Can the state of Illinois do anything right?

[lrrifleman]

I just spent about an hour trying to figure what it would cost to go to the F class Nationals in Lodi, WI. I intend to drive, if I go. Mapquest.com was very helpful planning the route and fuel expenses. The toll calculators for the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Ohio Turnpike, and Indiana Turnpike were very straight forward. Then I went to the Illinois toll calculator ... big mistake. I spent a good half hour trying to get the dang thing to calculate a toll, coming from the Indiana Turnpike headed towards Milwaukie. I just couldn't get the dang thing to recognize my entry or exit points. Everything seemed to be set up for a local to operate! From the looks of things, the only toll roads in Illinois seem to be around, and radiate from Chicago. I tried to visualize a way to bypass both Chicago and the toll roads without putting excessive mileage on my car, but no luck.

I have not experienced frustration like this in a LONG time!

Thank you for patiently wading through my rant!

 

[swsig]

How about this as an alternative?:

Lake Express - the fast Lake Michigan ferry - Milwaukee to Muskegon

You can avoid Chicago (and Illinois) entirely.

 

[johngalt]

If you want to bypass Chicago, take I 70 to Indianapolis, 74 to Bloomington, IL, then 39 N to Madison. This also bypasses Milwaukee.

If going through Chicago, take the 294 toll road around. If you don't have an I-Pass/EZ-Pass, you will have to stop at 5 or 6 toll booths, I think about 1.60 each, except the northern most one which is 2.something. The IPass is half price and you don't have to stop. They are sold at all of the oasis stops.

 

[jeff85]

Go to Muskegon Mi. and take the ferry to Milwaukee.

 

[Muss Muggins]

So, you ain't going? I didn't do that much planning for my first wedding . . .

I just spent about an hour trying to figure what it would cost to go to the F class Nationals in Lodi, WI. I intend to drive, if I go. Mapquest.com was very helpful planning the route and fuel expenses. The toll calculators for the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Ohio Turnpike, and Indiana Turnpike were very straight forward. Then I went to the Illinois toll calculator ... big mistake. I spent a good half hour trying to get the dang thing to calculate a toll, coming from the Indiana Turnpike headed towards Milwaukie. I just couldn't get the dang thing to recognize my entry or exit points. Everything seemed to be set up for a local to operate! From the looks of things, the only toll roads in Illinois seem to be around, and radiate from Chicago. I tried to visualize a way to bypass both Chicago and the toll roads without putting excessive mileage on my car, but no luck.

I have not experienced frustration like this in a LONG time!

Thank you for patiently wading through my rant!

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

If you live in N.J., you should know that toll roads just spring up! In Cumberland and Atlantic counties, there is one now that wasn't a toll last year!

Besides you F-class guys can shoot all the way to Wisconsin! it's just a few more minutes of elevation and three minutes of spin-drift!

In all seriousness, get the E-Z Pass!

Ivan

 

[lrrifleman]

@ Muss,

I honestly don't know at the moment. I like to map things out, since I hate surprises, especially when it comes to money!

@ swsig, jeff85, and johngalt,
Thank you for suggesting alternate routes, I will give them serious consideration!

 

[lrrifleman]

If you live in N.J., you should know that toll roads just spring up! In Cumberland and Atlantic counties, there is one now that wasn't a toll last year!

Besides you F-class guys can shoot all the way to Wisconsin! it's just a few more minutes of elevation and three minutes of spin-drift!

In all seriousness, get the E-Z Pass!

Ivan

Ivan, I do have EZ Pass, but what I looked at earlier, didn't show EZ Pass as being accepted.

I just got a 223 round that can make it to the thousand yard target, I need a little more time to get it to the point that it will reach Wisconsin!

You do have me at a loss, though. What road in Atlantic and Cumberland Counties recently became a toll road?

Ed

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Chicago tolls have nothing on Newark. I think I was stopped for three tolls before I left the Newark airport.

 

[Arik]

Does it matter? I drive from PA to FL. Have no idea how many tolls or how much, I just pay as I go through

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[lrrifleman]

Does it matter? I drive from PA to FL. Have no idea how many tolls or how much, I just pay as I go through

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Please don't take this the wrong way, but yes, when you are a disabled single parent raising 2 kids on a fixed income, how money is spent does matter!

 

[Watchdog]

Does it matter?

Yeah, it matters to some people. If you know in advance what the tolls will be, you can zip through using the exact change lane.

Remember what happened to Sonny Corleone.

 

[Arik]

Yeah, it matters to some people. If you know in advance what the tolls will be, you can zip through using the exact change lane.

Remember what happened to Sonny Corleone.

Lol

We don't have an exact change lane here! Just cash or E-ZPass!

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[vytoland]

Can the state of Illinois do anything right?.........you ask this question about a place that is one step away from junk bond status.....

 

[bigwheelzip]

The EZ-Pass page for IL.

Summary of Illinois Facilities

 

[H Richard]

I live in IL and I stay below I-80.

 

[model70hunter]

They are trying. Both previous govenours are still in prison, right?

 

[vytoland]

They are trying. Both previous govenours are still in prison, right?

illinois as a long history of the top dogs in the kennel.....

 

[johngalt]

If you want to bypass Chicago, take I 70 to Indianapolis, 74 to Bloomington, IL, then 39 N to Madison. This also bypasses Milwaukee.

If going through Chicago, take the 294 toll road around. If you don't have an I-Pass/EZ-Pass, you will have to stop at 5 or 6 toll booths, I think about 1.60 each, except the northern most one which is 2.something. The IPass is half price and you don't have to stop. They are sold at all of the oasis stops.

I just drove from Milwaukee to Lafayette this weekend, using I-294. The tolls are $1.50, except the northern most one, which is $2.80. I didn't count them, but I think 5 or 6 is close.

Timing is important, avoid rush hour. I went through about 4:00 - 5:00 PM Sunday. There was a couple spots where traffic stopped for no apparent reason (around O'hare airport is probably the worst). Otherwise traffic moved along at 70-80 mph.