Thirteen Proposed Highway Extensions and On-Ramps That Could Help Relieve Traffic in Chicago (Incomplete)

     Here are some changes that I would recommend be made to the highway system of the city of Chicago, Illinois.
     The choices of these thirteen proposed extensions, was informed by a map charting the location of the city's road congestion at different times of the day. That map can be found at the following link:
     http://www.illinoisvehicle.com/about-us/blog/traffic-patterns-chicago/


     1. Make the Interstate 290 / Dan Ryan Expressway connect to Butterfield Road better. (Between western Elmhurst and eastern Hillside)

     2. In western Evanston, build a highway off-ramp leading from McCormick Road, to a highway to be built over (or in place of) McDaniel Avenue and Park Avenue (leading north to Wilmette). (Evanston and Wilmette)

     3. In the south Skokie neighborhood, expand the portion of Highway 50 / North Cicero Avenue, where it meets Interstate 94. Allow cars traveling from south to north on Interstate 94, to more easily merge into North Cicero Avenue. (Skokie)

     4. Streamline the transition from N. Lake Shore Drive, going northwest, to North Ridge Avenue, in the Edgewater neighborhood. (North Side)

     5. In the northwest part of the Lincolnwood neighborhood, build an on-ramp leading from W. Touhy Ave. to Route 41. (North Side)

     6. Create a more efficient interchange where Interstate 94 meets Caldwell Avenue / Highway 50 and Highway 14. (West Side)

     7. Build an extension off of Highway 64 / North Avenue, at the corner of Thatcher and North, curving northward, then west to merge with Highway 19 (which lies south of o’Hare International Airport). This should help relieve congestion southeast of o’Hare Airport. (Northwest Suburbs).

     8. Develop Highway 20, Lake Street, and Kinzie Street into a highway (building highway over train tracks on Kinzie), or connect these roads. This will provide an alternative route from downtown Chicago to Elmhurst and the west suburbs, allowing drivers to avoid the Dan Ryan Expressway / 290 if their destination is north of the Dan Ryan. (West Side & Downtown)

     9. Connect Highway 56 to St. Charles Rd., and to Main Street, Central Avenue, and Kinzie St. (possibly by building highway over train tracks on Kinzie). This will provide an alternative route from downtown Chicago to Elmhurst and the west suburbs, allowing drivers to avoid the Dan Ryan / 290 as long as their destination is north of the Dan Ryan Expressway. (West Side & Downtown)

     10. At the Jane Byrne Interchange, build on-ramps and off-ramps enabling access to North and South Halsted streets from the Dan Ryan / Interstate 290. This should help relieve congestion on the Dan Ryan. (Downtown)

     11. In the northern part of the Englewood neighborhood, build an on-ramp connecting traffic moving south on N. Halsted, over W. 63^rd Street, to Interstate 90 going southeast towards Indiana. (Near South Side)

     12. Create an interchange where Highway 50 meets Highway 55 / Stevenson Expressway (north of Midway Airport). This should help relieve congestion on the Stevenson, and near Midway. (South Side)

     13. North of the McKinley Park neighborhood, build a new highway that connects the Stevenson Expressway to W. 31^st St., Historic U.S. 66, and Highway 34 / Ogden Rd. Build a highway over these streets, or widen them and connect them in some way. This should help relieve congestion on the Stevenson. (South Side)

Written on May 14th, 2021

Published on May 15th, 2021