Probably been asked before but....

[BigTim]

I need to get from Battle Creek to Milwaukee and would like to skirt Chicago even if it means a few extra miles. Any ideas?

Does anyone have a tried and true way to get through there without hitting the gettos and freeways? No offence intended to anyone by that remark, just had a bad time once.

Thanks, BT

[86755]

Either go way west of the city via 80/90 or head for the UP then south into Milwaukee.

[184480]

Ride to Muskegon and take the ferry to Milwaukee!
http://www.lake-express.com/default.aspx

[BigTim]

Thanks I was thinking something like down and out west of Chicago then head up to Beerville.

[GILLY]

Timing is everything.

To start a conversation, you could head to the Loop, then grab 290W, then 294N?
But if the timing was good, you could just take the Dan Ryan onto the Kennedy and north on 94.
Either way the Skyway is a good deal to get up towards 90, this would be the worst of it, that and 290 before you swing north. Or even once you are 5 minutes out on 290 it looks a bit friendlier. But I've even had to stop for gas iin that stretch, and sheesh I only got hit up for money 2 or 3 times, I mean that can happen anywhere, right?
You could use various methods to get over to I88, but that really would be out of the way, better off going through really early or late and avoid the traffic and taking your chances with the "out of the way Chicago" places. Just fuel up before leaving Michigan and keep er rollin'.

In deference to the following guy (Osceola), it is actually pretty cool to zoom up the Skyway at 11pm for example, going past the Loop at night and flying out the Kennedy. You could also do Lakeshore Drive at this time of night and get pretty nice scenery if the weather is good, it's pretty spectacular. Although not sure how to get up Lakeshore (41) and get on to 94 headed to 2 Cylinderville, probably wouldn't be bad and out of the, shall we say, problematic areas? OH also many weekends are fine too, and even later in the morning, like as late as 7 to 9am can be a breeze, depending on what's going on in Chicago that day.

Gilly

[184480]

Born, raised and rode in that mess of a city for 35 years. It just sucks trying to get around. Crowded freeways, toll roads which are hell on a bike, and lots of other things you want to avoid. Used to go from NW Indiana to Wisconsin every year and I would leave at 5am. Not much traffic and I would take the most direct and quickest route just to get it over ASAP. It still sucked

[BMWRich58]

I need to get from Battle Creek to Milwaukee and would like to skirt Chicago even if it means a few extra miles. Any ideas?

Does anyone have a tried and true way to get through there without hitting the gettos and freeways? No offence intended to anyone by that remark, just had a bad time once.

Thanks, BT

Timing is everything...what day and the time of day will make all the difference of whether to cut through the city or go around.
I'm 30 minutes south of downtown (I80 & I57) and can make the far north side in under an hour (5am),and thats early in the am weekly...weekends 8-ish in the mornings with the same travel times.
From 9-10 am weekly and weekends take the Tollway (294) and by pass the city.

[OU812]

Ride to Muskegon and take the ferry to Milwaukee!
http://www.lake-express.com/default.aspx

Yes!

[roy]

I need to get from Battle Creek to Milwaukee and would like to skirt Chicago even if it means a few extra miles. Any ideas?

Does anyone have a tried and true way to get through there without hitting the gettos and freeways? No offence intended to anyone by that remark, just had a bad time once.

Thanks, BT

To skirt Chicago and the southern ghettos you would have to drop down almost to hwy 17 which runs through Kankakee. If you take this over to I39 and then upto Rockford you would add lots of boring miles.

I have never been on the ferry but have to believe it is a much more relaxing trip than trying to get through Chicago. My experience with Chicago is that there is no good time. There is always Toll Booths, drunks, and idiots on the road.

[RMDPAC]

If your going to take the ferry, make sure its running. They won't go if it's to rough. Rode 60miles up to the ferry only to find it would not be goinghad to turn around and run thru Chicago cause I had to be in Milwal. that night, took the skyway and not to bad. Ride back on the ferry was real nice, had a hand held GPS and it does about 36 mph.

R1200RT
Saugatuck Mi.

[BigTim]

Thanks for all the good ideas everyone.

I have been through there many times my self and have never found a good way to get through the mess. From what I picked up from the locals that commented you haven't either.

I was thinking about getting close to Portage In. and cutting down to 30 the Lincoln Highway then over and heading up somewhere west of the mess.

Anyone tried this out?

Going back will be a snap up through the UP hey!

[535IS]

Thanks for all the good ideas everyone.

I have been through there many times my self and have never found a good way to get through the mess. From what I picked up from the locals that commented you haven't either.

I was thinking about getting close to Portage In. and cutting down to 30 the Lincoln Highway then over and heading up somewhere west of the mess.

Anyone tried this out?

Going back will be a snap up through the UP hey!

Once you hit Valparaiso, 30 sucks.

As a current Wisconsin resident originally from Ohio, I have made this trip literally dozens of times. I use the Skyway (I-90) and go through the middle of Chicago on I-94, but I choose my times wisely. Hit the edge of town before 6:00 AM or after 8:00 PM and you'll probably be fine. Otherwise, you can add up to three hours to the one hour it actually takes to drive through the city. If you decide to go through Chicago an IPass is a great way to avoid any backed-up cash lanes and it works for most tolls in the northeastern US.

There is a second (maybe cheaper) ferry from Ludington to Manitowoc that will add a couple hours to your trip, as it is an hour north and runs about half the speed of the other one. But then, you could catch coffee with me and/or Randy (Manic Mechanic) here in Manitowoc.

[184480]

Thanks for all the good ideas everyone.

I have been through there many times my self and have never found a good way to get through the mess. From what I picked up from the locals that commented you haven't either.

I was thinking about getting close to Portage In. and cutting down to 30 the Lincoln Highway then over and heading up somewhere west of the mess.

40 years ago that might have worked but today urban sprawl has consumed most if not all of the area from Valpo to Joliet along Hwy 30. Lots of shopping centers, housing developments and traffic lights most of the way these days. I don't think your going to find any quiet, less traveled routes in the Chicago area. Just take I-80 to I-39 and go north. Still you'll hit a toll road (Grrr!! Hate those!) near Rockford. Gone that way myself a number of time in the last few years and it seems less brain damaging than going directly through Chicago.