Interstate 80/Chicago by-pass

Route 30 west of I-65 is a suburban street. You would not want to drive on it.

You endured the worst part. Then when you got off 80 and went through the rural country, you were missing the easy part of 80. The busy section of 80/94 is west of I-65, from 65 to a point in IL where 80 splits away from 294.

This images shows the high traffic area, which is 20 miles. Except for an accident or rush hour, you will be through it in less than a half hour. There is no reasonable work-around, unless your trip is headed somewhere south. I have tried every possible route. There is nothing.

Not a direct answer to the OP, but here's our experience with I80 coming home a month ago.

We came down from Wisconsin on I39 to I80 eastbound past Chicago. DW tells me that this is the last time we will drive I80 south of Chicago - and I agree. Four or more lanes of solid trucks with cars weaving in and out. No fun at all!

We escaped from I80 onto I65 south to route 30. As others have posted, route 30 had traffic lights slowing things down, but this ended after Valparaiso. From there on east all the way to I71 route 30 runs mostly through farming country and was a nice relaxing drive. The portion of route 30 we drove is a divided highway, has few trucks and no tolls. No idea what route 30 is like west of I65. We took I71 to I76 to join I80 near the PA border. This route added about 25 miles vs. staying on I80, but again no tolls, little traffic or trucks and a relaxed drive.

We had used route 30 westbound back in May as far as Van Wert OH, then routes 224 and 24 as far west as Peoria IL. This will likely become our future route to avoid Chicago.

I agree that there is no good way. My solution (heading to upstate NY) is to take MN 61 in Duluth into Canada & loop around the top of the Great Lakes. A pretty drive & far more enjoyable than fighting the Chicago traffic.

This comes up a few times a year, which is understandable. No, there is no good way around it. There is construction this summer on 80/90 (the tollway) through Indiana. I don't know if there is any on 94 through the same general area. We took the tollway once this summer and the construction was not really a problem.

The area people want to avoid is west of the Indiana Tollway anyway, where you are on 80/94. That section has been completely overhauled in the past several years. So the road is pretty good, and no construction. Traffic is heavy, fast, lots of trucks, and bad drivers. Like most big cities. I don't enjoy using it, but it is what it is. The upside is, it generally moves quickly so you are through it in short order.

It's a lot better if you avoid rush hours. Pick an interior lane and just stay in it.

No real good way. You need to time it just right and you will breeze right on through. Early in the am is the best. I have been through there many times and sometimes there is no problems any time of day and sometimes it takes a while.

Unless there is an accident, I normally have trouble keeping up with traffic with cruise set at 62. Biggest delays are at peak commute times and delays caused by the sun in your eyes.

BTW, there is only one tollbooth on 80 in the Chicago area and that's at 294 & 80.

I just take I-70 or Rt 36 to Denver then head north - it's a lot faster than spending the day in and around Chicago.

JMHO,

Edit - Tried to get around it once cost me over a day - and it is no longer in my map book!!!

If headed eastbound just hit it early in the day, westbound after 10am. Can't remember how I many times I've driven it in all times of day and night sometimes a breeze sometimes a pita.

40year Chicago metro native.

Don't take US 30...it is stop and go and very frustrating.

Been there, done that, once. Will never do that again.

There is no easy way. We just stay on I-80 all the way through, twice a year. In fact we will be doing that next week again while heading out west for a couple of months.

I-80 isn't as quite as bad as it used to be years ago. But pulling out from the toll booths is like the starting gate a horse race track. :R

If there is one spot in the USA that needs a fast bypass, this is it.

Oh how many times have I said that? A throughway from east of Gary, Indiana to west of Chicago, Illinois.

Well we can dream can't we? :B

We have taken I/74 to Indy then I/70 to I/71 back to I/80 just before PA. This adds about 90 miles. It eliminates the I/80-90 toll roads too. The roads and traffic are better and it might be just as fast.