Getting through Chicago easiest?
 

Time for the yearly pilgrimage to Oshkosh airshow. I am driving the Ohio/Indiana toll roads heading west through Chicago on a weeknight.... should hit the Chicago area about 8-9pm local time. I will be in my big wide cumbersome diesel motorcoach with I-pass transponder.

Last year we went right up through town on 90 and it was brutal even late in the evening... traffic, bad road surface and construction. Was thinking this year of trying 294 around the west side but have heard it is tore up with lots of construction now also.?

Anyone here travel both of these roads recently on a weeknight?

The return home will have us entering the Chicago area around 11:00 am local....

Any advice based on current road conditions would be appreciated.

Pic from last year going through the city on 90.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1658146446.jpg

The beast is no fun on rough roads or tight construction areas at speed with traffic.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1658146446.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1658146446.jpg

Hi Tim,
Yes 294 has some construction, but I think it’s your best bet. Just went from Milwaukee to Kentucky and took that route. 94 through the city is sketchy at best at any time!

Alternatively, you could stay on 80 to LaSalle, and take 39 north to Rockford. It’s a bit out of the way, but much less traffic!

I can tell you from my travels to and from Road America this past weekend that 294 North of the city is being paved. Also 43/94 from South of Milwaukee to downtown is a mess, going from 4 lanes into 2 with big delays, even at 6:15 A.M.

I wonder if Seahawk could hook you up with some of his old contacts?

https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content...elicopters.jpg

Our last trip through Chicago my GPS said the interstate was closed due to an accident, so it rerouted us on surface streets through the south side of Chicago. I was really happy it was daytime, and the traffic was heavy with other people bypassing the closure. It was eye opening seeing burned out cars on the street, and just rough looking places.

Evey GPS program needs a selection for keep me out of the ghetto, even if it adds an hour to my trip.

LOL. Can you imagine in this day, "Avoid Ghetto" being an option alongside "avoid toll roads."

80 to 355 to 55, etc?

Been a few years but we used to fly there every year.... Easy to scoot up the lakeshore at 2000' laughing at all the suckers dealing with traffic. That meant sleeping in a tent though. Wife is much happier staying in the coach now. ;)

I live and work in the city (live on the north side, work on the south side) so I go through downtown regularly, whether in my car, on the CTA or on my bike. I don't see any reason to take 90/94 through the city unless there is some big wreck somewhere else that makes it the only good option. That construction project is *still* ongoing and conditions are not much changed.

I don't know why anyone would take surface streets trying to get through the city unless a freeway was closed, but if you do need to, Stony Island Ave. is the best route from 94 to Midway Plaisance in Hyde Park, from where you can take Lakeshore Drive to I-55 just south of downtown and rejoin 90/94, or go through Washington Park and take Garfield west to 94. Diagonally, S. Chicago between 95th and Marquette. If you had to avoid the freeway on the north side, I'd take 290 to Cicero and back to 90/94 where they split. All of the above will be slow but those are the least bad if you're trying to get through. Please don't speed in the city (yes I care about that s**t)

I would skip the city entirely and either take 294 to 94, or take 294 to 290 to 90. (294 to 290 to 90 will have you skip most of the construction on 294) From there you can take 90 to Madison (I drove that the other week and it's all clear), and then 151 to Oshkosh. I've only been to Oshkosh-the-event once (and dang it was fun) but it was about 5-6 years ago so I don't remember my route.

Also, people on internet forums who make comments like the above about Chicago or other big cities ("lock the doors, etc." I find almost uniformly know nothing about the city in question. Yes, Chicago has rough neighborhoods on the south and west sides. No, the guys with guns or whatever don't care about white dudes from out of town in big RVs. The people who are at significant danger in those neighborhoods are the ones who live there. I work in Englewood and ride my bike 15 miles to and from my home on the northwest side and don't think anything of it.

If you don't mind the tolls, 355 to 88 to 39 at Rochelle cuts a little off that route

then zip N to Madison and grab 151 to intercept 41 at Fond du Lac.


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Thanks for the alternate routes, but I think I will likely stick with one of the two I mentioned for simplicity. Between the two... 90/94 through town or 294 around the west side, which one is likely the best bet during weekday non rush hour presently?

294 is your best option regardless of what time you come through. Plus you're less likely to be shot at if you steer clear of the city.

294 around the west side for sure. IME the only time during the day that 90/94 going north into downtown isn't heavy is about 10AM to 1PM but you'll still like 294 better.

