OT: Travel around Chicago

We have a number of people on this board who travel to, from, and through Chicago on a regular basis. So, if you haven't gotten the news already: bring TWICE the amount of cash for tolls this year. It's now $1.50 at Gurnee and $1.00 where 94 joins US 41 (near UL headquarters).

I got my New Years surprise yesterday, when I went to visit the Shedd Aquarium. It torqued me off so bad, I took US 41 home.

Do those of you in Chicago know if they raised the toll on the Skyway, too?

AK

About as close as I get to the city is Aurora and Joliet. Here, 90 miles west, they sell the I-Pass, which did not get the increase in rates. Nearsst toll road is I-355 beyond Romeoville, I-94 in Rockford, and I-88 north crossing at Rochelle (I never take it, old state highways just fine).

The Skyway was sold to a private contractor, or at least leased out for 20 years. So, no surprise it went up.

The theory behind raising tolls is to relieve congestion. Higher tolls, remove some congestion at toll boths, everyone gets I-pass, remove toll boths........

Will it work? Probably not.

More people "runing" the boths maybe.

Shoot first, don't ask questions later.

For those coming in to the automation show, everything will probably be higher. I think cab rates went up. I didn't get any free public transportation passes yet,, so they may be eliminated this year.

Welcome to Illinois, a state that should divide. We have the State of Chicago (including Cok county and they suburbs, and "Forgotonia", those of us downstate.

Ride a train, No toll boths!

regards.....casey

Ya'll should move to MI...Not one toll road in sight!...But no public transportation either....

Ya'll???

Oh, yeah, you are in Southern Michigan.

Did you hear about the moving truck and trailer rental company located in the deep South? They are called Y'all Haul.

regards.....casey

One of my customers is in Chicago, and I had to stay there for about nine months a couple of years ago. It was probably the highest cost of living I have ever experienced, and I had to bill $350 per day just for my hotel, car, parking, and meals, let alone the tolls. But it turns out that Chicago is my favorite city ever, and I would gladly live there if I didn't have to have a car.

I have known several people who lived in Chicago with no cars.

One guy lived, worked, and shopped in Marina City.

One guy live on the edge of Chicago, worked 4 blocks away. Waliking distance to church, schools, shopping. Occasionally taxi or bus rides. Worked for State Police radio shop for 35 years.

Locals seem to know the ins and outs, unbelievably.

When I was still working at the locomotive plant 12 miles west of the loop, I seldom used any tollways. i did for a short cut to a barnes and noble, or in really bad weather, I would take the east-west tollway becuase of the extra snow plows they had. I lived 90 miles out, 35 miles south of the E-W.

Would take city streets into edge of Chi for lunch, and I-55 (Stevenson) into cith to Mc Cormick place for trade shows.

When I was younger (19-28) I would drive owntown to go to Old town or to the US Courthouse to take FCC tests.

Not any more.

Took family up on train several years back, really fun. took city bus to museum of Science and Industry, bus rides really scary.

Toll roads to iffy for me, never know if they are going to be a huge parking lot or not.

Apartments not cheap.

Little town (perhaps 3000 people) 60 miles west now has 26 subdivisions going in.

Testsubject: That's Minooka, you're gettin neighbors, sorta, surely someone will be puttin tract homes near you.

Chicago, or Chicagolandia, a fun place.

If you can't find it there, it don't exist.

Trivia: How many plc manufacturers are there in Chicago and the suburbs???

regards.....casey

akreel said:

It's now $1.50 at Gurnee and $1.00 where 94 joins US 41 (near UL headquarters).

Click to expand...

You guys got it cheap! Try driving in or around NYC...

Bridge or tunnel                             Car toll    |Motorcycle toll

Two-way toll unless otherwise noted (USD)    Cash|E-ZPass Cash|E-ZPass



Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel                      4.00|3.50   |1.75|1.75

Queens-Midtown Tunnel                        4.00|3.50   |1.75|1.75

Triborough Bridge                            4.00|3.50   |1.75|1.75

Bronx-Whitestone Bridge                      4.00|3.50   |1.75|1.75

Throgs Neck Bridge                           4.00|3.50   |1.75|1.75

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (No eastbound toll) 8.00|7.00   |3.50|3.50

Henry Hudson Bridge                          2.00|1.50   |1.75|1.25

Marine Parkway Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge    2.00|1.33   |1.75|1.25

Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge           2.00|1.33   |1.75|1.25

kc9ih said:

The theory behind raising tolls is to relieve congestion. Higher tolls, remove some congestion at toll boths, everyone gets I-pass, remove toll boths........

Click to expand...

[SARCASM]

Very true! Thanks to higher tolls and EZ-Pass, we now have very little traffic around here!

