Elgin-O'Hare Expressway
Encyclopedia
The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is an Interstate-standard freeway in northeast Illinois
, United States
. Contrary to its given name, the expressway does not enter either Elgin
or O'Hare International Airport
, giving it a somewhat infamous reputation as a "road to nowhere". However, the expressway does connect existing local roads from Elgin to O'Hare Airport, and plans are underway to extend the expressway eastward to the edge of O'Hare. It currently connects U.S. Route 20
(US 20, Lake Street) in Hanover Park
to the intersection with Illinois Route 53
(IL 53, Rohlwing Road) and Thorndale Avenue in Itasca
. The only other towns it borders are Schaumburg
and Roselle
. The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is 5.95 miles (9.58 km) long.
(I-90), which it parallels. From US 20, the highway travels over a half-mile-long (0.8 km) bridge over the Metra
Milwaukee District West Line tracks, and some wetland
s. The freeway then enters Cook County
from DuPage County
and intersects IL 19
(Irving Park Road). At Meacham Road, the freeway crosses back south into DuPage County.
The expressway is unusual in that both its termini have traffic signals with major arterial roads in the area. This arrangement causes large backups during weekday rush hours. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation
(IDOT), average daily traffic counts (in 2003) for the Elgin–O'Hare Expressway are 39,600 vehicles for the western two miles (3.2 km) and around 82,000 to 87,000 cars per day for the remainder.
A four-lane arterial roadway continues east, named Thorndale Avenue. This road terminates at York Road near the western border of O'Hare Airport.
opened the expressway at an afternoon ceremony on November 2, 1993.
Prior to the expressway's opening, the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway was briefly marked as IL 19 on guide signs over the highway. The signs were removed shortly before the highway was opened, but it is unknown as to whether IL 19 will be moved onto the expressway after it is fully completed.
no western extension of the Elgin–O'Hare has been funded in Illinois' Five-Year Highway Improvement Plan. However, a western extension in some form continues to appear in long-range planning documents.
of the airport connecting I-90 to the north and I-294
to the south. This interchange may also incorporate ramps into a planned western terminal at O'Hare.
The highway would follow an alignment close to that of the existing Thorndale Avenue, through the communities of Itasca
, Wood Dale
, Elk Grove Village
, and Bensenville
.
These plans have caused controversy in the communities along and near the highway's proposed alignment, mostly related to issues of eminent domain
. Concerned about large-scale taking of industrial properties for the new highway, Elk Grove Village and Bensenville protested any highway expansion through their towns, and Wood Dale was concerned about large-scale taking of private homes along the highway alignment. However, highway planners were able to choose an alignment that minimizes takings through these communities, and their respective governments have dropped any formal opposition.
The plans for the eastward extension are ambitious, including not only a new expressway but also a set of frontage roads, numerous improvements to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in the surrounding communities, and a transit line in the highway median, either in the form of light rail
or bus rapid transit
.
On August 25, 2011, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
(ISHTA) approved a $12 billion dollar capital plan, doubling toll rates to fund it. The plan calls for the Elgin–O'Hare Expressway to be converted to a tollway, widened, and extended east to the planned O'Hare Western Bypass. ISTHA will widen the expressway from four to eight lanes when the eastern extension is built.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Contrary to its given name, the expressway does not enter either Elgin
Elgin, Illinois
Elgin is a city in northern Illinois located roughly northwest of Chicago on the Fox River. Most of Elgin lies within Kane County, Illinois, with a portion in Cook County, Illinois...
or O'Hare International Airport
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
, giving it a somewhat infamous reputation as a "road to nowhere". However, the expressway does connect existing local roads from Elgin to O'Hare Airport, and plans are underway to extend the expressway eastward to the edge of O'Hare. It currently connects U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, U.S. Route 20 is a major arterial highway that runs from the Iowa state line at East Dubuque at the northwestern tip of Illinois, to the Indiana state line at Chicago south of the Chicago Skyway. A distance of .For its entire length, US 20 is designated as the...
(US 20, Lake Street) in Hanover Park
Hanover Park, Illinois
Hanover Park is a village in Cook and DuPage counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The population was 38,278 at the 2000 census...
to the intersection with Illinois Route 53
Illinois Route 53
Illinois Route 53 is an arterial north–south state highway in northeast Illinois. Route 53 runs south from Long Grove at Illinois Route 83 to Gardner at Interstate 55 west of old U.S. Highway 66, a distance of...
(IL 53, Rohlwing Road) and Thorndale Avenue in Itasca
Itasca, Illinois
Itasca is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,302 at the 2000 census.In 2009, BusinessWeek rated Itasca as the 'Best Affordable Suburb' in the state of Illinois...
. The only other towns it borders are Schaumburg
Schaumburg, Illinois
Schaumburg is a city located in Cook County in northeastern Illinois. A common misspelling of the city name is Schaumberg, a spelling which persists on some modern maps. Schaumburg is located just under northwest of downtown Chicago and approximately northwest of O'Hare International Airport. As...
and Roselle
Roselle, Illinois
Roselle is a city located in DuPage County and a small portion in Cook County Illinois in northeastern Illinois. It was first incorporated in 1922 and can correctly be relegated to a bedroom community — that is, a community that largely consists of residential zoning in both income streams...
. The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is 5.95 miles (9.58 km) long.
Route description
The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is a four-lane freeway located about 5 to 7 mi (8 to 11.3 km) to the south of Interstate 90Interstate 90 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 90 runs roughly northwest through the northern end of the state, from the Indiana border to Wisconsin. I-90 traverses a variety of settings, from farmland west of the Fox River Valley to medium-density suburban west of O'Hare International Airport, to the...
