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To DePue From MI, OH or Indy
If you're going to DePue this weekend, you ought to avoid the dreaded Borman Expressway (I-80/94). It may take you several hours to travel only 15 miles. Here's the way that I have gone for the last several years. It is through-town traffic but at least you are moving and you can average around 30 mph through this nightmare. By the way, late nite is not any better either as they go down to one lane in both directions for night-work. I came from O'hare Wed evening at midnight and it was grid-locked in Illinois until you got into Indiana.
From Michigan: Take I-94 into Indiana. At Exit 16 (I believe), exit/cross over to I-90. Sign says "Chicago Skyway". Take I-90 ten miles to Exit 5 which is the Hammond, Calumet Ave/ US 41 Exit. (note: once you exit 90, you will come to a stop light at Calumet where you will have to make a left to go south on Calumet Ave) Go south on Calumet 4 miles (across the RR bridge and past city hall) or so to 165th St. (pay attention). Take 165th right to go west on 165th. Continue with general directions below.
Note: the street numbers get larger as you go south, so if you start seeing 166th, 170th or, God forbid, the Borman, you've missed 165th. Turn around and go back.
From Ohio: Stay on the Indiana Toll road and continue on to I-90 as you would to go to the Chicago Skyway in order to go downtown Chicago (ie: Do NOT exit for I-80). Continue to Exit 5 which is the Hammond, Calumet Ave/ US 41 Exit. Go south 4 miles or so to 165th St. (pay attention; see above). Take 165th right to go west on 165th. Continue with general directions below.
From Indianapolis: Stay on I-65 and exit at the end on to I-90 (ie: Do not take the I-80/94 exit). Take I-90 West ten miles to Exit 5 which is the Hammond, Calumet Ave/ US 41 Exit. Go south 4 miles or so to 165th St. (pay attention, see above). Take 165th right to go west on 165th. Continue with general directions below.
General Directions/Once you get to 165th Ave: Continue West on 165th. When you cross the border into Illinois, 165th becomes River Oaks Drive which passes River Oaks Mall on the north. This then becomes U.S. Hwy 6 aka 159th. Continue on 6 WestBound through S.Holland and Harvey, IL until you get to I-294 (you're now west of Chicago). Take I-294 south. Exit onto I-80 West Bound. Go on to DePue. Pay attention once you get onto 294. You will only go a couple of exits before you have to get off. If you miss the exit for WB 80, you'll be heading east on the Borman you worked so hard to go around.
If you don't believe me and later find yourself log-jammed on the Borman: You can get off on almost any exit and go north.
If you're in Gary, exit at Grant or Burr and go north to 15th St. Take 15th St West (left) into Hammond where 15th becomes 169th. Go to Indianapolis Blvd. Hang a right and go north 4 blocks to 165th. Go left/ west on 165th. Continue with "once you get to 165th ave" above.
If you're in Hammond, exit on Cline and go to 165th; go left/west to Indy Blvd. Hang a right on Indy Blvd. and go north 4 blocks to 165th. Go left/ west on 165th. Continue with "once you get to 165th ave" above.
To exit on Indianapolis Blvd: Just take the northbound exit and contiue north to 165th Ave. Go left/west on 165th. Continue with "once you get to 165th ave" above.
To Exit on Calumet Ave: Take the northbound exit and contiue north to 165th Ave. Go left/west on 165th. Continue with "once you get to 165th ave" above.
In Illinois: You can take any of the exits (Halstead or Dixie Hwy) north to US 6 aka 159th St., make a left on 6 (west) and continue on heading west on 6 as in the "once you get to 165th ave" above. My advise: don't enter Illinois on I-80/94 as the exits are all screwed-up. You'll be in the middle of one big mess.
