Interstate 94 in Illinois

This article is about the section of Interstate 94 in Illinois. For the entire route, see Interstate 94.

Interstate 94 marker

Interstate 94
Route information
Maintained by IDOT
Length: 77.41 mi[1] (124.58 km)
Major junctions
West end: I-41 / I-94 / US 41 near Zion
 
East end: I-80 / I-94 / US 6 at Lansing
Highway system
IL 93IL 94

Interstate 94 (I-94) generally runs north–south through the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Illinois, in Lake and Cook counties. It is marked east–west in Illinois in accordance with its general alignment across the country, although some entrances on the Tri-State Tollway have north or south I-94 signs. I-94 in Illinois is 78.00 miles (125.53 km) long.[1]

The William G. Edens Expressway (also known as the Edens Parkway and the Edens Superhighway) is the main major expressway north from the city of Chicago to Northbrook, Illinois. Only the short portion from the spur ramp to the expressway's end in Highland Park does not carry I-94. It was the first expressway in Chicago and was opened on December 20, 1951. It has three lanes in each direction. The original name of the expressway was the Edens Parkway, named after William G. Edens, a banker and early advocate for paved roads. He was a sponsor of Illinois' first highway bond issue in 1918.

Route description

The control cities for I-94 generally are Wisconsin or Milwaukee to the north and west, Chicago or Chicago Loop for those heading to the central portion, and Indiana to the south and east.

Wisconsin to Downtown Chicago

I-94 traverses rural and suburban areas in Lake County, and serves Six Flags Great America and the Gurnee Mills mall; extensive office developments and residential districts in southern Lake County and the North Shore region of Cook County, and serves the Old Orchard Shopping Center; the length of the city of Chicago, running just west of the Chicago Loop on the Kennedy Expressway.

I-94 has eight lanes (four in each direction) coming south from Wisconsin until just north of Deerfield Road where it widens further to 10 lanes as it approaches I-294 and the Edens Spur. This is where three lanes branch off and begin I-294 while two lanes for I-94 head east onto the Edens Spur which only has four lanes total (two in each direction).

The highway turns south and widens back to six lanes on the Edens Expressway, and to ten lanes (four lanes in each direction plus two reversible lanes) along the Kennedy Expressway. At Ohio Street, the reversible lanes terminate and the highway has 10 lanes to the Jane Byrne Interchange, where the left lane ends and the right lane exits onto the Eisenhower Expressway.

Until 2010, mileposts along the portion of I-94 that are part of the Tri-State Tollway reflect the distance from the southeastern terminus of the tollway, that led to a counterintuitive increase in the mile numbers as one proceeds "west." In 2010, the mile markers have been renumbered to indicate mileage of I-94 traveled in Illinois, increasing from the Wisconsin border to the Indiana border.[2]

Downtown Chicago to Indiana

South of downtown Chicago, I-94 serves the southeast suburbs of Chicago, including Dolton, Calumet City, and South Holland, Illinois, until it joins I-80 on the Kingery Expressway, which finally enters Indiana east of Lansing, Illinois.

I-94 has ten lanes (five in each direction) from the exit ramps of the Jane Byrne Interchange to the Stevenson Expressway. It then splits into a 14-lane freeway on the Dan Ryan, with three and four lanes alternating between the local and express lanes in both directions. At the Chicago Skyway, a two-lane ramp carries traffic to I-90, leaving ten lanes (five in each direction) running south to the I-57/I-94 junction.

From I-57 to Cottage Grove Avenue, I-94 has four lanes (two lanes each way), with six lanes (three lanes each way) between Michigan Avenue and Cottage Grove Avenue. The freeway connection ramp to Stony Island Avenue has four lanes (two in each direction). I-94 then has six lanes (three in each direction) south to I-80. On the ramps to and from I-80, I-94 has two lanes in each direction. On I-80 itself, I-94 widens to eight lanes (four in each direction) to the state line.

The section including the Southland Interchange with I-80 and I-294 was reconfigured as part of the Kingery Expressway reconstruction project, completed in 2007, including four lanes south of 159th Street, with the split between I-80 and 94 east to the left, and I-80 west, I-294 north, and IL 394 south on the right located north of the 170th Street overpass. The configuration of I-80 and I-94 is discussed in connection with the Kingery Expressway.

History

I-494 (and later I-694) was originally planned to serve as a loop in Chicago and follow Lake Shore Drive along Lake Michigan. After local opposition prevented I-494 and I-694 from being completed, both numbers were completely dropped. Portions of the old I-494/I-694 exist as US 41 (Lake Shore Drive) and the Ohio Street connector. In addition, I-494 was also planned at one point to be a western bypass of Chicago, as the Crosstown Expressway.

