Click here to subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania's Columns
Traffic Shifts scheduled for Winter travel configuration on central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) at the I-290/I-88 Interchange
Traffic shifts between the Cermak Toll Plaza and North Avenue will accommodate ongoing winter construction as weather permits
DOWNERS GROVE, IL – The Illinois Tollway is preparing to shift traffic into winter configuration on Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) at the I-290/I-88 Interchange. Overnight lane closures over multiple nights and ramp detours will be needed to shift traffic.
Traffic shifts in both directions on I-294 between the Cermak Toll Plaza and North Avenue are necessary to provide a safe work zone for ongoing pavement and bridge reconstruction and noisewall work during the winter as weather allows.
The new traffic pattern on southbound I-294 will impact access to eastbound I-290, westbound I-88 and Cermak Road.
Construction and electronic message signs will be put in place in advance to alert drivers to the traffic shifts, ramp and lane closures and detours. Up-to-date closure information will be available in the Illinois Tollway’s Daily Construction Alerts. All work is weather dependent.
Traffic Shifts
As weather permits, work to shift northbound I-294 traffic between Cermak Toll Plaza and North Avenue is anticipated in December. Work will be done over several nights with up to three lanes of traffic closed to complete the traffic shifts.
Once the northbound traffic shift is complete, three lanes of traffic between the Cermak Toll Plaza and I-290 will be traveling together on new pavement. A fourth lane of traffic will be shifted to the right in a split configuration. Traffic traveling to westbound I-290 must be in the right lane.
Additional northbound traffic shifts in this area will be scheduled as needed over the winter.
Traffic is scheduled to remain in this configuration through spring 2025.
Work to shift traffic on southbound I-294 between St. Charles Road and the Cermak Toll Plaza is anticipated to be scheduled in early January as weather permits. Work will be done over several nights with up to three lanes of traffic closed to complete the traffic shifts.
In addition, closures and detours of several ramps will be needed to complete the southbound traffic shift, including the ramps connecting eastbound I-290 to southbound I-294 and westbound I-88 and southbound I-294 to eastbound I-290. Detour routes and maps are below.
When the southbound traffic shift is complete, two lanes will be shifted to the left onto the northbound side in a counterflow configuration and two lanes will shift to the right with a work zone in the middle. Traffic exiting to eastbound I-290, westbound I-88 or Cermak Road must be in the right lanes before the traffic splits at St. Charles Road. No access to exits will be available from the counterflow lanes. The next available exit from the left lanes will be at Ogden Avenue.
Traffic is scheduled to remain in this configuration through spring 2025.
Ongoing Ramp Closures
The ramp connecting westbound Roosevelt Road to southbound I-294 will remain closed through winter and into 2025 for ongoing interchange work.
Throughout December, multiple interchange ramps connecting I-294 to I-290, I-88 and Roosevelt Road are scheduled to close temporarily overnight as needed with posted detours for ongoing bridge reconstruction, protective shielding work, pavement repair and roadway lighting work.
Ramp closures and detours may include:
- For the ramps connecting northbound I-294 to westbound I-290, traffic will be routed to eastbound I-290 to Mannheim Road and then through the interchange to access westbound I-290.
- For the ramps connecting southbound I-294 to eastbound I-290, traffic will be routed to Cermak Road and through the interchange onto northbound I-294 to access eastbound I-290.
- For the ramp connecting eastbound I-88 to northbound I-294 and westbound I-290, traffic will be routed to eastbound I-290 to Mannheim Road and then through the interchange to access westbound I-290. Traffic traveling to northbound I-294 traffic will be routed to the Lake Street Interchange to access northbound I-294.
- For the ramp connecting eastbound Roosevelt Road to eastbound I-290, traffic will be routed east to northbound Mannheim Road to access eastbound I-290.
- For the ramps connecting eastbound I-290 to southbound I-294, traffic will be routed to Mannheim Road and then through the interchange to westbound I-290 to southbound I-294.
- For the ramps connecting northbound I-294 to eastbound Roosevelt Road, traffic will be routed to westbound Roosevelt Road to York Road and then through the interchange to access eastbound Roosevelt Road.
- For the ramps connecting northbound I-294 to westbound Roosevelt Road, traffic will be routed to eastbound I-290 to southbound Mannheim Road to westbound Roosevelt Road.
