Elgin-O'Hare Expressway
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The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is an Interstate-standard freeway in northeast Illinois. Contrary to its given name, the expressway does not enter either Elgin or O'Hare International Airport. It currently links together U.S. Route 20 (Lake Street) in Hanover Park, Illinois to Illinois Route 53 (Rohlwing Road) in Itasca. The only other towns it borders are Schaumburg and Roselle. The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway was built in 1993, and is about 6 miles (10 km) long.
Route description
The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is a four lane freeway that parallels Interstate 90 about 5 to 7 miles (8 to 11 km) to the north. It draws traffic off U.S. 20 and over a half mile (.8 km) long bridge over the Metra Milwaukee District West Line tracks, and some wetlands. The freeway then enters Cook County from DuPage County and intersects Illinois Route 19 (Irving Park Road). At Meacham Road, the freeway enters back south into DuPage County.The expressway is unusual in that both its termini have traffic signals with major arterial roads in the area. This arrangement causes large backups during weekday rush hours. According to the [Illinois Department of Transportation], average daily traffic counts (in 2003) for the Elgin O'Hare Expressway are 39,600 for the western two miles and around 82,000 to 86,000 cars per day for the remainder.
History
The expressway was considered in the late 1980s due to increasing congestion on local roads, especially U.S. 20 (Lake Street). Although Lake Street was widened prior to the completion of the expressway to six lanes, initially to Glen Ellyn Road and then to the Roselle-Bloomingdale border nearly ten years later, its capacity was still insufficient for the rapidly growing western suburbs. Construction began around 1991 and completed two years later.Prior to the expressway's opening, the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway was briefly marked as Illinois Route 19 on guide signs over the highway.Choate, Jim. Roadgeek Yahoo! Group. As documented in [WikiProject Illinois State Routes/External correspondence]. April 7, 2006. The signs were removed shortly before the highway was opened, but it is unknown as to whether Illinois 19 will be moved onto the expressway after it is fully completed.
Future
Future plans are underway to extend the freeway westward to East Bartlett Rd. in Bartlett. It will eventually hook up with The Elgin Bypass on U.S. 20 on the westward end near Elgin at Shales Parkway. Eastward, the highway's future is not so certain. The villages of Bensenville and Elk Grove Village have been actively fighting any highway expansion through their towns, as the ROW (right of way) runs directly through the heart of the largest industrial park in the Midwest, largely in Elk Grove Village. In addition, up to one hundred Wood Dale homes would be destroyed if the highway were to circumvent O'Hare Airport along the southern side. This road has been temporarily designated the O'Hare Ring Road.However, other western suburbs that do not have the Northwest Tollway (Interstate 90) as an option are in support of the completion of the Elgin O'Hare Expressway. A ring road around the airport and a western terminal are also part of eventual O'Hare expansion plans.
Interchanges
There are only five exits currently. The sixth is a traffic light. In addition, exits on the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway are not currently numbered.
| Mile | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highways and/or Control Cities | Municipality | ||
| 6.0 |
U.S. Route 20 - Lake Street - Elgin, Illinois | Hanover Park, Illinois | Current western terminus of the Elgin O'Hare Expressway. Approximately 5 miles from the planned western terminus. |
| 7.1 |
Illinois Route 19 - Irving Park Road | Schaumburg, Illinois | Eastbound exit is located here. Illinois 19 shield is not on overhead sign, instead placed on a separate sign on the right side of the road stating "TO Illinois 19". |
| 7.4 | Gary Avenue - Bloomingdale, Illinois | Roselle, Illinois | Flyover ramp to southbound Gary Avenue. Westbound exit, eastbound entrance. |
| 7.7 |
Illinois Route 19 - Irving Park Road | Schaumburg, Illinois | Westbound exit is located here. Illinois 19 shield is not on overhead sign, instead placed on a separate sign on the right side of the road stating "TO Illinois 19". Eastbound entrance ramps from Illinois 19 are here. |
| 8.3 | Rodenburg Road - Roselle, Illinois Wright Boulevard | Westbound exit to East Frontage Road, which accesses both streets and eventually Illinois 19. Eastbound frontage road terminates and joins with the Elgin O'Hare Expressway. | |
| 9.4 | Roselle Road | Roselle, Illinois | Full diamond interchange. |
| 11.3 | Meacham Road Medinah Road - Medinah, Illinois Illinois Route 53 South - Rohlwing Road | Elk Grove Village, Illinois | Medinah Road southbound, Meacham Road northbound. Westbound exit to a left-lane turnaround ramp leading to right-turn lane for southbound Illinois 53. |
| 12.1 |
Illinois Route 53 - Rohlwing Road | Current eastern terminus of Elgin-O'Hare Expressway. At-grade intersection. No left turn onto Rohlwing Road. Eastbound Elgin-O'Hare Expressway accesses northbound Illinois 53 via
Interstate 290 West to Biesterfield Road, which is where Illinois 53 multiplexes with Interstate 290. Westbound Elgin-O'Hare Expressway accesses southbound Illinois 53 via Meacham Road exit ramp and turnaround. | |
| 12.5 |
Interstate 290 - Rockford, Illinois, Chicago, Illinois | Itasca, Illinois | Full interchange. |
External links
References
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