The Edens Expressway section of I-94 was last rehabilitated from 1978 through 1980.[3] From 2007 to 2009, I-94 was widened from six to eight lanes between IL 173 (Rosecrans Road) and IL 22 (Half Day Road).[4]

In 1996, the Calumet Expressway was renamed in honor of Bishop Louis Henry Ford, the leader of the Church of God In Christ who had died the previous year.[5]

On April 4, 2008, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) closed one lane in each direction for the entire length of the freeway. The closures lasted until August 2008, occurred in advance of patching and resurfacing of the mainline. In addition, the $42.8 million project was to rehabilitate six bridges and improve drainage at four underpasses.[6]

The Bishop Ford Freeway in South Holland, approaching exit 73

The Calumet Expressway was originally an extension of Doty Avenue. There were traffic lights at the intersections of Doty with 111th, 115th, and 130th, but interchanges were built in the early 1960s. The expressway was originally designated as IL 1, Alternate US 30, and certain portions as US 6 and IL 83, but IL 1 returned to Halsted Street, and US 6 and IL 83 were routed onto Torrence Avenue. In 1962, the connection between the Calumet Expressway and Dan Ryan Expressway opened, and is now signed as part of the Bishop Ford.

In 2006–07, the portion south of 159th Street was reconstructed as part of the Kingery Expressway-Southland Interchange project. The section between 159th Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. drive was rehabilitated and resurfaced in Summer and Fall 2009.[7]

Exit list

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExit[1]DestinationsNotes
LakeNewport Township0.000.00 I-41 north / I-94 west / US 41 north MilwaukeeContinuation into Wisconsin
0.560.901ARussell RoadSigned as exit 1 northbound
0.961.541B I-41 ends / US 41 south (Skokie Highway)Eastern end of I-41 overlap; westbound entrance and eastbound exit only
Zion2.363.802 IL 173 (Rosencrans Road)Westbound exit and eastbound entrance only
Wadsworth4.907.89Waukegan toll plaza
Gurnee8.4813.65 IL 132 (Grand Avenue)
10.2116.43 IL 21 (Milwaukee Avenue)Westbound entrance and eastbound exit only
11.2318.07 IL 120 (Belvidere Road)Westbound entrance and eastbound exit only
North Chicago13.8522.29 IL 137 (Buckley Road)
Libertyville16.1125.93 IL 176 (Rockland Road)Westbound exit and eastbound entrance only
Lake Forest18.0729.08Lake Forest oasis
19.0330.63 IL 60 (Town Line Road)
Lincolnshire21.8835.21 IL 22 (Half Day Road)
Deerfield24.3139.12Deerfield Road
LakeCook
county line
DeerfieldNorthbrook city line25.3240.75Lake–Cook RoadWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only, eastbound entrance and westbound exit via I-294
24.91–
25.58
40.09–
41.17
I-294 south (Tri-State Tollway) Indiana, O'HareWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
CookNorthbrook26.4442.55Edens Spur toll plaza[8]
27.8444.80 IL 43 (Waukegan Road)Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
29.9648.2229 US 41 north (Skokie Highway)Westbound exit and eastbound entrance only; western end of US 41 overlap
30.2348.6530 IL 68 west (Dundee Road)Westbound exit and eastbound entrance only; signed as exits 30A (west) and 30B (east)
Northfield31.9251.3721Tower RoadWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
33.0453.1733Willow RoadWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only; signed as exits 33A (west) and 33B (east)
Wilmette33.9554.6434A US 41 south (Skokie Road)Eastern end of US 41 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance only
34.5855.6534B‑CLake AvenueWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only; signed as exits 34B (west) and 34C (east)
Skokie35.8457.6835Old Orchard Road
37.3860.1637 IL 58 (Dempster Street)Signed to Northwestern University
SkokieLincolnwood city line39.8764.1639Touhy AvenueWestbound exit to eastbound Touhy Avenue utilizes Cicero Avenue; signed as exits 39A (west) and 37B (east)
Chicago41.3766.5841 US 14 (Peterson Avenue east / Caldwell Avenue west)No eastbound exit to US 14 west and no westbound entrance from US 14 east, signed as exits 41A (west) and 41B (east)
41.9167.4541C IL 50 south (Cicero Avenue)Eastbound exit only
42.4968.3842Foster AvenueNo eastbound exit
43.2569.6043AWilson Avenue
43.26–
43.37
69.62–
69.80
43B I-90 west (Kennedy Expressway) – Northwest SuburbsWestern end of I-90 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance only; western end of express lanes
43.5570.0943CMontrose AvenueWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
43.8170.5143DKostner AvenueWestbound exit only
44.17–
44.40
71.08–
71.45
44A IL 19 (Irving Park Road) / Keeler AvenueNo westbound exit
44.40–
44.59
71.45–
71.76
44B IL 19 (Irving Park Road) / Pulaski RoadWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
45.1272.6145AAddison Street
45.5573.3145BKimball Avenue
45.8673.8045CBelmont AvenueWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
46.4274.71Sacramento AvenueEastbound entrance only
46.5774.9546ACalifornia AvenueWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
46.7475.2246BDiversey AvenueWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
47.31–
47.68
76.14–
76.73
47AWestern Avenue, Fullerton AvenueWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only from Western Avenue
47.8677.0247BDamen AvenueWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
48.3077.7348AArmitage Avenue
48.8878.6648B IL 64 (North Avenue)
49.4479.5749ADivision Street
49.6979.9749BAugusta Boulevard, Milwaukee AvenueWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
50.1880.7650AOgden AvenueWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
50.4081.1150BOhio StreetEastern end of express lanes
50.9782.0351ALake StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
51.0582.1651BRandolph Street west
51.1282.2751CWashington Boulevard eastExits only; no entrances
51.2282.4351DMadison Street
51.3182.5851EMonroe StreetEastbound exit only
51.4082.7251FAdams Street westWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
51.4982.8751GJackson Boulevard eastWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
51.50–
52.13
82.88–
83.90
51H
51I

