Any Chicago peeps here to help?

[dholly 718]

I could use some help driving around the Chicago area on my way to OSH from points east.

I've tried a few different routes in years past, but somehow my GPS seems to always find either crazy congested or stop and go traffic, stupid high tolls or both. Assuming there is an alternative route that won't add a lot of time to the trip, I'd like to avoid Chicago city traffic at all cost, plus the I-90 Indiana, I-90 Skyway, I-94 Eden Spur and I-94 Tri-State toll roads. So what's your suggestion?

Rather than stay on I-90 and the Skyway, would you exit I-80/90W at Lake Station, IL for I-94W to the Dan Ryan to I-90/94W then exit for Rt41N Skokie Highway to bypass the Tri-State tollway section, then rejoin I-94 at the IL/WI border, exit for Rt45N then to Rt41N all the way to OSH?

Or to avoid Milwaukee traffic, would you exit I-94 just before MKE for 43W to 894N to 45N to 41N?

Any bad road construction or delay areas to avoid?

I need some local expertise please!

Edited 6 Jul 2016 by dholly

[Av8r_Sed 82]

There isn't a good alternative route at the south end of Lake Michigan. I usually wade through whatever traffic there is on 80/94 and come up the I294 tollway, even with the high tolls. I only come through the city at way off peak times. Make sure you have an iPass compatiable transponder or the Illinois Tollway will bend you over and have their way with your wallet. If you happen to be pulling a trailer, this is the only way I'd go at high traffic times. Your best strategy is more timing when you get to this point. Friday afternoon/evening pretty much guarantees misery. 

On the Milwaukee end, the 894 bypass is your friend and there isn't much construction up to that point this year. 

Finally, I use the Waze app to negotiate traffic around these parts. It sometimes does some creative rerouting around traffic issues which can be helpful. Unfortunately, it doesn't know to avoid bad neighborhoods. 

[Av8r3400 1179]

Drive up Michigan and take the ferry across?

[1avidflyer 1983]

I drove through Chicago on the way home from Ct. in February.  After that I told the wife I would drive 100 miles out of my way to avoid doing that again.  To make it worse, I had planned to refuel just before we got to Chicago, but wasn't able to.  So then I was worried about running out of gas as well.  I could just picture it, me sitting there in the middle of 5 lanes of traffic, out of gas, with 20 miles of cars stopped and screaming behind me.  How people can live like that is beyond me.  I live on a dirt road 4 miles from the nearest town, maybe every 5 minutes a car goes by.  When I went through Chicago, it was 4 or 5 lanes, wall to wall cars, and I had the Kitfox 1 wing strapped on the roof of the car.  Lots of luck Doug....  Jim Chuk

PS, a friend of mine hauled a plane back from NY a year ago, and they went though Canada.  Don't know if that's a viable option though...Just did a search and if you went from Watertown NY to Sault Ste Marie Ont. then to Oshkosh, it's 969 miles..   From Watertown to Oshkosh on the southern route it's 916 miles.   Some different country to see though.  To bad you need a passport to go there now.

[dholly 718]

Thanks Paul. One year I got so tied up in construction on 294 (IIRC) that I vowed to never drive on an IL two lane highway again. Whenever I saw that 2-lane down to 1-lane ahead sign, it turned into an hour of 5mph crawl!

Lol, I learned the hard way years ago that NY ezPass worked on some, but not al,l IL tollways. One trip entering some tollway somewhere, don't recall which and they are everywhere in IL it seems, I got into an iPass lane only to find the auto gate would not open. Yup, had to endure an embarrassing wait for the attendant to come, take funds, and bring back change. Didn't make sense as my NY EzPass had previously worked on other IL tollways and the Skyway, but I do seem to recall getting charged a higher rate than iPass tolls on some though. That might have been from passing under the high speed iPass auto toll antennas rather than pulling over for a Cash lane (never understood why they had those on a tollway you had already payed to enter earlier?). Or maybe was on the Skyway which I found later was owned/operated by a separate entity. I think 3-axles was over $30 for 30 mins. for that privilege. I'm still not sure exactly how the EzPass reciprocal works in IL today, it seems to be different every year.

Another fun memory was scrambling for enough change to throw in the gate basket at a busy tollway entry that had no humans at all, thank the Lord I succeeded because there was no chance of getting out of line. Had I tried, I have no doubt the impatient folks behind me would have torn all the limbs from my body. Every trip since I made sure to have a couple rolls of quarters handy just in case.

In any event, it sounds like this is your recommendation...

