Bypassing Chicago

[Timber]

How is the drive from the south on 57, around Chicago to Grand Rapids Mi. I'm heading for Sault Ste Marie from Little rock and want to avoid the 69 north of Indianapolis with the constant bumpy and jerky conditions at times.

[GizmosMom]

Mostly we dislike the sitting in truck traffic! And we have also pulled our boat up to Michigan a couple of times. We just avoid Chicago altogether with my route from above.

(We also lived in the Richton Park/Matteson early in our marriage!)

[Romer1]

GizmosMom wrote:
On our way to Muskegon (many, many, many times!) we take IH-57 and then at Gilmer, IL we travel east on Highway 24. Then we take IH-65 north to IH-80/90. Then up north to Michigan.

Do not like 57 to 80 because there are tolls and many lanes changes and trucks, trucks, trucks.

We tried to take the Lincoln Highway (30) once and it was stop and go, stop and go.

Safe Travels!

Only toll is where 80 & 294 meet. Max toll would be $4.20 which is for large truck

[Drbolasky]

We took the SS Badger car ferry on our way home from the Wisconsin Dells area. No, inexpensive it is not but it allows you to bypass all of the roadwork, traffic congestion and tolls around the Chicago area and northern Indiana, etc. Quite an experience. If you take the "red eye" sailings at night there is a discount, though.

You are not permitted to stay in your RV while underway; you have to be on one of the passenger decks. You can rent a stateroom for $49.

[DrewE]

Cumminalong wrote:
How is the best way around Chicago from SW Ont east to west to Wisconsin Dells,in the summer John R.

Assuming "SW Ontario" means in the general vicinity of London or Detroit and not somewhat east of Manitoba, I might be tempted to take the SS Badger ferry boat between Ludington, MI and Manitowoc, WI. It's not particularly inexpensive, but it probably works out to be not unreasonable once you factor in fuel costs, etc.

This is not based on actual personal experience, however.

[Cumminalong]

How is the best way around Chicago from SW Ont east to west to Wisconsin Dells,in the summer John R.

[GizmosMom]

On our way to Muskegon (many, many, many times!) we take IH-57 and then at Gilmer, IL we travel east on Highway 24. Then we take IH-65 north to IH-80/90. Then up north to Michigan.

Do not like 57 to 80 because there are tolls and many lanes changes and trucks, trucks, trucks.

We tried to take the Lincoln Highway (30) once and it was stop and go, stop and go.

Safe Travels!

[Fleet_Man]

When we lived in Rantoul, IL and since then whenever driving north toward Chicago on our way to the Michigan City, La Porte, IN area we would always take the local roads from Kankakee east to US 421 and then north. The Chicago area is something I avoid whenever possible, even i-80 and the short stretch of Toll Road.

[Dick_B]

This route already bypasses Chicago. As long as you don't travel this route during peak times it should be fine. Peak is morning and evening rush hours or Friday or Sunday evenings. Even so, in the morning you will be going against the inbound traffic so it should be OK.

[dturm]

The suggested route is pretty good, we drove it a couple of weeks ago. Be aware there are a couple of areas of road construction in southern IL on I-57 around Marion that had a pretty long back-up, then lane restriction areas further north (no back-up there). All in all, the road was in pretty good condition with a few short exceptions where thing were a little rough.

If there isn't an accident and it's not rush hour, I-80 isn't too bad. Just heavy flow of traffic.

Doug

[kknowlton]

I agree with Cougarnewbie.

[Cougarnewbie]

From N-I57 turn east on I-80. Heavy traffic into Indiana, but not like the Dan Ryan. Mid day isn't bad.