transmission line relocation for tower construction adjacent to the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and County Line Road. All work is weather dependent.
The nightly closures and detours on ramps and local roads will be scheduled, weather permitting, between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. over five nights. The temporary closures are necessary to provide a work zone to safely accommodate relocation of transmission power lines.
Electronic message signs and construction signage will be put in place in advance to alert drivers to the overnight closures and detours. Up-to-date information regarding additional lane closures will also be available in the Illinois Tollway’s Daily Construction Alerts.
“As always, the Illinois Tollway looks for ways to reduce the impact of construction on our customers,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director José Alvarez. “These overnight closures are critical to keeping our roadways safe.”
Ramp closures scheduled for utility relocation will include:
- • Westbound Lake Street to westbound I-290: A detour will be posted routing traffic via Railroad Avenue and North Avenue to westbound I-290.
- • Southbound I-294 to westbound I-290: A detour will be posted routing traffic via eastbound I-290 to Manheim Road and the interchange to west on I-290.
- • Eastbound I-290 to northbound I-294 and North Avenue and Lake Street: Two detours will be posted. To access North Avenue and Lake Street, I-290 traffic will be detoured via northbound Mannheim Road. To access northbound I-294, traffic will be detoured through the Mannheim Road Interchange to westbound I-290 to reach northbound I-294.
- • Westbound I-290 to eastbound Lake Street/North Avenue. No detour will be posted for this closure.
In addition to the ramp closures, the full closure of East Lake Street between County Line Road and Northwest Avenue will also be needed with a posted detour routing traffic via County Line Road, Grand Avenue and Northwest Avenue, and full closures, each lasting 15 minutes, will also be needed in both directions on North Avenue at I-294.
Additional closures and detours will be scheduled in April to continue ComEd transmission line and tower relocation work.
Work Zone Safety ComEd transmission line relocation work - page 2
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Work zone speed limits are in effect in all construction zones 24/7 and drivers should continue to watch for changing traffic patterns and use caution, especially when workers are present and the Illinois Tollway reminds motorists that the “Move Over Law” requires motorists to change lanes or to slow down and proceed with caution when passing any vehicle on the side of the road with hazard lights activated. If you see flashing lights ahead, please move over or slow down.
Illinois State Police have zero tolerance for drivers speeding in work zones or failure to comply with the Move Over Law. The minimum penalty for speeding in a work zone is $375. Posted signs advise drivers of a $10,000 fine and a 14-year jail sentence for hitting a roadway worker. Penalties for failure to slow down or move over for a vehicle on the shoulder with flashing lights includes up to a $10,000 fine, 2-year suspension of driving privileges and jail time, in extreme cases.
Getting Tollway Construction Information
The Illinois Tollway has a variety of ways customers can get the latest travel information, including:
- Illinoistollway.com – Projects section, live roadway images and work zone safety information.
- Daily construction alerts — Daily and long-term lane and shoulder closure schedules.
- Twitter.com – Real-time roadway incident information at Tollway Trip 90, Tollway Trip 88, Tollway Trip 355, Tollway Trip 94/294 and Tollway Trip 390.
About Move Illinois
The Illinois Tollway’s 15-year, $14 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future, is improving mobility, relieving congestion, reducing pollution, creating as many as 120,000 jobs and linking economies throughout the region. The first nine years of Move Illinois are on schedule and within budget, delivering the new Illinois Route 390 Tollway and a rebuilt and widened Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) with its new SmartRoad corridor, as well as opening a new interchange connecting the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to I-57. Progress continues on projects addressing the remaining needs of the existing Tollway system, delivering the new I-490 Tollway Project and reconstruction of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and planning for emerging projects.
About the Illinois Tollway
The Illinois Tollway is a user-fee system that receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and operations. The agency maintains and operates 294 miles of roadways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80) and the Illinois Route 390 Tollway.
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