Sussex to Indianapolis - Route Help

[Jeff]

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?

[spyderchick]

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.

[Super Dave]

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.

[Jeff]

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..

[Super Dave]

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. 

[truckstop]

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.

[251am]

 Either way, I-PASS and hold the left lane forever.   

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.   

[Court Jester]

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.

[Sobottka]

80 was a nightmare last time i went through there(end of summer). are they done with the construction?

[Court Jester]

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.

[Jeff]

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...

[Court Jester]

yeah, that's gonna suck a little bit. outside of that though, it'll be an easy trip.