[/SARCASM]

beerchug

-Eric

kc9ih wrote:

Trivia: How many plc manufacturers are there in Chicago and the suburbs???

Click to expand...

Since you dubbed us the State of Chicago, I would consider Milwaukee a suburb and so I'd answer at least one.

On Feb 16 the Skyway is going to change from $2/car to $2.50/car. I believe trucks will get a much worse tick up.

akreel:

We were just at the Shedd on Friday. How'd you like it? Talk about expensive though... Since we're close, it was better for us to become members and get to come back for free than pony up the $78 for 2 adults and 2 kids to see everything. My kids favorite part was the penguins.

I hear they changed the Illinois motto: "Welcome to Illinois, Pay for our roads and leave!".

BTW Is anyone coordinating a PLCS.net get together for Manufacturing Week....?

Norm:

National Manufacturing Week:

Had a post last fall, think I'll post a poll as to the best days. I known at least a half dozen that will attend for sure.

As far as Milwaukee being a suburb, I don't think our friends on the other side of the cheddar curtain will agree...

PLC Manufacturers in Chicago, didn't even consider AB...

regards.....casey

Well, looks like my daily toll budget just got doubled. I think I should finally get my a** up and get myself an I-Pass. Especially since they are now available at every Jewel drugstore.

Running the booth? Oh boy... About year and a half ago, the state subcontracted toll booth monitoring to a private company. I know well too many people who used to run the booths for years... and now got hit with huge fine bills - each one with a clear picture of their car. No more of that sh** - capitalism does work.

Another word to the wise (New Yorkers, dont laugh please) - if you happen to indulge in the sin of smoking. Stay away from buying cigarettes anywhere within Cook county (that is the whole City of Chicago plus the nearest suburbs). Just by crossing Lake-Cook Road northward you are immediately saving at least two bucks a pack.

I-Pass

At least you can have only one I-pass and register it for several cars.

Just gotta remember to transfer it when you take the other car into the city...

FYI this is how you spell Y'all

I am in the real SOUTH.

Re: I-Pass

kc9ih said:

At least you can have only one I-pass and register it for several cars.

Click to expand...

I assume the I-Pass is essentially the same RFID thingy as the EZ-Pass I use? If so, learn from my mistake...

I got the tag that you stick on the windshield for my truck a few years back. When I bought my new car, I just grabbed the tag out of the truck the times I needed it. A few times on the Garden State Parkway, it failed to read, and I had to throw change in the basket to get the gate to open. Maybe the battery was dying?...

I drove up to Connecticut one day, which entailed travelling the NY Thruway (I-95). A week later, I received a $36 fine from the Thruway authority for using the EZ-Pass lane without a tag (they get your plate number on camera). On the Thruway, EZ-Pass simply displays "Call EZ-Pass" if the tag doesn't read. Not very descriptive if you ask me. Now the worst part... I had gone to CT again the day after my first trip. Sure enough, ANOTHER $36 fine arrived in the mail the following day...

I figured I'd better add my new car to the account before I got any more fines. FYI, you need to register the plate number so if the tag doesn't read, at least they can associate the car with your account. Why they can't associate MY name and MY address as being the same registered owner as my truck, I don't know...

Once I went to the website to add my new car to the account, I finally realized why the tag wasn't reading. My car has a special windshield, and the RF won't pass through it easily. I had to get a tag that mounts to the front license plate. One benefit is that it reads the tag slightly quicker since it's further forward...

Just hoping to save someone a few unnecessary fines...

beerchug

-Eric

I was planning on making it to the design show. I usually do not take the tollways so this has not affected me that much. I have become very acquainted with Chicago's transit system of late since I went back to school. I am on the Metra 4 times a week now.

(Looking forward to next week. Scool Starts back up. I have gained 5 pounds since school let out. I am not walking everywhere)

Eric Nelson said:

Bridge or tunnel                             Car toll    |Motorcycle toll

Two-way toll unless otherwise noted (USD)    Cash|E-ZPass Cash|E-ZPass



Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel                      4.00|3.50   |1.75|1.75

Queens-Midtown Tunnel                        4.00|3.50   |1.75|1.75

Triborough Bridge                            4.00|3.50   |1.75|1.75

Bronx-Whitestone Bridge                      4.00|3.50   |1.75|1.75

Throgs Neck Bridge                           4.00|3.50   |1.75|1.75

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (No eastbound toll) 8.00|7.00   |3.50|3.50

Henry Hudson Bridge                          2.00|1.50   |1.75|1.25

Marine Parkway Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge    2.00|1.33   |1.75|1.25

Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge           2.00|1.33   |1.75|1.25

Click to expand...

Eric, is it the Lincoln tunnel that's $7.50? I accidentally got in the EZ-pass lane there and they waved me through. OOPS!