Eastbound I-90 Chicago

[wtmtnhiker]

I'll be heading east on I-90 with my 30' travel trailer. I usually travel between 8:30 and three then look to get off the road for the night. Is there a better less congested way to get around Chicao? I was looking at I-39 south to I-80 and then head one way or another back to NH.To those of you familiar with the area what are my best options. Trying to schedule stops this week. I am stopping in Rochester, Mn so I could go down to I-80 from there I think. Thanks

[AJR]

I should have included this,
https://www.sandwichfair.com/camping/

[AJR]

I like the US-63 suggestion. But I kinda like doing my 63mph in the right lane of the interstate watching almost everybody go by me. Plus there are rest stops, food & gas.

I90/I39 south has one toll at the Wisconsin/Illinois boarder. If you have EZ-PASS or I-PASS, no problem. Without a “PASS” of some kind they mail you a bill and charge you more. Then you follow the I39 signs south at Rockford. I39 to I80 & I80 east. There is a toll where I80 joins I294.
A note, from Rochester to where I80 meets I294 is over 400 miles. For me that to much for one day. I would suggest getting off of I39 at the 72 mile marker exit and take Rt 34 east to the Sandwich County Fair campgrounds for a night or more. Electric, good water & dump station. I have used it for many years to see my kids in the Chicago area. In town you can go to Johnny K’s for a real Chicago hot dog (with seeds) with everything or Italian beef sweet & wet (they reheat great). Also in town is Benda’s Frozen custard for a different type of meal. You can go east from there and pick up Rt 71 or Rt 52 south to get back onto I80 east.

NEVER take an RV through Chicago unless it is a class B. Well, unless you are a real masochist with nerves made of steel.

[lane_hog]

wtmtnhiker wrote:

I'm staying in Rochester for the night so coming down 63 sounds like a good option. Is that a 4 or 2 lane road? Thanks

It's a mix. The first 70 miles is two lanes, and yes, you do go thru a couple small towns (Stewartville, Racine, Spring Valley, Chester) but they're all in that first 30 miles. From south of the state line, it's open farm country.

The last 40 miles from New Hampton to Waterloo is all divided highway and bypasses the small towns.

[hornet28]

It's 2 lane with small towns

[wtmtnhiker]

lane hog wrote:
As someone who lives in Illinois, the stretch of road from the I-294/I-94 interchange to just past the I-94/I-80/I-65 interchange in Indiana is the worst fifteen miles of road in the United States....

It doesn't matter what day of the week, but if the sun's out, you'll be sitting in four+ lanes of solid traffic. Just pick a lane and stay there... The only way to avoid the volume is to drive thru that stretch at 2am when most of the trucks are asleep. That's doable for us living in the People's Republic of Illinois, but not for everyone.

Taking I-90 all the way thru and across the Skyway is the only alternative, and that gets expensive. The road is also not in the greatest condition and you'd have to drive thru construction in downtown Chicago which is never fun at 50+ feet long.

If you're coming from Rochester, consider dropping down on US-63 to Waterloo, IA and jumping on I-380 to 80. It's the same distance as taking I-90 to I-39 to I-80.

I'm staying in Rochester for the night so coming down 63 sounds like a good option. Is that a 4 or 2 lane road? Thanks

[lane_hog]

Understood, and I've gone thru as often as weekly, having commuted between Indy and Chicago for a couple years and having family in Michigan...

Some times of day it moves, others it crawls. And I stand by it being the worst section of road in the US since at least 1986...

[hornet28]

I doubt I've been caught more than 1/2 dozen like that. But then I've only been through there 40-50 times in the last 15 yrs. Early morning or later in the evening is the time I try to go through there. When I'm headed east/home I don't care if it's going to be midnight or so when I hit the Michigan border rest area that's my goal and I'll spend the night there

[lane_hog]

As someone who lives in Illinois, the stretch of road from the I-294/I-94 interchange to just past the I-94/I-80/I-65 interchange in Indiana is the worst fifteen miles of road in the United States....

It doesn't matter what day of the week, but if the sun's out, you'll be sitting in four+ lanes of solid traffic. Just pick a lane and stay there... The only way to avoid the volume is to drive thru that stretch at 2am when most of the trucks are asleep. That's doable for us living in the People's Republic of Illinois, but not for everyone.

Taking I-90 all the way thru and across the Skyway is the only alternative, and that gets expensive. The road is also not in the greatest condition and you'd have to drive thru construction in downtown Chicago which is never fun at 50+ feet long.

If you're coming from Rochester, consider dropping down on US-63 to Waterloo, IA and jumping on I-380 to 80. It's the same distance as taking I-90 to I-39 to I-80.

[enblethen]

Isn't I-90 toll?

[Romer1]

enblethen wrote:
I hate toll roads! I-80 is toll, I think!
I would go farther south and pick up US 52 and then US 30. Then I-65.
From there would need to know destination.

There is only 1 toll on 80 where it joins 294 just before entering Indiana.

[hornet28]

enblethen wrote:
I hate toll roads! I-80 is toll, I think!
I would go farther south and pick up US 52 and then US 30. Then I-65.
From there would need to know destination.

I don't know about 52 but 30 is full of stop lights and heavy traffic

[dodge_guy]

Yes, I39 to I80 would be best. You will bypass a lot of garbage until you get to the IL/IN border. Then there isn’t much you can do with traffic.

[enblethen]

I hate toll roads! I-80 is toll, I think!
I would go farther south and pick up US 52 and then US 30. Then I-65.
From there would need to know destination.

[wtmtnhiker]

hornet28 wrote:
I never haul through Chicago only around it like this. I would take 39 at Rockford. It's roughly 50 mi longer but the only toll booth is where I-294 and I-80 join.

Thank you