Interstate 80/Chicago by-pass

somebody years back had a "shortcut" by dropping south a little. I tried it, it sucked. there is no easy way if I-80 is your route. oh I drove that shortcut in my car, it would have been disaster in a RV.
bumpy

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

When traveling from Texas to Michigan we have taken a short-cut from IH-57 to IH-65 and that helps us but it would be out of your way.

I know that there are times that traveling on IH-80 straight through are better, but I don't know what they are. Maybe early Sunday morning or mid-day during the week?

No good way that I know of. Have tried several different routes, but they are much longer and take up more time.

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

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.

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

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.

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!!!

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.

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.

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.