Weekend Storms, Busy Roads, Many Travelers: Memorial Day Essentials

Memorial Day weekend in Illinois will see humid, stormy weather and millions of people traveling in Illinois. Anticipate bumper-to-bumper traffic on expressways today, especially, with 1.9 million cars expected on the Illinois Tollway. (That's 400,000 more cars than an average day.)

Chicago's airports in recent weeks, beset by security-line waits, will see a huge surge in travelers, too.
First, here's your weekend weather outlook from the National Weather Service

• Today: We have an "elevated thunderstorm risk" for today, according to the NWS. Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and thunderstorms late in the morning, then showers and thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 60 percent. Tonight, mostly cloudy with showers and thunderstorms likely. Lows in the upper 60s. South winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.
• Saturday: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s. South winds 10 to 20 mph. Inland, the forecast calls for gusts up to 30 mph in the afternoon. At night, mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph.
• Sunday: Partly sunny. A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning. Highs in the lower 80s. Southwest winds 10 to 20 mph. On Sunday night, mostly clear. Lows in the lower 60s.
• Memorial Day: Mostly sunny in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 80s inland but only in the mid 70s near the lake.

Local Doppler Radar

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Lots of Cars

The tollway authority, in particular, is expecting its busiest weekend ever.

“We are forecasting an increase in holiday travelers for the second consecutive year, and the most in 11 years, largely due to low gas prices, a growing labor market, and rising personal incomes. If these factors continue, the travel industry should enjoy a booming summer season,” AAA President Joe Richardson said in a statement.

The Illinois Tollway anticipates nearly 7.6 million vehicles will travel the Tollway system this Memorial Day weekend from Friday, May 27, to Tuesday, May 31 – a nearly 2 percent increase from 7.4 million vehicles on the road last year, according to a tollway statement.

Construction will be limited during the weekend, although drivers are urged to use caution and slow down while navigating through any construction zone — even if workers aren't seen.

Some work may continue behind barriers to keep work on schedule, according to the tollway.

Listen to Live Traffic Updates

Roadwork Info

Roadwork will continue in these areas during the holiday:

Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90)

Between the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) and Illinois Route 25, traffic shifts are in place for the I-90 Rebuilding and Widening Project.

• Between Roselle Road and Illinois Route 53, the right eastbound lane is closed. Traffic entering from Roselle Road should be prepared to yield on the ramp and merge with I-90 traffic. On eastbound I-90 between Higgins Road (Illinois Route 72) in Rosemont and the River Road Toll Plaza, traffic is split with a work zone in the middle. Traffic on the right has access to southbound I-294 and O’Hare International Airport and traffic on the left has access to northbound I-294 and the Kennedy Expressway.
• At the River Road Toll Plaza, one open road tolling lane and one I-PASS or Pay Online lane on the cash side of the plaza are closed.

Illinois Route 390 Project

• Work continues on the Illinois Route 390 Project, with construction continuing from I-290 to Illinois Route 83 and on the new I-290 Interchange.
• On Illinois Route 390, traffic in both directions is shifted between Rohlwing Road and I-290 and work is underway along Thorndale Avenue.
• On I-290 between Devon Avenue and Irving Park Road, traffic is shifted in both directions.

Reagan Memorial Tollway

• Between U.S. Route 30 in Rock Falls and Chicago Avenue (U.S. Route 52) near Dixon, traffic is reduced to one lane in both directions.
• The ramp carrying eastbound I-88 traffic to Illinois Route 26 in Dixon is closed. A detour is posted directing drivers to exit at U.S. Route 30 10 miles in advance of Illinois Route 26.
• At the Farnsworth Avenue Interchange, traffic on southbound Farnsworth Avenue is reduced to one lane.

Need Help?

Dial *999 – If your vehicle becomes disabled, park safely on the shoulder, raise your hood and remain in your vehicle. Dial *999 and assistance will be dispatched to your location.

Airport Security Wait Times

The average wait time at O'Hare Airport is 8 minutes; the average wait time at Midway Airport is 9 minutes. Peak wait times recently have been recorded at 42 minutes for O'Hare and 44 minutes for Midway. New TSA staffers and other resources have improved the recently horrendous wait times at the security checkpoints, during which travelers reported two-to-three-hour wait times. The TSA is still advising travelers to get to the airport two to three hours prior to a scheduled flight, however.

What is Happening at Chicago's Airports?