Going down to Indy for the dealer show next month. Will likely end up leaving around 3:00pm on a Friday. If I go through Chicago, it's 294 miles, but a good share of that will be a parking lot.
I could go via Bloomington, basically avoiding Chicago all together, but it adds 100 miles.
Input anyone?
Go really early or really late. In other words pre 5am or post 10 pm. It's about 6 hours plus for you, so if you schedule accordingly, you'll have little jam time. With a 3pm 'departure' you are going to have to deal with the rush hour traffic one way or another. The other thought would be to go in the dead center of the day, leave around 11 am for you. Yes, you will have some traffic jam in the loop, but otherwise you should be mostly clear.
If anyone has a decent alternate route, give a boy a clue.
I always take Hwy 41 just south of the IL/WI border off I-94. Gas is usually reasonable in Wadsworth. Then I let 41 dump me back onto I-94 north of the "City", and I take I-94 to I-65. Do not try to take Hey 41 from the City heading south.
If the traffic backs up, stop and eat dinner.
I think the worst I've had for traffic pushed me back two hours, generally, it's not bad even with the bus and trailer.
I tried that 41 route once with the van and trailer and it was a nightmare... Through town was pretty bad. I couldn't imagine doing that with the RV towing a jeep..
North of the city is easy. It's 55 to 45 MPH the whole way and you're following the route that should have been I-94. Most of the traffic is going 50 to 65.
If you were on 41 where it's 25 with stop signs and all that stuff, you got that section that I told you to avoid.
Leaving at 3pm would be the absolute worst time. You'd be better off leaving a couple hours later if you can't leave a couple hours earlier to get through there before 3pm. Take 294 to 80 to 65 and go around the city. Had pretty good luck with that leaving around 1ish from Milwaukee last fall. Some traffic, but it wasn't miserable. 294 can get pretty crappy though.
On the way back, made the very awful decision to take the skyway and 94. Worst. Ride. Ever. Unfortunately I was on a borrowed FJR with bags I could barely tiptoe, and that was not the day, nor bike I was going to learn how to lane split.
(Alexa, that was the day I stopped in to pick up my pants, and dropped my helmet on the floor.)
We used to take 41 down to 94 with box vans and cars on trailers, it wasn't the end of the world.
If it takes an extra 2 hours to go through Bloomington, it seems you have to make a choice of an extra two hours in traffic, or moving and going the added miles.
Either way, I-PASS and hold the left lane forever. :biggrin:
39 down is my route but I also live on top of 39/90. The road is better and there are less tolls. Bring 43 down to B-town and jump on the freeway.
41 to 294 to 80 east. follow 80 to 65 and you're home free from there. 80 will be the worest part of the whole trip but i've ran that route on the bike and in the truck. not too bad. just try to schedule it around rush hour in Chicago.
80 was a nightmare last time i went through there(end of summer). are they done with the construction?
there was some construction last fall but it wasn't too bad. and i always go through the i-pass lanes. done it a hundred times, never paid a toll, and never been ticketed for it. that would be up to you. but it's faster:)
the only time i've been held up there was on a friday night. it was unreal.
Quote from: Court Jester on January 22, 2007, 02:34:15 PM
the only time i've been held up there was on a friday night. it was unreal.
Which is when I'll be going through...
yeah, that's gonna suck a little bit. outside of that though, it'll be an easy trip.
well, I just have to face reality that if I'm going on Friday that we will have to pull out early to make sure we can get through without major problems.
jeff- i just did the drive from bloomington to milwaukee via rockford for the banquit. it took me about 4 hrs from home (decatur, 50 miles south of bloomington) driving 70mph. bloomington to decatur is 45-50 min. so bloom. to sussex should be pretty close to 3-3 1/2 hrs. then bloomington to indy is about the same as decatur to indy, 2 1/2-3 hrs. its a nice boring drive but no traffic
The construction season is over.
I can't speak to 294 or north of the loop, other than two uneventful trips to Milwaukee in the last couple of months, but I drive the Ryan every day from Indiana (via the skyway) and it's been a breeze since they picked up construction. I'd go straight through the city. I generally avoid 294/94 at all costs, no matter what time of year.
One caveat, I hope you have an I-Pass for the skyway's right three I-Pass lanes. The cash lanes (on the left) can be pretty backed up. I don't know if you can avoid them though if you're pulling a trailer.
Also, it won't matter when you leave. "Rush hour" starts about 2:30pm and lasts until 7:00pm.
Face it, ther is no good or fast way through or around Chicago. The place is just a traffic hell zone.
I always go 294 to 80 to 65. I've tried everything else and this has been the best. Yeah sometimes you catch bad traffic but most of the time it moves along OK with only a few back ups. I-Pass is the way to go. If you don't have one get one. I use it with and without my trailer.
Yeah, I'm with you Gordy... I don't know who I was trying to kid.. So I'll leave early and do 294-80-65 like always with the Ipass. if I'm stuck, at least the lanes are a few inches wider than 90/94..
I just came from Union Grove yesterday, on a friday and never again, down 94 and I hit the very outer edge of "somewhere" still north of 294 and it took me 2 hr to get to the outer north edge of the down town chicago. It just sucked ! But, once the traffic cleared right at the down town area it was clear to the toll and then the toll was very clear to 65.
Leave before 3pm !
i'm heading to indy tonight and have to stop in milwak first so i'll be taking the 294 to 80 rout. i'll keep track of my time and the traffic and post up with how it is. and i'll be going through chicago around 5 or 6pm on a friday night with the other 22 foot trailer. so i'll let you know.
Cool. thanks!
:ahhh: :ahhh: :ahhh:
UPDATE! The skyway is back under construction at the toll plaza. Eastbound cuts down to one lane after they take your $2.50. 45 min. backup last night. Avoid it.
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
hey jeff. i made it to indy. 294 was cake. i got on 294 at 6:29pm. a lot of cars as normal but i skiped through the I-pass spots (trailer hides the plates on the truck:) ) no hold ups and no stops. stayed between 60 and 75mph the whole way through.
just my 2cents but that'll be your best way through hands down.
oh, and it took right at 4 hours and 45 minutes (give or take) from south milwaukee to the west side of indianapols.