On-going temporary closures needed to safely accommodate ramp and bridge work and maintain access for traffic
Overnight ramp closures with detours and traffic shifts will continue this weekend and throughout August for the Illinois Tollway’s ongoing work to reconstruct the I-290/I-88 Interchange at the Tri-State Tollway (I-294).
Electronic message signs and construction signage will be put in place in advance to alert drivers to the overnight closures, detours and traffic shifts. Up-to-date closure information will be available on the Illinois Tollway’s Daily Construction Alert. All work is weather dependent.
Multiple nights of closures will be put in place as needed on the ramps connecting I-294 and I-290, including closure and detour of the ramps connecting northbound I-294 and the eastbound Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) to westbound I-290.
Beginning Friday, July 29, at midnight two nights of overnight closures with detours will be scheduled on the ramps connecting northbound I-294 and eastbound I-88 to westbound I-290 for bridge, guardrail and barrier wall work. During the ramp closures posted detours will direct I-294 traffic and I-88 traffic eastbound on I-290 to Mannheim Road and then route traffic through the interchange to access westbound I-290. The ramps are scheduled to reopen by 7 a.m. on Saturday, July 30. Similar closures are scheduled overnight Saturday into Sunday, July 31.
During the week of August 1, a long-term traffic shift is scheduled to begin on the ramp carrying northbound I-294 traffic to westbound I-88. All lanes will remain open, but shoulders will not be available. Traffic is scheduled to remain in this configuration into September.
Throughout August, additional closures will be scheduled as needed at the I-290/I-88 Interchange at I-294, including lane closures on I-290, as well as the overnight closures and detours of the ramps connecting northbound I-294 and eastbound I-88 to westbound I-290, eastbound I-290 to southbound I-294 and northbound I-294 to eastbound I-290. During the closures, the additional ramp detours will be as follows:
- Eastbound I-290 to southbound I-294:Traffic will be routed to Mannheim Road and through the interchange onto westbound I-290 to access southbound I-294.
- Northbound I-294 to eastbound I-290: Traffic will be routed onto westbound I-290 to St. Charles Road and then through the interchange to access eastbound I-290.
Overnight closures and detours of ramps at the I-290/I-88 Interchange at I-294 are scheduled to continue through the end of the year as needed. Information including maps, construction updates are available in the Projects section on the Tollway’s website at www.illinoistollway.com.
Construction in this area is being coordinated with the Illinois Department of Transportation, Village of Berkeley, City of Elmhurst, Village of Hillside and Village of Oak Brook, as well as local fire and police departments.
Work in 2022 at the I-290/I-88 Interchange at I-294 includes ongoing construction of mainline bridges and work to build a temporary ramp from southbound I-294 to eastbound I-290 and westbound I-88. Additional work this year includes completion of improvements on the St. Charles Road Bridges over I-294 and I-290 as well as rebuilding four ramps that connect St. Charles Road to I-290, in Berkley and Elmhurst.
The reconfiguration and reconstruction of the I-290/I-88 Interchange is estimated at $700-$800 million and will reduce congestion, improve safety and address operational issues, as well as infrastructure conditions as part of the Illinois Tollway’s $4 billion Central Tri-State Project. Work started in 2020 and is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2026.
Work Zone Safety
Construction 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. On I-294, a 45 mph work zone speed limit is in effect throughout the construction season.
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 $250 with up to a $25,000 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.
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 10 years of Move Illinois are on schedule and within budget, delivering the rebuilt and widened Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) as a state-of-the-art 21st century corridor and 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 Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project and reconstruction of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294).
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.