(I-90), which it parallels. From US 20, the highway travels over a half-mile-long (0.8 km) bridge over the Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
Milwaukee District West Line tracks, and some wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s. The freeway then enters Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
from DuPage County
DuPage County, Illinois
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 916,924, White Americans made up 77.9% of Dupage County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 70.5% of the population. Black Americans made up 4.6% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.3% of Dupage County's population...
and intersects IL 19
Illinois Route 19
Illinois Route 19 is a major east–west arterial road in northeastern Illinois, United States. It runs from Illinois Route 25 in Elgin, to Lake Shore Drive on the north side of Chicago. Illinois 19 is long...
(Irving Park Road). At Meacham Road, the freeway crosses back south into DuPage County.
The expressway is unusual in that both its termini have traffic signals with major arterial roads in the area. This arrangement causes large backups during weekday rush hours. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation
Illinois Department of Transportation
The Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
(IDOT), average daily traffic counts (in 2003) for the Elgin–O'Hare Expressway are 39,600 vehicles for the western two miles (3.2 km) and around 82,000 to 87,000 cars per day for the remainder.
A four-lane arterial roadway continues east, named Thorndale Avenue. This road terminates at York Road near the western border of O'Hare Airport.
History
The expressway was considered in the late 1980s due to increasing congestion on local roads, especially US 20 (Lake Street). Although Lake Street was extensively widened prior to the completion of the expressway, initially to Glen Ellyn Road and then to the Roselle-Bloomingdale border nearly ten years later, its capacity was still insufficient for the rapidly growing western suburbs. Construction on the expressway began around 1991 and was completed two years later. Governor Jim EdgarJim Edgar
James Edgar is an American politician who was the 38th Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999 and Illinois Secretary of State from 1981 to 1991. As a moderate Republican in a largely blue-leaning state, Edgar was a popular and successful governor, leaving office with high approval ratings...
opened the expressway at an afternoon ceremony on November 2, 1993.
Prior to the expressway's opening, the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway was briefly marked as IL 19 on guide signs over the highway. The signs were removed shortly before the highway was opened, but it is unknown as to whether IL 19 will be moved onto the expressway after it is fully completed.
Western extension
Original plans intended for the Elgin-O'Hare to continue westward from its interchange at US 20/Lake Street, circling around the Ontarioville neighborhood of Hanover Park to rejoin Lake Street at a point further west. From there, the existing US 20 alignment would be used to connect the expressway to Elgin. The existing US 20 interchange is designed to allow for a future westward expansion of the Elgin–O'Hare.no western extension of the Elgin–O'Hare has been funded in Illinois' Five-Year Highway Improvement Plan. However, a western extension in some form continues to appear in long-range planning documents.
Eastern extension
IDOT is currently planning an ambitious eastward extension of the Elgin-O'Hare from its eastern terminus at IL 53 (Rohlwing Road) to a new interchange on the western border of O'Hare International Airport, where it will meet a west bypassO'Hare Ring Road
The O'Hare Ring Road is a proposed, highly controversial Interstate-standard expressway near Chicago that would run south from Interstate 90 , to the still-unbuilt eastern segment of the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway, to a western access point into O'Hare International Airport, and then east to the...
of the airport connecting I-90 to the north and I-294
Tri-State Tollway
The Tri-State Tollway is a U.S. toll road maintained by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority in northeastern Illinois which is considered one of the most heavily traveled highways in the country...
to the south. This interchange may also incorporate ramps into a planned western terminal at O'Hare.
The highway would follow an alignment close to that of the existing Thorndale Avenue, through the communities of Itasca
Itasca, Illinois
Itasca is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,302 at the 2000 census.In 2009, BusinessWeek rated Itasca as the 'Best Affordable Suburb' in the state of Illinois...
, Wood Dale
Wood Dale, Illinois
Wood Dale is a city in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,535 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wood Dale is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, Elk Grove Village
Elk Grove Village, Illinois
Elk Grove Village is a municipality located in northeastern Illinois adjacent to O'Hare International Airport and the City of Chicago. Elk Grove Village encompasses in land area with located in Cook County and located in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 32,745 at the 2010 census...
, and Bensenville
Bensenville, Illinois
Bensenville is a village located primarily in DuPage County, Illinois, with a small section near O'Hare International Airport in Cook County, Illinois, overlapping into the city of Chicago. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 20,703. Bensenville is home to the Edge Ice Arena, home of...
.
These plans have caused controversy in the communities along and near the highway's proposed alignment, mostly related to issues of eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
. Concerned about large-scale taking of industrial properties for the new highway, Elk Grove Village and Bensenville protested any highway expansion through their towns, and Wood Dale was concerned about large-scale taking of private homes along the highway alignment. However, highway planners were able to choose an alignment that minimizes takings through these communities, and their respective governments have dropped any formal opposition.
The plans for the eastward extension are ambitious, including not only a new expressway but also a set of frontage roads, numerous improvements to bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in the surrounding communities, and a transit line in the highway median, either in the form of light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
or bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
.
On August 25, 2011, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority is an instrumentality and administrative agency of the State of Illinois, United States. The roads, as well as the Authority itself, are sometimes referred to as the Illinois Tollway...
(ISHTA) approved a $12 billion dollar capital plan, doubling toll rates to fund it. The plan calls for the Elgin–O'Hare Expressway to be converted to a tollway, widened, and extended east to the planned O'Hare Western Bypass. ISTHA will widen the expressway from four to eight lanes when the eastern extension is built.