Plan on heading to South Dakota in September and looking for info on Rt 30.Traveled I80 before and would like to have less truck traffic and miss the traffic on I 80 around Gary,Ind and Chicago area.I was looking at taking RT 30 thru Ohio,Indiana,then in Illinois get on I 80 to I 29 north then I 90 west.I'll be towing a 40 foot fifth wheel and in no hurry.

Route 30 is generally pretty good in the area you are considering EXCEPT IN THE CHICAGO AREA from Joliet, IL to several miles inside Indiana. TRAFFIC, STOP LIGHTS, SLOW GOING. We did that several times to bypass I-80 in the Chicago area.

Indeed, US30 may well be a better route, but it is by no means a fun route. Hard to get any driving rhythm going when there is stop light every 2 miles or so. And still plenty of trucks. Fortunately, most of it is 4 lane.

X2 good four lane after you cross rt 71, little bit at mansfield but not bad. and stay away from chicago.

How I always go. I can deal with lights (if you time them you skate through most), Anything is better than Chicagoland and the insane drivers.

SidecarFlip wrote:How I always go. I can deal with lights (if you time them you skate through most), Anything is better than Chicagoland and the insane drivers.For some reason I consider Chicago Heights to be part of Chicagoland.The same people in Chicago itself try to take public transportation if possible. I certainly did when I lived on the near west suburbs and worked downtown. Traffic on I80 across the south side of Chicago can be intense, but most of those drivers are coming from outside of Chicago - from Indiana, Michigan and further east.

Route 30 thru Ohio,Indiana,Illinois | Good Sam Community

agteacher
Explorer
Aug 06, 2018
I took 30 from I75 to Wooster a couple weeks ago and no problems. A couple nice campgrounds in the Wooster area. Ohio state parks are generally nice places to stay.
Trekkar
Explorer II
Aug 03, 2018
naturist wrote:
If you are in no hurry, may I suggest a wee side trip? It will not add all that much to the miles, but could take a whole day if you enjoy window or real shopping and museums you can fondle things in. When you reach I-77, take it south to US 250 at Strassburg and resume going west on 250. Your destination is Lehman’s Non-Electric Store in the tiny burg of Kidron, Ohio. You have to watch closely as the sign is small at the turnoff. Kidron is about 4 miles off 250. This is the heart of Amish country, and Lehman’s caters to the Amish. It also caters to tourists, and is huge. They sell both high quality housewares and hardware, and also tourist stuff, but they carry all kinds of things you can’t get anywhere else, things you might find very useful either at home or camping. And tons of just plain odd things. It takes us 2-3 hours to wander around just looking every time we visit the area. Do note they are not open on Sunday. Ever. They are Amish!

There is camping on 250 just a few miles west of Kidron and 250 crosses 30 at Wooster. Though a 2 lane road, 250 is in good condition and a pleasant drive, although you do have to watch for Amish buggies.

This sounds like a nice stop! Thanks for the information.
Gary_O
Explorer
Aug 02, 2018
CloudDriver wrote:
We have used route 30 across OH and In several times and find it a much better drive than the Interstates. From where you are in PA take I80 to I76 to I71 to pick up route 30 at Mansfield. To avoid the Chicago area we use route 224 from Van Wert to join with route 24 at Huntington. Route 24 is divided highway as far as Logansport then 2 lane the rest of the way to I35, which will take you north to I80.

This route may be somewhat slower than staying on route 30 to pick up I80 near Gary, but it avoids all of the crazy traffic and toll roads.
Community Alumni
Jul 31, 2018
Fleet Man wrote:
Route 30 is generally pretty good in the area you are considering EXCEPT IN THE CHICAGO AREA from Joliet, IL to several miles inside Indiana. TRAFFIC, STOP LIGHTS, SLOW GOING. We did that several times to bypass I-80 in the Chicago area.

Went US 30 from Joliet to Valparaiso, Indiana two weeks ago. The condition of the road was good EXCEPT Chicago Heights and Ford Heights. Really bumpy and potholed.
naturist
Nomad
Jul 31, 2018
If you are in no hurry, may I suggest a wee side trip? It will not add all that much to the miles, but could take a whole day if you enjoy window or real shopping and museums you can fondle things in. When you reach I-77, take it south to US 250 at Strassburg and resume going west on 250. Your destination is Lehman’s Non-Electric Store in the tiny burg of Kidron, Ohio. You have to watch closely as the sign is small at the turnoff. Kidron is about 4 miles off 250. This is the heart of Amish country, and Lehman’s caters to the Amish. It also caters to tourists, and is huge. They sell both high quality housewares and hardware, and also tourist stuff, but they carry all kinds of things you can’t get anywhere else, things you might find very useful either at home or camping. And tons of just plain odd things. It takes us 2-3 hours to wander around just looking every time we visit the area. Do note they are not open on Sunday. Ever. They are Amish!

There is camping on 250 just a few miles west of Kidron and 250 crosses 30 at Wooster. Though a 2 lane road, 250 is in good condition and a pleasant drive, although you do have to watch for Amish buggies.
CloudDriver
Explorer
Jul 31, 2018
We have used route 30 across OH and In several times and find it a much better drive than the Interstates. From where you are in PA take I80 to I76 to I71 to pick up route 30 at Mansfield. To avoid the Chicago area we use route 224 from Van Wert to join with route 24 at Huntington. Route 24 is divided highway as far as Logansport then 2 lane the rest of the way to I35, which will take you north to I80.

This route may be somewhat slower than staying on route 30 to pick up I80 near Gary, but it avoids all of the crazy traffic and toll roads.
Dick_B
Explorer
Jul 31, 2018
I'd take the interstate but that's just me. FYI Route 30 is the first coast to coast road. It was named Lincoln's Highway to attract contributions to build the road.
paulj
Explorer II
Jul 31, 2018
SidecarFlip wrote:
How I always go. I can deal with lights (if you time them you skate through most), Anything is better than Chicagoland and the insane drivers.

For some reason I consider Chicago Heights to be part of Chicagoland.

The same people in Chicago itself try to take public transportation if possible. I certainly did when I lived on the near west suburbs and worked downtown.

Traffic on I80 across the south side of Chicago can be intense, but most of those drivers are coming from outside of Chicago - from Indiana, Michigan and further east.
SidecarFlip
Explorer III
Jul 31, 2018
How I always go. I can deal with lights (if you time them you skate through most), Anything is better than Chicagoland and the insane drivers.
midnightsadie
Explorer II
Jul 30, 2018
X2 good four lane after you cross rt 71, little bit at mansfield but not bad. and stay away from chicago.

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