Interstate 88 (west)

Interstate 88
Ronald Reagan Memorial Freeway, Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Formerly The East-West Tollway
Route information
Maintained by Illinois DOT (freeway) ISTHA (tollway)
Length: 140.60 mi[2] (226.27 km)
Existed: July 1987[1] – present
Major junctions
West end: I-80 / IL 5 / IL 92 near Colona
  US 30 near Rock Falls
I-39 / US 51 in Rochelle
To US 30 in Sugar Grove
I-355 in Downers Grove
I-294 in Oak Brook
East end: I-290 in Hillside
Highway system

Main route of the Interstate Highway System
Main • Auxiliary • Business

Illinois state highway system
Illinois Tollway system

← IL 84 IL 89 →

Interstate 88 (I-88) is an intrastate Interstate Highway in the state of Illinois. It runs from an interchange with Interstate 80 near Silvis and Moline to an interchange with Interstates 290 and 294 in Hillside, near Chicago. Interstate 88 is 140.60 miles (226.27 km) long.[2]

Contents

History

Prior to its designation as an Interstate Highway, the route was known as IL 5, and before that, IL 190.

The reason for I-88's original designation and continued existence as an Interstate has to do with a technicality in the old National Maximum Speed Law (NMSL). Originally passed in 1973, NMSL was amended in 1987 to permit 65-mph (105 km/h) speed limits on rural stretches of Interstate Highways only. In spite of the fact that IL 5 was fully up to Interstate standards, it still had to carry a 55 mph (88 km/h) limit because of this wording in NMSL. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) petitioned the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) to re-designate IL 5 as an Interstate, and in 1987, AASHTO approved the request and assigned the Interstate 88 numbering to the highway.[1] NMSL would be completely repealed only eight years later in 1995, but the I-88 shields remain up to this day, even though Illinois 110 shields are being posted throughout the entire Illinois I-88, since it is now part of the Chicago to Kansas City Expressway project, bannered with special "CKC" logos.

Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

The Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, originally known as the East-West Tollway, is a toll road in northern Illinois.

Opened November 21, 1958, it was initially designated as U.S. Route 30 Toll, and later Illinois Route 190. The original routing extended from the Interstate 294 interchange near Hillside to Illinois Route 47 near Sugar Grove. Illinois Route 56 was overlapped on the East-West Tollway between North Aurora and Sugar Grove in 1965. That length of Route 56 makes it the only state road to be concurrent with one of the tollways of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

When the East-West Tollway was extended to Dixon, Illinois in the 1970s, the Illinois 190 numbering was removed from the stretch between Aurora and Sugar Grove, making that section strictly Illinois 56. Once complete, the new routing of the combined tollway and freeway between Interstate 80 near the Quad Cities and Interstate 294 became designated as Illinois Route 5. In the late 1980s, it was renumbered as Interstate 88.

The road is officially a tollway east of Rock Falls, IL, starting at the intersection with U.S. Route 30 at mile marker 44, to its terminus near Hillside. West of U.S. 30 to Interstate 80, Interstate 88 is a freeway. The tollway portion is 96 miles (154 km) long.

After the death of Illinois native and former President Ronald Reagan in 2004, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority voted to rename the toll roadway "Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway" in his memory, as it passes near his birthplace of Tampico and grazes the south outskirts of his boyhood hometown of Dixon. The tollway portion of I-88 was previously known as the "East West Tollway" and is still displayed as such on some signs near Chicago.

There is no direct off-ramp access to U.S. Route 52, Illinois Route 23, Illinois Route 25, and Illinois Route 83 (northbound). In addition, I-88 merges with Illinois Route 56 for a short distance. During the merge, Illinois 56 is the only tolled state route in Illinois.

Although a federal law, 23 U.S.C. § 111, prohibits the operation of commercial rest areas constructed after January 1, 1960, on interstate highways, the DeKalb oasis was constructed at milepost 93 in 1975, prior to the route's designation as I-88 and remains in operation.

As of 2010, I-88 has no spur routes. None are planned for the near future. The proposed Prairie Parkway limited access highway will terminate at its north end via an interchange with I-88 near Kaneville, west of Illinois Route 47.