I-80/90W to

I-94W to

I-294N to

I-94N(W) to

I-43N to

I-894N to

I-45N to

I-41N to OSH

Edited 6 Jul 2016 by dholly

[dholly 718]

Jim, I'm with you. Things move a lot slower in my neck of the woods too, I'm not made for that kind of commute either. Funny thing is, I've tried to make the run at all hours hoping to find the sweet spot in traffic where you can at least get thru without stop n go and even at 3-4am the traffic is nuts. And I'm always dragging a trailer to OSH.

At one point I looked into crossing Canada from Buffalo and taking the SS Badger ferry from Ludington to Manitowoc but the cost with trailer was pretty steep. Currently have to pay for one adult at $134 RT, pickup with slide in camper at $172 RT + $250 ($13.90/ft) for the trailer RT, and $10 RT security fee. $500+ is too rich for my blood.

[marksires 484]

I had an apartment in downtown Chicago for a year for a contract I was working on.  It was right across the street from the building I was working on.  The client paid - I told them I wasn't interested if I had to drive in Chicago traffic - period.

According to the iPASS website ( http://www.illinoistollway.com/tolls-and-i-pass/about-i-pass/using-i-pass-on-other-toll-systems ), EZ Pass and IPASS are supposed to be interchangeable.

The others are correct, there are NO good ways through Chicago.  If I go this year (which is doubtful) from Florida, I'll go the 50-60 extra miles to take I-74 in Indianapolis across to I-39 in Illinois and up the west side.  Where I lived in Illinois, I-55 to I-39 was the most direct route.  Coming from upstate New York, I don't think you have any good options. If the ferry at I-96 is running, I'd seriously consider it.  Otherwise, I'd probably fight my way I-94 to I-80, to I-355, then up and around to I-88 and take it over to I-39, up to Madison, then 151 from Madison to Oshkosh.  The last few miles are two lane, but I've never had any issues on it, even pulling my 35ft 5th wheel camper.  That adds about 70 miles, but unless it is Sunday, it probably saves 4 hours and 2 or 3 years of life expectancy from stress.  In Chicago, anything that has 90 or 94 in it should be avoided unless it is Sunday, without a Bears, Cubs,  or White Sox game.  I-80 and I-355 are the most 'outside' loops, and aren't too bad except at rush hour.  Oh, and don't show any fear.  Chicago drivers are like sharks, they smell fear, and little blood in the water will drive them into a frenzy!

 

[marksires 484]

Drive up Michigan and take the ferry across?

That looked like a good idea until I went to their website and looked at the fares - 1 person + 1 normal car = $350 RT.

 

Edited 6 Jul 2016 by marksires

[C5Engineer 1170]

Traffic was a bitch today. Had to honk for 5 minutes to get this guy to move over. Enjoy the trip Doug. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

[dholly 718]

Drive up Michigan and take the ferry across?

That looked like a good idea until I went to their website and looked at the fares - 1 person + 1 normal car = $350 RT.

 

The Lake Express fast cat crossing is only 2 hrs vs. 4 hrs with the big Badger ferry, but limits trailer length to 18'. All in, would cost ~$550 RT with my trailer, about the same as the Badger. If I didn't need the trailer I'd consider it. Motorcycles get a great deal.

@Joey - just remember, Karma can be a bitch too.... 

Edited 6 Jul 2016 by dholly

[Av8r_Sed 82]

Doug, your route is what I'd recommend. They don't have gates anywhere in the system anymore. They do charge substantially more if you go through a cash lane. Just remember to save some mellow music or a good audiobook for that part of the drive. 

Your tollway proceeds will be used to put a new tollway segment in my backyard and ruin my property value.  Gotta love Illinois. 

[sioux201 84]

Doug

i lay over in Marryville Iidiana, leave at 4am, take 94 right thru town, 65 to 70 mph, no problem , get OSH 8am!

[dholly 718]

^ so that puts you thru Chi around 5:30 - 6:00 am, good to know, you must sneak thru just before the start of busy time? Looks like a pretty loooong first leg for you. I try to get into Indiana somewhere on my 1st leg before hitting a rest area for a few winks. Getting to a point where I prefer not to drive at night, too many hopped up truckers that think they own the road.

@Paul - I installed Waze and it looks like it will be a help. If nothing else, I'll be able to turn on that soothing music before running into the stop n go. 

Edited 7 Jul 2016 by dholly

[dholly 718]

Just hit me... hoping no issues passing thru Cleveland with the Repub Natl Convention. A few of those Trump Babes in bikinis might stop traffic!

 

[marksires 484]

Hah - might make sitting traffic less unpleasant though...

But you might also have the threatened topless protesters - imagine a pack of topless Rosie O'Donnells!  You just couldn't unsee that!