Wakefield-Chicago

[BP125V]

90

D,

90 is under construction east of Rockford, I would not go that way.

[ricochet112]

How bad is I80 East bound through Chicago? I see quite a bit of construction shown here- http://www.travelmidwest.com/lmiga/c....REGIONAL.I-80

We decided to go up through Michigan from Cedar Point Ohio to miss traffic, and finally get a chance to go over the Mackinaw Bridge.

[rball82]

I took the ferry from Luddington MI to Manitowoc WI a couple weeks ago and would recommend if you have the time. Sounds like this could be the last year for this boat.

[Kip69w]

Road Report From A Super Trucker

Here is my take of driving thru Chicago... as I have the unfortunate job of driving thru it on a daily basis

• Heading NB - (say from Indiana 80)
- 6am to 9am; Use 294
- 9am to 2pm; Use 94

• Heading SB (say from Milw on 94)
- 5am to 10am Use 294
- 10am to 2pm Use 94

• Optimal Haulin' Ash Hours:
9pm to 4am on I-94 (right thru downtown Chgo!)

1. If you can plan your ETA to Chicago at the times listed above, going up 94 into Milwaukee should work well...
   
2. If your ETA is anything other than listed above, I'd consider the I-80 to I-39 suggestion

• Really Bad Spots:
• I-80 E+W between I-57 and I-55
• I-90 E+W from 294 to I-39

Oh, and please be nice to truckers... don't change lanes directly in front of us!!
(I rarely check my brake pads on my rig!) Ouch! LoL

[14-H]

Dana: From someone who lives south of Chicago and has to figure out how to get through or around it regularly: best advice comes from Kip Trump and Brewster.

From Kip: If you're going through Saturday afternoon, go right down town. Take I65 out of Indy till it ends in Gary, Indiana, and then take the Chicago Skyway (I-90) to I-94. Take that right downtown and follow the signs to Milwaukee. You will be heading into Chicago when most people are also headed in from the suburbs for the afternoon/evening but not from Indiana so the trip from the south to downtown should be good and on the northside, everyone else will be going the other way so your trip north should be fine.

From Brewster: Relax and go through Michigan. I know you have never run Top O'. So you should take the family, leave on Friday and stop off at Mackinac and enjoy the sights. Just don't drive across the U.P. in the dark or you are going to spear a deer just like you nearly speared me at Constantine in the first turn.

Good luck.

[mike ross]

Ed last time he went to Macinaw we worked his car over and stole his Holt Racing sign off the car. I think he is scared to go that way now. See in-da-up. Mikey

[Wagneracing06]

Hey Dana,
Just let Amy drive. You'll make really good time with that 100 mile differential. And if she gets a ticket, the points are on her license. Sorry Amy, I just had to post this comment. Good Luck Dana!

Rick Sr.

[burl11]

From Kip: If you're going through Saturday afternoon, go right down town. Take I65 out of Indy till it ends in Gary, Indiana, and then take the Chicago Skyway (I-90) to I-94. Take that right downtown and follow the signs to Milwaukee.

Good luck.

Are you recommending going all the way to Milwaukee on I-94, then west on I-94 to I-39??

Posts about Chicago make Atlanta sound like a leisurely drive in the park!

[ryan_4z]

Are you recommending going all the way to Milwaukee on I-94, then west on I-94 to I-39??

Posts about Chicago make Atlanta sound like a leisurely drive in the park!

Does this mean we'll see you there Tom?

[burl11]

Does this mean we'll see you there Tom?

Yes, we've been studying up on the multiple maps to get there; afraid to blindly trust the GPS through the concrete jungle of Chicago...

[ryan_4z]

That is a wise fear. Good luck and we'll see you there!

[hagerl8m]

Go through Michigan

Go into the U.P. and go through Marquette. I get to see how far it is from my appartment and right by work every day. Plus if you time it right you can call me and I'll meet up with you for a bite to eat.

[thepiranhabros]

Not bad, but too confusing...

Dana,

look at taking I 65 to I 80 west, then north on 355 to I 88 west to I 39 north up into WI. this will skirt you around Chicago, not sure about actual milage though.

if you do go this way pay attention to the lake in the NW quadrant where I 88 meets I 39 - that is our Rochelle, IL site right next to the highways.

This is not a bad route, but is too confusing, and it still puts you into suburban traffic which can be as bad or worse than driving through Gary, IN and Chicago.

From Cincinnati, I would consider taking 74 out of Ohio, around Indy, to Bloomington/Normal, IL. Then take 39/51 straight through Wisconsin and into the U.P.

This adds about 50 miles over the Gary/Chicago route, but is all rural, open-road driving. And it is boring as H-E-double-bamboo-shoots through Illinois, so don't forget the coffee.

Good luck!