Illinois Tollway prepared to clear roads and assist drivers during Thanksgiving weekend storm

Motorists asked to slow down and increase their distance from other vehicles

The Illinois Tollway is reminding drivers to slow down and allow extra time for their Thanksgiving holiday travels and weekend trips as a winter storm moves through Northern Illinois, with snow forecast to begin falling early Saturday Nov. 29, 2025 and continue throughout the day and into Sunday morning Nov. 30, 2025.

The Tollway is deploying its full fleet of 196 plows to keep its roads clear and customers safe as they travel on the 294-mile Tollway system.

Customers who become stranded or require aid while traveling on the Tollway should dial *999 for roadside assistance and remain in their vehicles until help arrives.

“Safety is always our highest priority and during winter storms we’ll do whatever is needed to clear our roads and assist our customers so they can safely reach their destinations,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse.

Snow plow and salter, Orland Park, Illinois. Photo courtesy of the Village of Orland Park

“Our crews mobilized as this storm approached and will be out on the road plowing, spreading deicing materials and helping stranded drivers. We’re asking our customers to do their part to travel safely by reducing their speed, steering clear of other vehicles and staying alert for varying pavement conditions.”

The Tollway’s Snow Operations Center will be open to manage the agency’s systemwide response to the storm, which could affect drivers on the Tollway system on Saturday and into Sunday morning. The Tollway will have a full complement of more than 200 staff and supervisors working per shift to remove snow and ice from its roads.

Before traveling, to receive real-time information on pavement conditions and roadway incidents, drivers should sign up for Tollway Trip Tweets via X on the Tollway’s website illinoistollway.com follow all five Tollway Trips or just the roadways that interest them.

While traveling, drivers whose vehicles become disabled or need other aid should activate their hazard lights and dial *999 for assistance. Drivers should note the roadway they are using, as well as the direction of travel and nearest milepost or crossroad. For crashes involving property damage only, drivers should continue driving and complete an Illinois State Police crash report online athttps://isp.illinois.gov/CrashReports/CrashReportDisclaimer.

The Illinois Tollway reminds motorists the state’s “Move Over Law” requires motorists to change lanes or to slow down and proceed with caution when passing any vehicle on the side of the road with hazard lights activated.

Drivers also should use caution when passing snowplows, which often work in tandem and travel slower than posted speed limits.

Winter Weather Travel Tips

The Tollway offers the following travel tips to keep safe during winter storms or cold weather:

Be sure your cellphone is fully charged before heading out.
Be sure tires are properly inflated during cold weather. Tires lose a pound of pressure for every 10 degrees the temperature drops.
Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up and ensure that you have extra to account for additional driving time if the weather is unfavorable.
Keep a cold weather safety kit in your car that includes gloves, boots, blankets, road flares, water and a flashlight with fresh batteries.
Stranded motorists should call *999 for motorist assistance, turn on their emergency lights and remain in their vehicles until help arrives.
Put away handheld cellphones and focus on driving safely—using them behind the wheel is dangerous and illegal..

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.

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Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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