‘We finally got the ramp open’: Access from tollway to North Avenue a game changer

A major source of frustration and traffic congestion in the Elmhurst area will be tamed when a new Tri-State (I-294) ramp opens later this week.

Leaders from the Illinois tollway, Cook County and are communities celebrated completion of the ramp from southbound I-294 to County Line Road, with access to North Avenue and Lake Street, Monday.

“The area surrounding North Avenue and Lake Street is one of the most important commercial and industrial corridors along the Tri-State Tollway,” tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse said.

“For years, congestion on the I-290 interchange limited access from I-294. It created bottlenecks that affected commuters. It affected freight movement, and local businesses.”

The ramp, estimated to handle about 5,700 vehicles daily, is expected to open Saturday and could reduce travel times on local roads by up to 65%.

“It’s a big deal for us,” Northlake Mayor Jeff Sherwin said. “It’s going to ease movements of traffic into our industrial area and our commercial area. All the towns east of us, I think all the way to Oak Park, are going to benefit because North Avenue now will have direct access from the tollway going eastbound.”

Tolls to use the ramp will be 30 cents for cars and from $1.20 to $3.05 for trucks, with nighttime discounts.

The tollway collaborated with Cook County on a broader North Avenue interchange project. Along with the ramp, it includes realigning County Farm Road and rebuilding and reconfiguring North Avenue, Lake Street, Northwest Avenue and I-290 Frontage Road.

“I’m surprised (the ramp) was never built originally when they built the tollway seeing as North Avenue is so busy,” Sherwin said.

A major hotel was built in Northlake near the Tri-State in 1968 “on the promise that they were going to get the ramp. The ramp didn’t come (and) the hotel went bust,” Sherwin recounted, adding the site is currently home to Concorde Place seniors residence.

“Here we are 57 years later; we finally got the ramp open.”

The improvement should also relieve problems in Elmhurst from westbound North Avenue drivers turning around in neighborhoods after exiting I-290 to go east.

The interchange project will cost more than $50 million. Other upgrades include: widening the Lake Street Bridge; adding seven new or improved signalized interchanges; and detention ponds and storm sewers to deter flooding on North Avenue.