Chicago → Re: Elgin-Ohare to be regions most expensive toll road

How the heck is it costing $2.1 billion to expand 294 to 10 lanes for 22 miles when it cost $2.2 billion to expand 90 to 8 lanes to Randall and to 6 lanes to 39? That was 22 + 37 miles of roadway.

Cronies need to get paid

Isn't the part being expanded the "Central" part -- basically between 55 and 90? A lot of the Tri State near the southern edge of O'Hare is elevated -- expensive. I would imagine reconfiguring the 88/290/294 interchange for a wider 294 is also is pretty pricey. And if it also includes widening the "Mile Long Bridge" just south of I-55 before the Toll Booths, that also is probably pretty pricey

And while they are at it, probably building the approaches and ramps for the future O'Hare Ring Road Bypass Tollway to connect over to the Elgin/O'Hare

Plus it is probably one of the busier roadways and roadway segments in the State - gonna be a lot of off hours scheduling and working in "phases" to maintain as much traffic capacity as possible.

I don't find it that unreasonable that the Central Tri State would cost a lot more than I-90 out to Rockford.

BTW are there any improvement plans for the I-90/I-290 interchange? Way too much traffic for a functional cloverleaf...

Little further than 90 to 55. From 90 to 95th street. Would be wise if they added express lanes to that stretch of 294.

I don't think there's any improvement for the 90/290 interchange.

That cloverleaf is beyond functional design, it needs to be a flyover with the amount of traffic those two highways receive.

However, luckily, IDOT is readying plans to FINALLY reconstruct 290. That part of 290 where it drops down to 6 lanes in Oak Park is the bane of my existence.

Elgin O'hare is already a boondoggle of it's own. What they really need to do is finish it off on the western edge. Make Elgin o'hare go to Elgin. It would make sense if 20 was an expressway from where it intersects 90 at around il route 47 all the way to Elgin O'hare.

And in 15 years when the tollway's bonds are paid off, we can eliminate those tolls, right?