Ongoing long-term ramp closures with detours continuing in December include the following:
- Westbound I-290 to northbound I-294.
- Westbound Roosevelt Road to southbound I-294.
The ramps at the St. Charles Road Interchange on I-290 are scheduled to close as needed. No detours will be posted.
Roadway lane closures on I-294, I-88 and I-290 are scheduled to continue in December. The closures will be scheduled during overnight hours with lanes and ramps reopening ahead of the morning rush hour.
Overnight closures and detours of ramps at the I-290/I-88 Interchange at I-294 are scheduled to continue through December as needed.
Ramp and local road closures in this area are being coordinated with the IllinoisDepartment of Transportation, Village of Berkeley, Village of Hillside, City of Elmhurst, Village of Oak Brook, and Proviso Township, as well as local fire and police departments.
Information about ongoing long-term and overnight ramp closures and detours including maps and construction updates are available on the I-290/I-88 Interchange Project page on the Tollway’s website at www.illinoistollway.com in the Projects section.
Work in 2024 at the I-290/I-88 Interchange at I-294 included ongoing reconstruction of bridges over Roosevelt Road, I-88, Butterfield Road, the Canadian National Railroad, I-290 and Electric Avenue, as well as noisewall construction and drainage, electrical and lighting improvements.
The reconfiguration and reconstruction of the I-290/I-88 Interchange is estimated at$700-$800 million and will reduce congestion, improve safety and address operational issues, as well as infrastructure conditions as part of the Illinois Tollway’s $4 billionCentral Tri-State Project. Work started in 2020 and is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2027.
Information including maps and construction updates is available on the Tollway’swebsite at www.illinoistollway.com in the Projects section.
The $4 billion Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project is reconstructing and widening the roadway between Balmoral Avenue and 95th Street to provide congestion relief, update old infrastructure to meet current and future transportation demand and address regionalneeds. This work is part of the Tollway’s Move Illinois Program. More than 220,000 vehicles use the Central Tri-State Tollway daily.
Work Zone Safety
Construction zone speed limits are in effect in all construction zones 24/7 and drivers should continue to watch for changing traffic patterns and use caution, especially when workers are present. On I-294, a 45 mph work zone speed limit is in effect throughout the construction season.
The Illinois Tollway reminds motorists that the “Move Over Law” requires motorists tochange lanes or to slow down and proceed with caution when passing any vehicle on the side of the road with hazard lights activated. If you see flashing lights ahead, please move over or slow down.
Illinois State Police have zero tolerance for drivers speeding in work zones or failure tocomply with the Move Over Law. The minimum penalty for speeding in a work zone is $250 with up to a $25,000 fine and a 14-year jail sentence for hitting a roadway worker. Penalties for failure to slow down or move over for a vehicle on the shoulder with flashing lights includes up to a $10,000 fine, 2-year suspension of driving privileges and jail time, in extreme cases.
About Move Illinois
The Illinois Tollway’s 16-year, $15 billion capital program, Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future, is improving mobility, relieving congestion, reducing pollution, creating as many as 165,220 jobs and linking economies throughout the region. The first 12 years of Move Illinois are on schedule and within budget, delivering the new Illinois Route 390 Tollway and a rebuilt and widened Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) with its new SmartRoad corridor, as well as opening a new interchange connecting the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to I-57. Progress continues on projects addressing the remaining needs of the existing Tollway system, delivering the new I-490 Tollway Project and reconstruction of the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294).
About the Illinois Tollway
The Illinois Tollway is a user-fee system that receives no state or federal funds for maintenance and operations. The agency maintains and operates 294 miles of roadways in 12 counties in Northern Illinois, including the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88), the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80) and the Illinois Route 390 Tollway.
Click here to subscribe FREE to Ray Hanania's Columns
His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today
Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].
Follow RayHanania at Twitter
- Maria Pappas shares emotional stories of family, faith and perseverance during Romanian Heritage Center book signing - October 10, 2026
- The Cook County Treasurer and the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans Attend Flag Raising and Kickoff Event Ahead of Columbus Day Parade - October 9, 2026
- Illinois Principals Association to host “Unlocking Potential” conference in October - October 8, 2026
Comment on “Traffic Shifts scheduled for Winter travel configuration on central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) at the I-290/I-88 Interchange”