I-290 / IL 110 (CKC) west (Eisenhower Expressway) – West Suburbs
Congress Parkway Chicago Loop
Circle Interchange; signed as exits 51H (west) and 51I (east); Kennedy Expressway ends, Dan Ryan Expressway begins
52.2084.0152ATaylor Street, Roosevelt RoadWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
52.3584.2552BRoosevelt Road, Taylor StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
53.0085.3052C18th StreetWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
53.00–
54.82
85.30–
88.22
53B
53C
I-55 south (Stevenson Expressway) St. Louis
I-55 north (Stevenson Expressway) / Lake Shore Drive, Cermak Road Chinatown
Signed as exits 53B (south) and 53C (north) westbound; Cermak Road access from westbound only; western end of express lanes
53.2685.7153ACanalport Avenue, Cermak RoadWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
54.9488.425431st Street
55.2388.8855A35th StreetU.S. Cellular Field, Illinois Institute of Technology
55.7689.7455BPershing Road
56.2290.4856A43rd Street
56.7591.3356B47th Street
57.6692.7957Garfield Boulevard
58.2893.7958A59th StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
58.7894.6058B63rd StreetWestbound entrance and eastbound exit only
58.78–
59.11
94.60–
95.13
I-90 east (Chicago Skyway) to Indiana Toll RoadEastern end of I-90 overlap; eastern end of express lanes
59.3695.5359BMarquette Road, 67th StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
59.8796.3559C71st Street
60.3797.1660A75th StreetEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
60.4897.3360B76th StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
60.8697.9460C79th Street
61.3698.7561A83rd StreetEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
61.8799.5761B87th Street
62.87101.1862 US 12 / US 20 (95th Street)Eastbound exit and westbound entrance only
62.87–
63.88
101.18–
102.80
63 I-57 south MemphisEastbound exit and westbound entrance only; Dan Ryan Expressway ends; Bishop Ford Freeway begins
64.53103.8565Stony Island Avenue to 95th and 103rd StreetsEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
65.73105.78103rd Street, Stony Island AvenueWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
66.18106.5166A111th StreetAccess to Pullman Historic District
66.73107.3966B115th Street
68.67110.5168130th Street Illinois International PortSigned as exits 68A (west) and 68B (east)
69.76112.2769Beaubien Woods Forest PreserveEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
Calumet City70.62113.6570Dolton AvenueEastbound exits and westbound entrances only; signed as exits 70A (west) and 70B (east)
71.42114.9471 IL 83 (Sibley Boulevard)Signed as exits 71A (west) and 71B (east)
South Holland72.96117.4273 US 6 (159th Street)Signed as exits 73A (west) and 73B (east)
73.97–
74.89
119.04–
120.52
74 IL 394 south Danville
I-80 west / I-294 north (Tri-State Tollway) Iowa, Wisconsin
Western end of I-80 overlap; Bishop Ford Freeway ends; Kingery Expressway begins; signed as exits 74A (IL 394) and 74B (I-80 / I-294)
Lansing75.62121.70161 US 6 west / IL 83 (Torrence Avenue)Western end of US 6 concurrency
77.41124.58 I-80 east / I-94 east / US 6 east Indiana, Detroit, ToledoContinuation into Indiana
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Notes

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 Illinois Technology Transfer Center (2006). "T2 GIS Data". Retrieved November 8, 2007.
    2. Hilkevitch, Jon (October 19, 2009). "Illinois Tollways: New Markers to Be Posted Every Quarter-mile instead of Half-mile". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 13, 2015.
    3. Hilkevitch, John (March 26, 2006). "Buckle up, it looks like a long ride". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 26, 2006.
    4. "North Tri-State Tollway (I-294/94) Rebuild and Widen Project". Illinois Tollway Authority. Retrieved October 23, 2009.
    5. Varon, Ron (February 17, 2012). "Interstate Identities: Kingery, Bishop Ford, Edens". ABC 7 News. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
    6. Claffey, Mike; Kollias, Marisa (March 31, 2008). "IDOT: Edens/I-94 Rehab Project Will Close One Lane In Each Direction Until Late Summer" (Press release). Illinois Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 4, 2008.
    7. http://www.dot.il.gov/bishopford/default.html
    8. System Map (Map). Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. November 2007. Retrieved March 5, 2008.

    External links

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    Interstate 94
    Previous state:
    Wisconsin
    Illinois Next state:
    Indiana
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