Tollway Officials Expect 9 Million Vehicles Over Holiday Weekend

ILLINOIS — State officials say they expect as many as 9 million vehicles to use the state tollway system this Thanksgiving weekend. Wednesday is expected to be the heaviest travel day, when nearly 1.8 million vehicles are projected to use the 294-mile tollway system — about 200,000 more than on average.

"To ensure safe travel during the Thanksgiving holiday, the Illinois Tollway is reminding our customers to be prepared before driving," said the tollway's executive director, Jose Alvarez. "Depending on the destination near or far, we provide travel services to make trips easier for Tollway drivers."

AAA estimates 13 percent more travelers this year over 2020, with peak congestion in the Chicago area expected from 2:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Officials say they are also preparing for winter weather, readying the tollway's fleet of 196 snowplows ad 88,000 tons of stockpiled road salt. But, they caution drivers to be prepared as well with an emergency kit consisting of, at a minimum, jumper cables, road flares, a flashlight, windshield washer fluid, an ice scraper, traction material such as sand or kitty litter, blankets, snacks, a first aid kit, and a cell phone and car charger.

To get real time updates on road conditions, drivers can visit the tollway's website or follow the tollway's various Twitter accounts: Tollway Trip 90, Tollway Trip 88, Tollway Trip 355, Tollway Trip 94/294 and Tollway Trip 390.

For roadside assistance, drivers can call *999 to get help from tollway maintenance crews, who can inflate tires, jump-start batteries, add coolant, fill empty gas tanks, transport stranded motorists and call tow trucks. The Illinois State Police also patrols the tollway system 24 hours a day, officials said.

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The tollway will suspend construction and temporary lane closures to ease traffic congestion for the holiday weekend, from noon Wednesday to 9 p.m. Monday, officials said. Some work may continue, and drivers are still encouraged to slow down in work zones.