Travel around Chicago.

[bduemig]

We are heading to Elkhart Indiana from Res Moines Ia. I would rather not travel through Chicago. I was looking at going us 30 to avoid Chicago and toll roads. Is us 30 a good road or is it drip and go traffic?

[TimS5842]

Longtime Chicago south-suburb native... I would not take US30 as a bypass. LOTS of lights, and some of the areas are not very desirable. Portions of it between I57 and I65 are also poorly maintained (especially between I57 and the IL/IN state line.) You will have a rough ride with lots of cars making sudden turns and stops giving you a white knuckle trip in your rig.

Take I-80 across (don't take I88), the only toll that you will have is where I80 and I294 merge, just 10 miles from the Indiana border. You can pay online these days as long as you do it within 7 days of going through the cameras (web site is posted on the signs near the toll plaza). It will get congested near the 80/294 merge and likely stay that way until you get near I65 in Indiana if you travel during rush hours. I'd try and get through there between 11 AM - 2:30 PM if possible, or after 7 PM. This will still be significantly faster than trying to run Rt 30 across between I57 and I65.

Happy and safe travels.

[Talloaks]

If you take I-80, be aware of the very rough stretch in the vicinity of Joliet. There is another recent thread here that gives more detail but it could seriously damage your rig if you go through at normal speed. I drove it with our DP and toad earlier this summer and from reports it has only gotten worse since then.

[Dan-Dekalb]

Can you adjust your schedule to go through at 5:00am? If you have to go around Chicago, try to schedule before 7:00am, after 10:00am, before 3:30pm, after 6:30pm, and before 12:00am. I spent a year working in the south suburbs (Blue Island, Dixmoor, Harvey, etc., the nice neighborhoods…) and we tried to travel within those hours. We also got back one night and were looking at our truck. I said “is that a bullet hole?” Sure enough. Have no clue when it happened, but our truck got shot at.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by TimS5842

Longtime Chicago south-suburb native... I would not take US30 as a bypass. LOTS of lights, and some of the areas are not very desirable. Portions of it between I57 and I65 are also poorly maintained (especially between I57 and the IL/IN state line.) You will have a rough ride with lots of cars making sudden turns and stops giving you a white knuckle trip in your rig.

Take I-80 across (don't take I88), the only toll that you will have is where I80 and I294 merge, just 10 miles from the Indiana border. You can pay online these days as long as you do it within 7 days of going through the cameras (web site is posted on the signs near the toll plaza). It will get congested near the 80/294 merge and likely stay that way until you get near I65 in Indiana if you travel during rush hours. I'd try and get through there between 11 AM - 2:30 PM if possible, or after 7 PM. This will still be significantly faster than trying to run Rt 30 across between I57 and I65.

Happy and safe travels.

[Dakotah]

Originally Posted by bduemig

We are heading to Elkhart Indiana from Res Moines Ia. I would rather not travel through Chicago. I was looking at going us 30 to avoid Chicago and toll roads. Is us 30 a good road or is it drip and go traffic?

We came down through Wisconsin and took 39 south when we got to Rockford. Went east on I 80 and avoided most of the traffic around Chicago. We usually would take 290 by Schaumburg, but it’s always busy and a lot of construction this year. Our route added maybe 20-30 minutes to the trip, but no stress.

[amosnandy]

Originally Posted by bduemig

We are heading to Elkhart Indiana from Res Moines Ia. I would rather not travel through Chicago. I was looking at going us 30 to avoid Chicago and toll roads. Is us 30 a good road or is it drip and go traffic?

Take it from a former truck diver who ran across Northern Ill a lot. If you think the congestion on 80 is bad. Multiply that by 5 if you think 30 is better. Get on 80 and go. Don't forget to stop in Walcott for lunch at the world largest Truck Stop.

Timing is everything in Chicago. Des Moines to Elkhart Is about 7 hours drive time, excluding stops. If you go around the south side at 10:00 -2:00 am you will sail through.

2 things to watch that will save time. At the Quad Cities take the 280 bypass around. And plan on slowing about Joliet for some bad roads. The junctions of 355/80, 294/80 and especially 90/94 can be a bit confusing as lanes change rapidly.

If you map it with google maps or a GPS it may want to take you off onto 30 in Illinois and 20 in Indiana. Don't do it. Most of it is 25-30 stop and go traffic with many many many stoplights and they are not sequenced. You will hit about every other one.

The tolls are not that much. You would burn more fuel than the cost of the tolls trying to dodge them.

[TimS5842]

Originally Posted by Dan-Dekalb

Can you adjust your schedule to go through at 5:00am? If you have to go around Chicago, try to schedule before 7:00am, after 10:00am, before 3:30pm, after 6:30pm, and before 12:00am. I spent a year working in the south suburbs (Blue Island, Dixmoor, Harvey, etc., the nice neighborhoods…) and we tried to travel within those hours. We also got back one night and were looking at our truck. I said “is that a bullet hole?” Sure enough. Have no clue when it happened, but our truck got shot at.

I grew up in Harvey and moved out 30+ years ago. Before that my brother and my next door neighbor were both robbed at gunpoint on separate instances in the middle of the day right by the house. My only concern with telling people to drive I-80 during the night hours is that I wouldn't want to be broke down for some reason overnight through some of those parts... Yes, traffic is much better, and if you feel self-protected, going through after 9 PM and before 5 AM is the easiest way to get through.

[Tonkexpress1]

All the above advice is spot on. Avoid 30, take 80, slow way down in the rough spots, use your GPS through Chicago to Elkhart. Timing helps, but you eventually get through— don’t be in a rush. Stay safe

[bhammond1980]

I hate Chicago also and avoid it when possible. It's not the cost of tolls or the traffic. I refuse to risk my family's safety. In July we went to SD via. the UP of Michigan. We are also considering the ferry from Ludington. Such a shame, I used to love that town.

[hedhunter9]

We live 5 miles from Elkhart and travel to Northern Illinois and Wisconsin a lot..
Do NOT take 30 ! Horrible route... Bring 80 across, but We dont stay on 80. We jump from 80/94 and stay on 94 when they divide in Indiana, then we get off at the Laporte Exit and take Hwy 2 across to South Bend, and exit and take the bypass around South Bend, Mishawaka to Elkhart. (Depending on what part of Elkhart you are going to) we avoid the tolls all the time this way. They have kept raising the toll prices since they leased it out to foreigners.

Bob

[IND2SLC]

I'm heading that way myself Thusday-Friday from Salt Lake City, going home for a few days.

Originally Posted by hedhunter9

They have kept raising the toll prices since they leased it out to foreigners.

Bob

The last I heard, the foreigners were trying to reneg on the deal because they were posting losses, but the state held them to it. Ha!

[nyparrothead]

Hi. We are leaving NW Iowa heading to Topika IN pulling our cedar .creek 38el on its maiden voyage in the morning. We looked at that route too and decided to head south and pick up 80 we only do 300 a day so staying in Wi Dells the 1st night and Elkhart the 2nd

Have a safe trip

Mark

[bduemig]

Thank you for all the responses. Trying to figure what option to use for pay-by-plate for the b top. Class a with 2 axles (6 tires) and a toad.