The Illinois Tollway has announced it is prepared to manage road conditions and assist drivers as a winter storm moves through Northern Illinois. The agency urges motorists to slow down, allow extra time for travel, and increase their distance from other vehicles during the expected sleet, freezing rain, and snow forecasted for Friday morning into Saturday.
To maintain safe driving conditions on its 294-mile system, the Tollway will deploy all 196 of its plows. In addition, more than 200 staff members and supervisors per shift will work to remove snow and ice from the roads. The Snow Operations Center will coordinate the response to changing weather conditions that could reduce visibility and create hazardous pavement.
Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse said: “We’ll be plowing and spreading de-icing materials throughout this storm to clear our roads of snow and ice to keep our customers safe as they travel on our system. We’re urging drivers to help us protect them during this storm by slowing down, increasing their distance from other vehicles and, if they need roadside assistance, by dialing *999 and remaining inside their vehicles until help arrives. Any time drivers have to stop along our roads, they should stay inside their vehicles, where they are much safer and better protected than they would be if they exit their vehicles and put themselves in danger of encountering fast-moving traffic.”
Drivers who become stranded or require aid can dial *999 for roadside assistance. The Tollway advises motorists who need help to remain in their vehicles with hazard lights activated until assistance arrives.
For real-time updates on road conditions or incidents, drivers can sign up for Tollway Trip Tweets via X (formerly Twitter) at illinoistollway.com. For crashes involving property damage only, drivers are directed to continue driving when possible and complete an Illinois State Police crash report online at https://isp.illinois.gov/CrashReports/CrashReportDisclaimer.
Motorists are reminded that Illinois’ “Move Over Law” requires changing lanes or slowing down when passing any vehicle with hazard lights activated or emergency vehicles with flashing lights still moving. Drivers should also exercise caution when passing snowplows working in tandem at slower speeds.
The agency offers several winter travel tips: ensure cellphones are fully charged before trips; check tire pressure due to temperature drops; keep gas tanks at least half full; carry a cold weather safety kit including gloves, boots, blankets, flares, water, and a flashlight; use hands-free devices only while driving; and focus attention solely on the road.
The Illinois Tollway operates without state or federal funding for maintenance or operations. It maintains key routes across 12 counties in Northern Illinois including I-88 (Reagan Memorial), I-355 (Veterans Memorial), I-90 (Jane Addams Memorial), I-94/I-294/I-80 (Tri-State), and Illinois Route 390.