Very early weekend morning? That's what I do with Atlanta and the Florida trek.
Driving in dark with only the semis is so much more relaxing.

I have driven through the city at 3:00 am on a Sunday morning in past years when I could not depart until after my Saturday night points paying dirt car race. It was pretty painless but now we have to leave after work on Thurs which puts us at around 8:00pm entering the Chicago area. Driving back home will likely also be on a Thurs entering the Chicago area around 11:00am.... both times will likely avoid the worst of rush hours.

Tim, unfortunately there are no good options getting to OSH from OH. 294 is probably your best bet, but you will be dealing with construction south of ORD. I don't go north of the airport any more, so can't give you a report there. I have heard from the pilots coming from the north that 94 can be a mess too. Maybe go onto IDOT and Wisconsin's DOT websites to check road conditions.

Maybe see you up there. Stop by the Staggerwing area of Antique Classic and say hi. Orange with cream wings.

Thanks Scott... Will stop by and chat if you happen to be at your plane.

Taking this approach - you did say easiest, not least expensive.
Drive into Michigan, take the ferry across the lake.
$15 / ft for RVs on the S.S. Badger.

I actually looked at that, but the time of day does not work for us and you also must pay an additional $71 for each passenger on top of the motorhome fare. That would be an expensive crossing. lol

To take the Badger..you would have to go all the way up to Ludington.
There's a cross-lake ferry into Milwaukee that departs from Muskegon...faster, but I don't know if you would be able to load your RV.

https://www.lake-express.com/muskegon/?utm_source=opo&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=m c_opo

Roll ‘‘em up!

When my wife and I go down to Mid-Ohio or IMS from north of Mpls./St. Paul, we head down the interstate and catch I-39 and go south through Rockford. From I-39, we head east to our destination and miss Chicago.
We also have gone Rockford to Green Bay via Milwaukee. All freeway.
Sign up your vehicle license in IL so you don't need to stop at any tollways.

Lake Shore Drive.

Because Chicago is wonderful and you should enjoy it. Top 5 cities on the planet. Go up the coast, visit Lincoln Park, visit Northwestern, get a hot dog.

Agree with Jeff: I-294. There is road construction but traffic moves.

I would do 294. 90 is an absolute disaster. It's stressful enough in a car, let alone a motorhome. Unless you wait to come into the city at around midnight. Even then, trying to make out the lanes in dark can be sketchy at best. Either way, good luck. Chicago driving is not for the faint of heart.

Yep

Nope

It was OK when I ran through there on my way to Road America in June.

For the city route I'd recommend the RV EM 50 upgrade package.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1658250215.jpg


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I have always fired right through the middle of down town, avoiding rush hours. Easier than going 50 miles out of the way going around.

When driving a car, suv or my truck I have typically blasted right through the city also, but last year in the coach.... I was whiteknuckling through there. Rapid lane changes with crazy drivers zipping all around, narrow rough construction and poor lighting all made it no fun in the coach. When I was in my late teens I drove semi for a couple summers for a friend's dad's business. Driving semis in traffic and construction was much easier than this coach.

Chicago *is* a wonderful city, but trying to get back to a freeway from the north end of LSD will suck. 0/10 would not do. It's better to see the city from a bike on the lakefront path, anyway.

Glad you like it, but you could not pay me enough to live in any big city.... especially Chicago or New York. I prefer my peaceful private rural living on 10 acres and a pond. :) I know, I know... different strokes and all that. :D

Sounds like most agree that my "best" bet is to take 294. Thanks guys

I don't know what the best route would be for you.
But I do know that if driving from the east, Do not take Chicago Skyway.:)

It's terrible.

Terrible how?

I find that, ceteris paribus, it saves about 15-20 minutes but costs $5 or whatever. Not relevant to the OP since he is better off skipping the city entirely.

Loaded with toll stops...drop down a few miles and no tolls and faster.

Tim,
Out of curiosity, do you know Joe Schumacher (Airplane Joe) - he was previously the Director of Operations for Aircraft for the annual Experimental Aircraft Association's air show in Oshkosh, Wis?

I mean, this just isn't accurate. Sure theres toll stops, but they are rarely backed up. 8/10 times, skyway is empty and you fly across it, plus its a more direct route then going down and around.

^^^ I take it that you have EZ-Pass for the toll stops?

In the future, if you find yourself with some extra time, you could take the "very scenic" route and traverse through Michigan instead of hitting Chicago and Indiana.

I have probably crossed his path the many years I I have flown and camped under my wing... Can't say I know him personally though.