To go home from DePue and avoid: Take 80 EB to 294 North. On 294, Exit on 159th/US6 East; continue east on 6 which becomes River Oaks Drive and then becomes 165th in Indiana. Once you get into Indiana, you can probably take Calumet Avenue south to 80-94 as East bound in Indiana is usually okay in the evening as long as they haven't started to close lanes (ie: after 11pm). Otherwise, back-track from the directions above.
Ed Hearn.
From Michigan: Take I-94 into Indiana. At Exit 16 (I believe), exit/cross over to I-90. Sign says "Chicago Skyway". Take I-90 ten miles to Exit 5 which is the Hammond, Calumet Ave/ US 41 Exit. (note: once you exit 90, you will come to a stop light at Calumet where you will have to make a left to go south on Calumet Ave) Go south on Calumet 4 miles (across the RR bridge and past city hall) or so to 165th St. (pay attention). Take 165th right to go west on 165th. Continue with general directions below.
Note: the street numbers get larger as you go south, so if you start seeing 166th, 170th or, God forbid, the Borman, you've missed 165th. Turn around and go back.
From Ohio: Stay on the Indiana Toll road and continue on to I-90 as you would to go to the Chicago Skyway in order to go downtown Chicago (ie: Do NOT exit for I-80). Continue to Exit 5 which is the Hammond, Calumet Ave/ US 41 Exit. Go south 4 miles or so to 165th St. (pay attention; see above). Take 165th right to go west on 165th. Continue with general directions below.
From Indianapolis: Stay on I-65 and exit at the end on to I-90 (ie: Do not take the I-80/94 exit). Take I-90 West ten miles to Exit 5 which is the Hammond, Calumet Ave/ US 41 Exit. Go south 4 miles or so to 165th St. (pay attention, see above). Take 165th right to go west on 165th. Continue with general directions below.
General Directions/Once you get to 165th Ave: Continue West on 165th. When you cross the border into Illinois, 165th becomes River Oaks Drive which passes River Oaks Mall on the north. This then becomes U.S. Hwy 6 aka 159th. Continue on 6 WestBound through S.Holland and Harvey, IL until you get to I-294 (you're now west of Chicago). Take I-294 south. Exit onto I-80 West Bound. Go on to DePue. Pay attention once you get onto 294. You will only go a couple of exits before you have to get off. If you miss the exit for WB 80, you'll be heading east on the Borman you worked so hard to go around.
If you don't believe me and later find yourself log-jammed on the Borman: You can get off on almost any exit and go north.
If you're in Gary, exit at Grant or Burr and go north to 15th St. Take 15th St West (left) into Hammond where 15th becomes 169th. Go to Indianapolis Blvd. Hang a right and go north 4 blocks to 165th. Go left/ west on 165th. Continue with "once you get to 165th ave" above.
If you're in Hammond, exit on Cline and go to 165th; go left/west to Indy Blvd. Hang a right on Indy Blvd. and go north 4 blocks to 165th. Go left/ west on 165th. Continue with "once you get to 165th ave" above.
To exit on Indianapolis Blvd: Just take the northbound exit and contiue north to 165th Ave. Go left/west on 165th. Continue with "once you get to 165th ave" above.
To Exit on Calumet Ave: Take the northbound exit and contiue north to 165th Ave. Go left/west on 165th. Continue with "once you get to 165th ave" above.
In Illinois: You can take any of the exits (Halstead or Dixie Hwy) north to US 6 aka 159th St., make a left on 6 (west) and continue on heading west on 6 as in the "once you get to 165th ave" above. My advise: don't enter Illinois on I-80/94 as the exits are all screwed-up. You'll be in the middle of one big mess.
To go home from DePue and avoid: Take 80 EB to 294 North. On 294, Exit on 159th/US6 East; continue east on 6 which becomes River Oaks Drive and then becomes 165th in Indiana. Once you get into Indiana, you can probably take Calumet Avenue south to 80-94 as East bound in Indiana is usually okay in the evening as long as they haven't started to close lanes (ie: after 11pm). Otherwise, back-track from the directions above.
Ed Hearn.
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