2005-2009 reconstruction

As a part of its $6.3 billion renovation project, the ISTHA has budgeted $991.6 million for I-88.[3] By the end of 2009, $705.8 million in I-88 construction has been completed.[4] In 2005, ISTHA initiated a reconstruction and widening project for most of I-88 between Sugar Grove and York Road, a distance of 25 miles (40 km). On January 5, 2006 a fourth lane opened between Illinois 59 (mile 123.5) and Washington Street (mile 126.5[5]), about 3 miles (5 km). In total, 5.7 miles (9.2 km) of roadway will be reconstructed, with construction continuing through 2008 from Washington Street to Finley Road(mile 131).[6] Three lanes of traffic were reconstructed with continuously-reinforced concrete, and a fourth outside travel lane was added as a part of the project.[7]

A fourth lane was added between Finley Road and Illinois 83 (mile 137) from December 2007 to the end of 2009.[8] The portion of I-88 from IL 83 (mile 137) to York Road (mile 139) was widened and reconstructed in 2008–2009.[9]

On the western portion of the work zone, I-88 was widened to three lanes between Orchard Road (mile 115) and the Aurora Toll Plaza (mile 117.5), a distance of 3.4 miles (5.5 km). This includes a new bridge over the Fox River, reconstruction of the interchange with Illinois Route 31, and removal of a Burlington Northern Santa Fe bridge just west of IL 31.[10][11]

A $36 million interchange at Eola Road in Aurora opened on November 20, 2009 after approximately ten years of planning and less than one year of actual construction.[12] It is the first set of ramp toll booths which accept only I-Pass users without providing for cash tolls.[13][14]

The repaving used a new construction technique called rubblization, where large machines smashed the existing pavement into small pieces to create a crushed, high-quality aggregate base for the new pavement. This saves the time and expense of transporting the old pavement away and bringing in a new base for the road. It marked the first wide-scale use of rubblization equipment.[15]

Exit list

County Location Mile # Destinations Notes
Rock Island Silvis IL 5 west / IL 92 west – Moline, Rock Island Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
1 1 I-80 to I-74 – Peoria, Des Moines Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; signed as exits 1A (east) and 1B (west)
2 2 Former IL 2
Joslin 6 6 IL 92 east – Joslin East end of IL 92 overlap
Hillsdale 10 10 Hillsdale, Port Byron
Whiteside Erie 18 18 Erie, Albany To IL 84
Lyndon 26 26 IL 78 – Morrison, Prophetstown Former IL 2
Rock Falls 36 36 US 30 to IL 2 north – Clinton, Rock Falls, Sterling
41 41 IL 40 – Rock Falls, Sterling, Peoria
44 44 US 30 – Aurora, Rock Falls
Eastern I-88 Toll Road Begins
Lee Dixon 54.5 IL 26 – Dixon
56.5 Dixon Toll Plaza
Ogle Rochelle 76.0 76 IL 251 – Rochelle, Mendota
78.5 78 I-39 / US 51 – Rockford, Bloomington, Normal I-39/US-51 south is 78A and I-39/US-51 north is 78B
DeKalb DeKalb 86 DeKalb Toll Plaza
91.5 91 To IL 38 / IL 23 / Annie Glidden Road – DeKalb
93.0 DeKalb Oasis
94.0 94 To IL 38 / Peace Road
Kane Sugar Grove 109.5 109 IL 47 Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
113.5 113 IL 56 west to IL 47 / US 30 – Sugar Grove West end of IL 56 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
Aurora / North Aurora 115.0 115 Orchard Road I88 is the border between North Aurora and Aurora at Orchard Rd.
North Aurora 117.0 117 IL 31 / IL 56 east – Aurora, Batavia East end of IL 56 overlap
Aurora 117.0 Bridge over the Fox River
117.5 Aurora Toll Plaza
119.0 119 (A-B) Farnsworth Avenue
DuPage 121.0 Eola Road 1st I-PASS only exit in Illinois Tollway System. No coins / cash accepted
Naperville 123.5 IL 59
Warrenville 125.0 Winfield Road
Naperville 128.0 To Naperville Road (Freedom Drive)
Lisle 130.0 IL 53 Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
Downers Grove 131.0 I-355 south (Veterans Memorial Tollway) – Joliet
131.5 I-355 north (Veterans Memorial Tollway) – Northwest Suburbs
134.5 Highland Avenue
Oak Brook 135 Meyers Road Toll Plaza (eastbound only)
136.5 Midwest Road Eastbound exit and entrance on.
137.0 IL 83 / Cermak Road, 22nd Street Westbound Entrance & Exit Only. Test-tube interchange on Cermak, parclo on 83.
138.0 York Road Toll Plaza (westbound only)
Hillside 139.0 I-294 south (Tri-State Tollway) - Indiana Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Cook 140.5 I-294 north (Tri-State Tollway) / I-290 west (Eisenhower Expressway) - Milwaukee, Rockford Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
140.5 I-294 south (Tri-State Tollway) / IL 38 west (Roosevelt Road) - Indiana Westbound exit and eastbound entrance. Flyover ramps in all directions.
US 12 / US 20 / US 45 (Mannheim Road) Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
I-290 east (Eisenhower Expressway) – Chicago Eastbound exit and westbound entrance

