Inside the Tollway
Inside the Tollway
News, stories and insight from inside the Illinois Tollway.
When drivers think about the Illinois Tollway, they often think about roads, bridges and toll plazas. But behind the scenes, another critical network helps keep the system running every day: the Tollway’s fiber-optic network. Spanning the Tollway's 329-mile system and containing 48,000 miles of fiber, the network serves as the digital backbone of the Tollway – transmitting massive amounts of data in real time to support tolling, traffic management and daily operations. The network also...
International Women in Engineering Day, celebrated annually on June 23, recognizes the achievements, leadership and contributions of women engineers around the world. The 2026 theme, “Engineering Intelligence,” highlights the expertise, creativity and problem-solving skills...
With more vehicles on the road in summer and more opportunities for distractions behind the wheel, the Illinois Tollway is supporting the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association's Put Your Mind in Drive safety campaign. Global Road Safety Week — June 22–26, 2026...
The moment a student realizes, “I could do this.” That’s when everything changes. Through the Illinois Tollway’s Roadway Scholars program, high school students are stepping beyond the classroom and into the real world of transportation, exploring the projects, skills and...
The Illinois Tollway celebrates leaders recognized by WTS Greater Chicago at its awards gala for advancing innovation, inclusion and excellence in transportation. “These awards reflect the extraordinary leadership and dedication of our team and the impact they’re making...
A field trip to the Illinois Tollway is anything but ordinary. For nearly 100 Chicago-area high school students this week, it meant stepping beyond the classroom and into a world of careers they may have never considered. Five participating schools included Chicago...
The Illinois Tollway integrates environmental protection into every stage of its construction process – because building infrastructure also means being responsible stewards of the surrounding environment. Before work begins, Tollway environmental experts work closely with...
National Work Zone Awareness Week kicks off start of construction season every April, and the Illinois Tollway, Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police, labor and industry partners want to remind the public that “Safe Actions Save Lives.” In addition, to...
Drive First. Everything Else Can Wait.
April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and the Illinois Tollway is reminding drivers to Drive first. Everything else can wait. The Illinois Tollway is designed to be a comfortable drive with open road tolling, smooth pavement and...