Long-Awaited, $780 Million I-390 Extension Opens Nov. 1

kanecountyconnects / October 31, 2017 / Comments Off / Development, Government, Transportation, WK-Features

The long-awaited, “cashless tollway” I-390 extension — part of the $3.4 billion Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project — is set to open tomorrow (Wednesday, Nov. 1).

Directions were written out for the ribbon-cutting and press conference that will take place at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday on the expressway, just west of IL Route 83, because the new tollway wasn’t yet available on major mapping applications.

“The Illinois Route 390 Project will improve travel efficiency, provide western access to O’Hare International Airport, enhance air, rail and trucking connections and reduce congestion,” the Illinois Tollway says on its website.

In fact, the new Illinois Route 390 and adjoining I-290 Interchange is expected to reduce travel time by more than 7 minutes for the 11-mile trip between the western side of O’Hare International Airport and U.S. Route 20/Lake Street — a savings of 25 percent.

Part of Elgin O’Hare Project

The improvements are the first big step in the Elgin O’Hare Western Access Project, which is included in the Illinois Tollway’s 15-year, $14 billion capital program called “Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.”

The Illinois Tollway is coordinating construction of the new Illinois Route 390 with DuPage and Cook counties, the Illinois Department of Transportation, as well as local townships, villages and police and fire departments.

For Kane County residents, especially those in northern Kane, the $780 million Illinois Route 390 Project means three lanes in each direction between I-290 and Illinois Route 83, speeding up commutes and shortening travel time to O’Hare.

The roadway is improved from Lake Street (U.S. Route 20) to I-290 and extending Illinois Route 390 east to Illinois Route 83 along the current Thorndale Avenue with bridges and frontage roads to accommodate local traffic.

This is what the project looked like in September. (CREDIT: Illinois Tollway)

Toll Collection

Illinois Route 390 is the first all-electronic roadway to open on the Illinois Tollway system.

Toll collection began July 5, 2016, on the first segment of the Illinois Route 390 Tollway from Lake Street (U.S. Route 20) to I-290. The all-electronic tolling gantries on the western segment are located west of Meacham Road/Medinah Road, west of Roselle Road and west of Gary Avenue.

Installation of toll collection points east of I-290 are completed. Toll collection will begin on the eastern segment on Nov. 1, 2017.

Toll collection points located closer together will reduce the cost of shorter trips and ensure that the rate paid for shorter trips is as fair and equitable as the rate paid by the driver traveling the entire length of the roadway.

Tolls for passenger vehicles range from 20 cents to 60 cents per transaction for I-PASS customers. The ramp toll at the Ketter Drive entrance to westbound Illinois Tollway will be 20 cents for I-PASS customers.

Passenger vehicles traveling the full length of Illinois Route 390 will pay $1.90, similar to the I-PASS toll paid to travel on the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) south extension between I-55 and I-80.