References

  1. ^ a b Mehler, Neil H. (1987-07-06). "Road with many names gets a new one". Chicago Tribune. http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0FF688A2E691EB45&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2. Retrieved 2008-02-16. 
  2. ^ a b Illinois Technology Transfer Center (2006). "T2 GIS Data". http://www.dot.state.il.us/gist2/select.html. Retrieved 2007-11-08. 
  3. ^ "Congestion-Relief Program Executive Summary". Illinois Tollway. State of Illinois. September 2007. http://www.illinoistollway.com/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/TW_CONTENT_REPOSITORY/TW_CR_TRAFFIC_CONST/2007_CRP_COMPLETE_BOOK_09.04.07_FINAL.PDF. Retrieved 28 February 2011. 
  4. ^ "2010 Budget". December 17, 2009. p. 87. http://www.illinoistollway.com/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/TOLLWAY/ABOUTTOLLWAY/ABOUTTOLLWAY_FINANCIALS/ABOUTTOLLWAY_BUDGETS/2010%20DECEMBER%20BUDGET%20BOOK%20FINAL.PDF. Retrieved 2010-01-02. 
  5. ^ Google Maps estimate.
  6. ^ Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. "Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), Rebuild & Widen Washington Street to Finley Road & Naperville Road Interchange". http://www.illinoistollway.com/portal/page?_pageid=133,1401900&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL. Retrieved 2008-03-10. 
  7. ^ Kemp, Jan (2006-01-05). "Tollway opens fourth lane on key section of Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88)". http://www.illinoistollway.com/portal/page?_pageid=54,1318100&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL. Retrieved 2008-03-10. 
  8. ^ Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. "Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), Rebuild & Widen Finley Road to IL Route 83". http://www.illinoistollway.com/portal/page?_pageid=133,1760495&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL. Retrieved 2008-03-10. 
  9. ^ Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. "Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) Rebuild & Widen Project IL Route 83 to York Road and York Road Plaza Rebuild". http://www.illinoistollway.com/portal/page?_pageid=133,1409553&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL. Retrieved 2008-03-10. 
  10. ^ Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. "Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), Rebuild & Widen Project Aurora Toll Plaza to Orchard Road". http://www.illinoistollway.com/portal/page?_pageid=133,1409552&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL. Retrieved 2008-03-10. 
  11. ^ Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (Dec. 14, 2009). "Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) Rebuild & Widening Project Complete". http://www.illinoistollway.com/portal/page?_pageid=54,2524085&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL. Retrieved 2010-01-02. 
  12. ^ Sanchez, Robert (November 20, 2009). "Long-awaited Eola Road/I-88 interchange opens". Daily Herald. http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=338565. Retrieved 2010-01-03. 
  13. ^ Griffin, Jake (April 15, 2009). "Tollway expects Eola interchange at I-88 by end of year". Daily Herald. http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=286741. Retrieved 2010-01-02. 
  14. ^ Smith, Gerry (November 27, 2009). "New I-88 interchange at Eola Road opens in Aurora". Chicago Tribune. http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/nov/27/local/chi-eola-interchange-west-zone-2nov27. Retrieved 2010-01-02. 
  15. ^ "Largest Ever Rubblization & Asphalt Overlay Project a Great Success". December 21, 2005. http://www.antigoconstruction.com/news_121505.html. Retrieved 2010-01-02. 

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