Inside the Tollway

A flat tire. A dead battery. A crash.

No one plans for a roadside emergency. But when it happens on a busy interstate, it can become dangerous in seconds.

With traffic moving at highway speeds just feet away, every minute on the shoulder increases the risk. That's why the Illinois Tollway's *999 service is about much more than roadside assistance. It's about helping motorists stay safe during one of the most vulnerable moments of their journey.

Since bringing *999 operations in-house last year, the Illinois Tollway has connected motorists directly with trained call-takers who can quickly assess each situation, dispatch assistance, coordinate with emergency responders and Traffic Incident Management teams and monitor the incident until help arrives. Call-takers handled nearly 63,000 calls to *999 from motorists seeking assistance in 2025, up from about 45,000 calls the year before.

The *999 service is available to anyone traveling on toll roads, major freeways and state routes throughout Northern Illinois. Motorists who experience a crash, flat tire, mechanical problem or other emergency can dial *999 from a mobile phone.

While help is on the way, motorists should remain inside their vehicle whenever it's safe to do so, fasten their seat belt and move as far onto the shoulder as possible. Drivers passing a roadside incident should slow down, move over when it’s safe to do so and stay alert for stopped vehicles and emergency responders.

The Tollway works around the clock to detect incidents, clear roadways quickly and reduce secondary crashes. Bringing *999 operations in-house strengthens that mission by improving coordination among call-takers, dispatchers and field responders.

Because when you're stranded along the roadside, the most important thing isn't getting your vehicle moving again.

It's getting you home safely.