Dan Ryan Expressway
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| Dan Ryan Expressway |
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| Length: | 11.2 mi[1] (18.0 km) |
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| Formed: | 1962 |
| Direction: | Signed east-west, oriented north-south |
| From: |    Interstates 90/94/290 (Eisenhower Expy) west of the Chicago Loop |
| Major junctions: |
 I-55 (Stevenson Expy) at 2500 South I-90 (Chicago Skyway) at 6500 South |
| To: |  Interstates 57/94 (Bishop Ford Fwy) in south-central Chicago |
| Major cities: | Chicago |
| System: | Interstate Highway system |
The Dan Ryan Expressway runs from the Circle Interchange with I-290 near downtown Chicago through the south side of the city. It is designated as both Interstate 90 and Interstate 94 north of 66th Street, and only Interstate 94 south of its connection with the Chicago Skyway near 66th Street. This is a distance of about 11.2 miles (18.0 km).[1]
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[edit] Route description
On an average day, between 71,000 and 307,100 vehicles use part of the Dan Ryan (2005 data).[2] The Dan Ryan and its North Side extension, the Kennedy Expressway, are the busiest roads in Illinois. Utilizing an express-local system, the Dan Ryan has fourteen lanes of traffic, seven in each direction, with four of those express lanes and the other three providing access to exits. Despite its width, the Dan Ryan is prone to traffic jams. The Dan Ryan's express-local system is similar to that of Toronto's Highway 401.
As with the Kennedy Expressway, the posted directions on the Dan Ryan are different than the actual compass direction of the expressway, which causes confusion to many travelers. The Dan Ryan for its entire 12 mile length runs north and south. However the Dan Ryan is just a very small part of Interstates 90 and 94, which are signed as east-west routes. Therefore, one who is traveling "west" on I-90/94 is actually driving north on the Dan Ryan; similarly, "east" is really south. Chicagoans typically refer to the directions of travel as "inbound" and "outbound" from downtown.
Over 2½ miles of continuous high-rise housing projects (Stateway Gardens and the Robert Taylor Homes) formerly lined the east side of the freeway from 35th Street south to Garfield (55th Street). However, nearly all of these buildings have been vacated and demolished as part of the CHA's transformation plan.
The Red Line of the Chicago Transit Authority runs in the median of the Dan Ryan. That section opened on August 24, 1969.
The control cities for the Dan Ryan Expressway are Indiana and Chicago Loop.
[edit] History
The Dan Ryan was opened in 1962 and named for Dan Ryan, Jr., the President of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. During planning stages it was also known as the South Route Expressway.
[edit] Reconstruction history
In 1988-1989, the northern three miles of the Dan Ryan, known as the Elevated Bridge, were completely reconstructed.[3]
In 2006 and 2007, IDOT reconstructed the entire length of the Dan Ryan Expressway, including the addition of a travel lane from 47th Street to 95th Street. The project was the most massive expressway reconstruction plan in Chicago history. The total cost of the project was US$975 million, nearly twice the US$550 million original estimate for the project.[4][5]
[edit] Exit list
The entire route is in Chicago, Cook County.
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This section contains a table that is missing mileposts for one or more junctions. Please help by adding the missing mileposts. |
| Mile | # | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| I-90 west / I-94 west (Kennedy Expressway) – Milwaukee |
Continuation beyond I-290 | ||
| 51H | I-290 west (Eisenhower Expressway) / Congress Parkway – West Suburbs, Chicago Loop |
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| 52A | Taylor Street, Roosevelt Road | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
| 52B | Roosevelt Road, Taylor Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| 52C | 18th Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
| 53A | Canalport Avenue, Cermak Road | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| 53 | I-55 (Stevenson Expressway) / Lake Shore Drive – St. Louis |
Signed as exits 53B (south) and 53C (north) westbound | |
| West end of express lanes | |||
| 53C | 22nd Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| 54 | 31st Street | ||
| 55A | 35th Street | ||
| 55B | Pershing Road | ||
| 56A | 43rd Street | ||
| 56B | 47th Street | ||
| 51st Street | All ramps demolished | ||
| 57 | Garfield Boulevard (5500 South) | ||
| 58A | 59th Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| 58B | 63rd Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
| 59A | I-90 east (Chicago Skyway) / to Indiana Toll Road |
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
| East end of I-90 overlap | |||
| 59B | Marquette Road, 67th Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| East end of express lanes | |||
| 59C | 71st Street | ||
| 60A | 75th Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
| 60B | 76th Street | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |
| 60C | 79th Street | ||
| 61A | 83rd Street | Westbound entrance and eastbound exit | |
| 61B | 87th Street | ||
| 62 |   US 12 / US 20 (95th Street) |
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
| 63 | I-57 south – Memphis |
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
| I-94 east (Bishop Ford Freeway) – Indiana |
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
[edit] External resources
[edit] References
- ^ a b Google Maps estimate.
- ^ Illinois Technology Transfer Center (2006). T2 GIS Data. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
- ^ Hilkevitch, John. Buckle up, it looks like a long ride. Chicago Tribune. Published March 26, 2006. Retrieved March 26, 2006.
- ^ Haggerty, Ryan (2007-10-26). All lanes will be open on the Dan Ryan. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved on 2007-10-26.
- ^ Tridgell, Guy (2007-10-18). Falling gas prices won't stay. Daily Southtown. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
