Elmhurst-area commuters who use the I-294/I-88 interchange face a new lane configuration starting Thursday, Oct. 15. The new traffic pattern is part of the ongoing work to reconfigure the I-290/I-88 interchange at I-294. The configuration is scheduled to remain in place through the end of 2026.
Drivers traveling from eastbound I-88 to northbound I-294 must now use the left lane, according to an Illinois Tollway press release. Drivers heading to I-290 must use the right lane.
The change also affects northbound I-294 through-traffic. Drivers continuing through the interchange should stay in the left two lanes as they approach the traffic split at Roosevelt Road. Traffic in the right lanes will be forced onto I-290.
Drivers who accidentally exit to I-290 can reach northbound I-294 again via a posted detour through the Lake Street Interchange, the Tollway said.
Construction and electronic message signs are being placed in advance to alert drivers to the changes. Delays are expected. Up-to-date closure information is available on the Tollway's daily construction alert page.
Coordinated with Elmhurst
The ramp and road closures in the area are being coordinated with the City of Elmhurst, the City of Oakbrook Terrace, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), the villages of Berkeley, Hillside and Oak Brook, and Proviso Township, along with local fire and police departments, according to the Tollway.
Throughout October, temporary overnight ramp closures with posted detours will continue at multiple interchange ramps connecting I-294 to I-290, I-88 and Roosevelt Road for bridge reconstruction, pavement work and utility projects.
Part of a $4 billion project
The interchange reconfiguration is estimated at $800 million and is part of the $4 billion Central Tri-State Tollway Project, which is reconstructing and widening I-294 between Balmoral Avenue and 95th Street. More than 220,000 vehicles use the Central Tri-State Tollway daily, according to the Tollway.
Work on the interchange began in 2020 and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027, the Tollway said in a 2025 announcement about a fly-under ramp opening at the same interchange. Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse called that ramp opening "a critical piece of our work to reconfigure and improve travel through the entire I-290/I-88 Interchange on the Tri-State Tollway."
A 45 mph work zone speed limit is in effect on I-294 throughout the construction season. Illinois State Police enforce zero tolerance for speeding in work zones, where the minimum fine is $250.
