Kingery Expressway
Encyclopedia
The Robert Kingery Expressway, formerly called the Tri-State Highway, is a three-mile-long (5 km), eight-lane expressway
in northeastern Illinois
. It carries Interstates 80
and 94
from the Illinois/Indiana border at the Borman Expressway
west to Illinois Route 394
, Interstate 294
(the Tri-State Tollway
), and the southern end of the Bishop Ford Freeway
(where Interstate 94 turns north to downtown Chicago
). It also carries U.S. Route 6
west from the Indiana
state line to the U.S. 6 exit with Illinois Route 83
(Torrence Avenue).
The highway was renamed the Kingery Expressway in 1953, two years after the death of Robert Kingery. He was a former director of the Illinois Public Works, a regional director for the Chicago Regional Planning Association, as well as a proponent of the current northeastern Illinois tollway configuration until his death in 1951. However, only rarely do locals call it "The Kingery" like other named expressways (Ryan
, Eisenhower, Stevenson
, etc.), it is just called "80/94"
It should not be confused with the Kingery Highway, which is Illinois 83 in DuPage County. The Kingery Highway is a north–south six-lane divided highway
that runs up and down the length of the eastern part of the county.
The Kingery Expressway was built in 1950, and was rebuilt in 2005-2007 to add traffic lanes and better accommodate the large amount of truck traffic that travels between Chicago and all points east and southeast. Construction was completed in July, 2007. Among the improvements is the separation of traffic heading to the Bishop Ford Freeway and Torrence Avenue, with the westbound split for the Bishop Ford east of Torrence near Burnham Avenue, and an eastbound collector-distributor lane allowing a right hand exit from either I-80 or I-94 eastbound to Torrence without having to cross expressway through lanes. The Southland Interchange with the Bishop Ford Freeway, Illinois 394, and the Tri-State Tollway was also rebuilt and reconfigured.
Controlled-access highway
A controlled-access highway is a highway designed exclusively for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow and ingress/egress regulated...
in northeastern Illinois
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,...
. It carries Interstates 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
and 94
Interstate 94
Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...
from the Illinois/Indiana border at the Borman Expressway
Borman Expressway
The Frank Borman Expressway is an east–west highway in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Indiana, named after astronaut and former Eastern Airlines CEO Frank Borman. The expressway consists of parts of Interstate 80 , I-94, and U.S. Highway 6 , as well as a short section of US 41...
west to Illinois Route 394
Illinois Route 394
Illinois Route 394 is a four-lane state freeway that travels south from Thornton at the Interstate 294/Interstate 94/Interstate 80 interchange to Illinois Route 1 south of Steger and Crete. Before taking the Illinois 394 route, it was known as Illinois 1...
, Interstate 294
Interstate 294
Interstate 294 is a tolled Interstate Highway in northeastern Illinois, U.S.A.. It forms the southern portion of the Tri-State Tollway in Illinois. I-294 runs from South Holland at Interstates 80 and 94, and Illinois Route 394 to Northbrook at I-94. Interstate 294 is long; are shared with I-80....
(the Tri-State Tollway
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...
), and the southern end of the Bishop Ford Freeway
Bishop Ford Freeway
The Bishop Ford Freeway, formerly known as the Calumet Expressway, is a portion of Interstate 94 in northeastern Illinois, south of downtown Chicago. It runs from Interstate 57 south to the intersection with Interstate 80, Interstate 294 and Illinois Route 394...
(where Interstate 94 turns north to downtown Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
). It also carries U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 , also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name that honors an American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system, running east-northeast from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Until 1964, it continued south from Bishop to...
west from the Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
state line to the U.S. 6 exit with Illinois Route 83
Illinois Route 83
Illinois Route 83 is a major north–south state road in northeast Illinois. It stretches from U.S. Highway 30 by Lynwood and Dyer, Indiana north to the Wisconsin border by Antioch at Highway 83. Incidentally, this alignment is concentric with Interstate 294...
(Torrence Avenue).
The highway was renamed the Kingery Expressway in 1953, two years after the death of Robert Kingery. He was a former director of the Illinois Public Works, a regional director for the Chicago Regional Planning Association, as well as a proponent of the current northeastern Illinois tollway configuration until his death in 1951. However, only rarely do locals call it "The Kingery" like other named expressways (Ryan
Dan Ryan Expressway
The Dan Ryan is an expressway in the city of Chicago that runs from the Circle Interchange with I-290 near downtown Chicago through the South Side of the city. It is designated as both Interstate 94 and Interstate 90 south to 66th Street, a distance of...
, Eisenhower, Stevenson
Stevenson Expressway
The Stevenson Expressway is the major Interstate highway leading southwest out of the city of Chicago in Illinois. It is signed as Interstate 55 for the entire length....
, etc.), it is just called "80/94"
It should not be confused with the Kingery Highway, which is Illinois 83 in DuPage County. The Kingery Highway is a north–south six-lane divided highway
Divided Highway
Divided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...
that runs up and down the length of the eastern part of the county.
The Kingery Expressway was built in 1950, and was rebuilt in 2005-2007 to add traffic lanes and better accommodate the large amount of truck traffic that travels between Chicago and all points east and southeast. Construction was completed in July, 2007. Among the improvements is the separation of traffic heading to the Bishop Ford Freeway and Torrence Avenue, with the westbound split for the Bishop Ford east of Torrence near Burnham Avenue, and an eastbound collector-distributor lane allowing a right hand exit from either I-80 or I-94 eastbound to Torrence without having to cross expressway through lanes. The Southland Interchange with the Bishop Ford Freeway, Illinois 394, and the Tri-State Tollway was also rebuilt and reconfigured.