Illinois Tollway Expects Nearly 9 Million Vehicles Traveling Over The Thanksgiving Holiday
2024-11-26
As many as 8.9 million vehicles are expected to travel on the Illinois Tollway system during this year’s extended Thanksgiving holiday, and drivers who become stranded or need roadside assistance should dial *999 to obtain prompt help from the Tollway.
Drivers who call *999 will receive help from Tollway roadway maintenance crews, who patrol the Tollway system 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Motorist aid patrols stand ready to help stranded customers change tires, jump-start batteries, add coolant, dispense fuel, transport customers, move vehicles away from traffic and call for a tow truck.
“As part of our emphasis on safeguarding our customers, we’re proud to offer fast roadside assistance to any drivers who become stranded along our roads or need help with their disabled vehicles—not just during this holiday weekend but all through the year,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse. “Drivers who need assistance on our system should dial *999 and remain with their vehicles until a member of our roadway team arrives. On the Tollway, help is always just a phone call away.”
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Wednesday, November 27, through Monday, December 2, the heaviest travel is expected on Wednesday, when 1.8 million vehicles are projected to use the Tollway system.
On an average day, about 1.6 million vehicles use the Illinois Tollway. To help make travel easier for drivers, the Illinois Tollway will suspend most temporary maintenance and construction lane closures from noon on Wednesday, November 22, through 9 a.m. on Monday, November 27. However, construction may continue in existing work zones to keep work on schedule for ongoing Illinois Tollway construction projects.
Areas where Tollway drivers can expect to see ongoing work include:
Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80)
- Between St. Charles Road and Butterfield Road, southbound traffic shifts into a split configuration with two left lanes continuing on the I-294 mainline and two right lanes on auxiliary lanes providing access to exit ramps for eastbound I-290 and for westbound I-88 before reconnecting with the southbound I-294 mainline.
- Between I-55 and North Avenue, traffic is shifted in both directions with northbound counterflow lanes between Roosevelt Road and North Avenue and a southbound counterflow lane between Cermak Road and Ogden Avenue. Watch for signage indicating changing traffic patterns.
- Closures and detours are in place on the ramps connecting westbound I-290 to northbound I-294 and westbound Roosevelt Road to southbound I-294.
- Between 159th Street and I-80, southbound traffic is shifted with a split configuration. Southbound traffic exiting to I-80 must be in the far-right lane.
Two convenient ways to pay tolls
- To make traveling as convenient as possible, the Tollway offers I-PASS and Pay By Plate offer options for both local and out-of-town Thanksgiving travelers.
- The Pay By Plate service allows drivers to be billed for tolls on the Illinois Tollway when accounts are set up within 14 days of travel, while I-PASS allows drivers with pre-paid accounts to pay tolls in Illinois and 18 other states that participate in the E-ZPass system. Drivers can use the Illinois Tollway App or go to www.illinoistollway.com to set up and manage their accounts, including adding license plates of family or friends traveling for the holiday.
Get real-time road condition updates
Whether the trip is short or long, sign up for Tollway Trip Tweets with real-time roadway incident information and weather conditions at Tollway Trip 90, Tollway Trip 88, Tollway Trip 355, Tollway Trip 94/294 and Tollway Trip 390.
Safety belts save lives
Safety belts save lives, cutting the risk of fatal injuries in a crash by nearly half, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. When they get behind the wheel, drivers should always buckle their safety belts and also ensure children under the age of 8 are securely restrained in appropriately sized child safety seats or booster seats. Correctly installed child safety seats save lives and significantly reduce injuries in the event of a crash.
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.