Illinois smart highway and widening project planned

The US state of Illinois is setting out plans for a US$4 billion project to widen the central Tri-State route. The project is being planned by Illinois Tollway and has received approval from an Illinois Tollway committee. The work would see the route being widened between Chicago’s 95th Street to Balmoral Avenue in Rosemont. The upgraded stretch of highway will feature SmartRoad technology. This will deliver real time traffic data in real time to drivers. The sophisticated technology will also allow Illinois Tollway to determine how best to manage the system of flex lanes so as to minimise congestion and maximise capacity. This 35km section of the route carries heavy traffic, up to 155,000 vehicles/day, and suffers congestion at peak periods. The work would add an extra lane in either direction, with the flex lanes on the hard shoulders able to be used by buses or emergency vehicles.