road trip to chicago from PA-construction status?

Daughter and I are doing our yearly trip to Chicago without the menfolk this year. Although physically present in the vehicle, I%26#39;ve not really paid attention to the actual route my husband chose, except to note the atrocious state of the Dan Ryan and the southern confluence of the Tri-State Tollway. It has ALWAYS been like this when we%26#39;ve been driving. Sigh.

Coming from Indiana east into the city, which route do traffic savvy folks suggest? How%26#39;s the Skyway this year? Our hotel is on Wacker near the river. I don%26#39;t care about tolls.

Thanks,

E.

road trip to chicago from PA-construction status?

I just came into the city last Sat. on the Skyway. Took it to the Dan Ryan and had no problems till I approached the Eisenhower (what%26#39;s new) I was headed to O%26#39;hare. Traffic was heavy for a Saturday. I think I%26#39;d go the skyway and exit on to Stoney Island, and come up Lakeshore. Take Columbus in after that. Don%26#39;t know your hotel.

There is a little contruction right at the toll way, I 94 interchange but clear sailing after that on the tollway. I%26#39;m assuming you%26#39;re on the tollway till there. Tolls after I94 are .50 as you leave IN. Skyway now is $2.50.

road trip to chicago from PA-construction status?

I drove the Bishop Ford/Dan Ryan route from Indiana after the morning rush hour last week. It wasn%26#39;t that bad and it wasn%26#39;t worth dealing with the detours. As you approach the Chicago metro area, listen for traffic reports on AM 780. They%26#39;re every 10 minutes.

Evimaus-

There are only 2 seasons in Chicago...Winter and Construction. You WILL hit traffic (whether its construction, gapers delays due to an accident, grandma causing a jam trying to change lanes, suburb drivers, cubs game, etc), whether its noon or midnight. Its Chicago...you WILL hit traffic -its inevitable...good luck :)

And here I thought the two seasons were Cold or Humid.....

I grew up driving into Chicago on the Calumet/Dan Ryan and later on the Eisenhower, so traffic delays are expected, (esp. around rush hours) but the endless construction slow-downs at all hours just annoy.

It%26#39;s a good thing Chicago is worth the trouble.

E.

It%26#39;s really not that bad on the Indiana side. They%26#39;ve got it up to 4 lanes up to the last exit in IN. Then it narrows for about a mile which may cause a backup but it%26#39;s usually moving. I wouldn%26#39;t bother with the skyway. Most of the time it%26#39;s more trouble than it%26#39;s worth.

I%26#39;d probably do what Rono said, take Cline Avenue from 80/94 (or if you prefer the Indiana toll road, I don%26#39;t have a map in front of me) which merges into the Skyway, take the Stoney Island exit which goes into Lake Shore Drive. It puts you on the correct side of the city for your hotel and even if there%26#39;s traffic at least it%26#39;s scenic.

The only problem with the Skyway is that there is construction near the $2.50 toll plaza, if you have an EZPass get over into the right lanes, the Skyway accepts those in addition to the IPass. If you don%26#39;t have an EZPass, stay to the left, sometimes the reversible cash lanes are open.

The Dan Ryan has been hit and miss, one day I get stuck on it for an hour, the next we fly on it. If you opt to use it, look for the Express lanes to the left, you won%26#39;t need to get off before the construction stops I don%26#39;t think.