getting around Chicago

[Kevin McGrath]

I am traveling from Minneapolis to NY metro area. I am trying to find the quickest, safest, best way around Chicago, making the transition from I90 to I80. Any advice.

[imported_Bob]

I have driven through Chicago on quite a few occasions -- if I were doing this I'd go right through on I-294 or I-90 to I-94. Plan it so you are not trying to do it at rush hours and even though traffic will still be heavy, you can handle it. If you are determined to find a more relaxed route, you might try I-39 south from Rockford and then travel across the south side on I-80. It looks to me like this is quite a few extra miles, but it may not take much longer time-wise since you'd be avoiding a lot of the metro traffic.

But perhaps some Chicagoans will have some better suggestions for you! Bob

[Chuck]

Not a Chicagoan, but I do travel through there a few times a year, and my brother lives up there.

The bad news is that in southeast Chicago (near the Indiana border), I-90 (the Skyway) and I-80/I-94 are both under construction right now. Just allow plenty of time if you take either of these.

There is an alternative, although it's a bit out of your way. Take I-294 to I-80/I-94, but then get off on the 394 south exit. Take that to U.S. 30, where you go east to I-65. Take I-65 north, back up to either I-80/I-94 or I-90 (your choice).

It gets you away from the construction, but you're going about 5 miles out of your way south and then north. Also, you've got about a 15-mile stretch eastwards where you're on a surface road (U.S. 30) rather than the interstate. So even with the construction on the interstates, I'm not sure this way would be faster. But if you're like me--the kind of person who would rather be moving than sitting in stopped traffic, even if the "moving" way ends up taking longer--this is the way to go.

I did this last time I came back from Wisconsin, about a month ago, but I went south rather than north on I-65, towards Indianapolis, so it wasn't so much out of my way.

[imported_mary]

Got blocked by both Indiana Toll (heading to Skyway) and 80-94 westbound backed up to I-65. I was going from Mich. to Wis. Yes, I ducked down 51 and wormed my way west to I-65, then south to U.S. 30. Then it was west to 50 near Matteson. North then to I-294 tollway at Alsip. Looking at future construction, it looks like this might be the only choice to get to Michigan or northern Ohio, Indiana. Jeff

[E n J]

Perhaps it's too late for your trip but you could skip IL all together. There are ferries across Lake MI now that run from Ludington to Manitowoc and from Manistique to Milwaukee. I think for two people and a car the ferry costs about $150 and takes 2.5 or four hours (cheaper if you take the red eyes) The coastal side of Michigan has lots of cute town and camping and cheap hotels if you leave the waterfront but the WI side near Manitowoc is pretty sparse (although there is this crazy bread factory and a pretty cool/cheap supper club in town)so I'd probably plan on crossing early and hitting the road or losing a little mileage and landing in Milwaukee.

[imported_Suzanne]

We are to go to Chicago end of November but we usually go 69 to either I90 or I80/94. Any suggestions, I hate driving up there anyway and dread the construction.

[imported_Pam]

We are to go to Chicago end of November but we usually go north on 69 from Indiana to either I90 or I80/94 into Chicago. Any suggestions; I hate driving up there anyway and dread the construction.

Pam