Routing Through/Around Chicago?

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Curious as to routing options around Chicago. We will be traveling from Minneapolis to Mansfield. I normally take I94 to I39, then head east on I80 and tie into I94 south of Chicago. It's a bit further but avoids a lot of tolls. Traffic is good until Joliet where it can get heavy.
I checked out the Good Sam trip router and they recommend staying on I94 almost to Milwaukee and then dropping south along the lake on I94 and US 41. Looks like a lot of traffic.
Does anybody have other suggestions? Tolls are not desirable but OK if we avoid significant traffic.
Thx, Steve

[Mandy Canales]

Steve...I would agree with the I-94 and the I-39 to I-80; then I think if time is no problem I would pick up 30 just east of Joliet and take it all the way to Mansfield.  Just a thought.

[Doug Allman]

You are either going around it like you do or you are going thru it. If you go thru it we have always hugged the lakeshore I-94 to I-90 then to I-80/94 east where you have to go either I80/90 toll or I-94 across bottom of Michigan. I-94 across Michigan is full of trucks.
From Joliet east to Indiana is the best road condition we have ever seen since we started using I-80 in 1966 going west. They have finally got all the road work completed and traffic moves right thru. We always get into a center lane and move right along to keep pace or a little above pace as it is again always full of trucks. If we can find a lane where the truckers are moving steadily we get in and keep up with whatever the speed and sometimes they are moving right along. Never seen a cop with anyone stopped yet unless it was a 4 wheeler.

We have dropped down to 30 or 6 when construction was terrible on I-80 and if you want traffic and lights they both have it. Much easier with big rig and tow to just move on thru on I-80.

[Lawrence Tarnoff]

I've driven around Chicago eastbound from Milwaukee more times than I can recall.  When in a car, I almost always take I-94 south through the city proper and then the Chicago skyway.  Traffic is usually hideous, but manageable in a car.  I took the Beaver around Chicago this May.  I elected to take the I-294 bypass and found that to be a relatively easy drive in the coach.  I-94 in Michigan had construction and reduced lanes from about the state line to Michigan City.  I-80, which we took on the return trip, also had construction and reduced number of lanes.

Larry

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

Thanks for the info!
Steve