30 minutes in chicago traffic

[26667]

Thirty minutes from waaaaaay downtown to almost the Wisconsin line!! Check your maps on this one and get a liitle perspective if you think you may be going thru Chicago.

granted it's subject to abrupt changes if there's a crash or special event, but today, tuesday, I drove from East Ohio Street, that's EAST, almost as-far-east-as-you-can-go w/out-getting-wet East; two blocks from the lake, across the city and up (N) the 90/94. i.e. the Kennedy/Edens Expys to the Deerfield Rd. exit in exactly 30 minutes. I left E. Ohio and Columbus Dr. at 11:01 a.m. and got to Deerfield Rd at 11:31. According to Mapquest, it's 30 miles.

Across town was no biggie. Stoplights, four lanes. When I first got on the Kennedy at Ontario, it was pretty heavy and slow, maybe 35 mph. By Division St, 12 blocks, or about a mile N of the 290, it started to open up and we were going 65. Another couple miles and we were going 85. Just before "the junction" (where the 90 and 94 split) we were back to 65. A little further up the Edens and it was 80 again.

I just want people to know that it CAN be ok. It isn't always, but between about 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. it's often an easy trip. Outside that time frame you're going to get to practice your slow-riding technique. The "express lanes" usually open North-bound at about 11:45. (Just after Ontario) If it's congested from downtown; i.e. from the 290, it usually opens up after the split.

I'll do what I can to learn about the South end and from The Skyway andthe Indiana line as the dates get closer. Maybe some Southside guys could comment. (also what is up w the Sox??)

[FF/Medic]

Thanks for the update. We are thinking of heading through on our way back from the rally. We will be leaving out first light on Sunday morning and heading into Indiana. Thanks again

John
02LT:D

[26667]

Rallye-goers should be good to go on Sunday morning. As I say, there's always the possibility of something out-of-the-ordinary, but Sunday mornings are always much lighter traffic. It'll pick up thru the day, and by evening when all the week-enders are dragging their boats home from Wisconsin you'll want to be somewhere else.

i've written a couple other times that the drive along Lake Michigan is beautiful, but check your maps. Some of it is residential and that'll slow you down, but it's mostly up-scale residential and kind of fun for us mere mortals to gawk at. The Sunday morning biker breakfast joint is at Rte 41 and Buckley Rd. It'd be easy to follow 41 south thru Evanston and past the Northwestern University campus and then south on Lake Shore Drive and the Chicago skyline, Millenium Park, Navy Pier, The Field Museum of natural history, The Museum of Science and Industry and then hop on the Skyway and be in Indiana.

If you left West Bend at say 9:00, you could stop for breakfast somewhere along the way and probably be thru Chicago by noon or so. maybe 150 miles. Chi Reg' people, tell me if I'm off-base here.

I'm sure the locals will be scanning the papers and baseball schedules for whatever events might boufe the traffic that weekend and post the info on the forum.

see you there!

[DrRaoulDuke]

and during rush hour this 50 mile ride can easily take 2+ hours. Please also remember that there are only 2 seasons in Chicago, winter and construction, and the latter is upon us. Also the outbound Chicago rush hour now starts at 1:00pm and seeming NEVER ends. Also keep in mind that death is a preferential choice over attempting to traverse the Dan Ryan Expressway ANY time of night or day......AND for that added degree of difficulty if you choose to avoid the city by taking IL 294 - AKA the Tri-State tollway- unless you have an electronic I-Pass device - you will be herded off every 6 -7 miles and forced to wait in long lines and then pay double the going rate at each of our frequently occuring toll plazas. Why would anybody want to visit my state?

Every Honest man is ashamed of the govrnment he lives under

[26667]

Dr. Duke!!! We're only here for the beer!....ok. we're gettin' it from Wisconsin, but still...

But the good doctor is right about rush hour, the DanRyan, ( which means the 94, south of the city proper) and the 294. If you "have to" come thru here, take the alternates that several of us have suggested, and stay out of rush hours. Follow three simple rules and you can be happy.

Plus, all the turns you're likely to find in Illinois are 90 degrees.

[danielroth]

For those of you that have an Iron Butt (certificate or no), I suggest going up through Michigan via the Mackinac Bridge and across US 2. This trip is not for sissies, I went from Jackson MI to Milwaukee WI in 12 hours last weekend to take a State test! Let me tell you that the trip back through Chicago-Land (only 6 hrs) was MUCH less pleasurable. If you feel like braking the trip up to camp there are more than dozens of opportunities to do so, especially around Big Mac.
I took this pic MYSELF while riding across.
<<img src="http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/1162/dscf3291yg0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" /></a>.
"F" going to "EZ" way on the way TO the rally, save the endless toll booths and high traffic for the way home.
If you want to ride with me there shoot me a message. I already know the premier fish joints and places to get a sweet BMW belt buckel.
-dan in michigan

[Herleman]

Or you can go west to Cheyenne WY then north and east through the Dakotas and Minnesota and come in from the west. Its further that way, but it doesn't take much longer.

I grew up in Chicago traffic. I was a kid when I left home and fully grown when I arrived at my destination -- and I was just heading to a Cubbies game. There are homeless people on the Dan Ryan -- oh, they have homes, they just haven't seen'em in years.