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82-477: The tollway authority opened I-355 as the North–South Tollway in 1989 to ease congestion on Illinois Route 53 (IL 53), a parallel two-lane state highway in central DuPage County . Initially, I-355 ran from I-55 north to I-290. The new highway helped cut travel times for commuters traveling north and south in the county. According to commercial real estate developers at the time, the new tollway also opened

164-462: A Charity Walk/Run/Roll and "Roll the Tollway", a charity pre-opening bicycle ride on the highway's south extension. After noting the success of the festival, a tollway spokesman announced plans to repeat the event annually, including the closure of the entire southern extension. He later clarified the tollway's position, indicating that while the extension would probably not be closed in its entirety in

246-482: A June 2006 intergovernmental agreement to provide $ 20 million in both cash and in-kind contributions for the interchanges. The southern extension is expected to become an economic catalyst for municipalities located along the tollway. The Village of New Lenox estimates that it will receive an additional $ 12 million in sales taxes after its two malls are built out. In Lockport, officials have announced that new Home Depot and SuperTarget stores are planned for

328-540: A distance of 82.02 miles (132.00 km). It mainly cuts through the western suburbs of Chicago, passes through Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Crest Hill and Joliet, merging into I-55 at Gardner. IL 53 begins at the County Road 29 (CR 29) and I-55 interchange and heads east in Gardner . At the first intersection, the route runs along the path of historic US 66 for about 0.3 miles (0.48 km) before making

410-664: A freeway from Chicago to Madison, Wisconsin . The combined IL 53/IL 120 extension would have formed a large T-shape in the center of Lake County, with the IL ;120 bypass carrying through traffic from US 12 to the Tri-State Tollway around Gurnee . The extension was opposed by several organizations, notably the Illinois chapter of the Sierra Club , and many residents of Long Grove , which lies in

492-469: A full-scale EIS. Most EAs result in a FONSI. A limited number of federal actions may avoid the EA and EIS requirements under NEPA if they meet the criteria for a categorical exclusion (CATEX). A CATEX is usually permitted when a course of action is identical or very similar to a past course of action and the impacts on the environment from the previous action can be assumed for the proposed action, or for building

574-517: A major Commonwealth Edison utility corridor. The bridge is 1.3 miles (2.1 km) long, and constituted $ 125 million of the cost of the extension. Work on the bridge included the construction of 34 piers and elevation of existing high-voltage electricity lines to accommodate the highway. To limit the number of piers in the valley, the tollway authority built the bridge with both 170-foot (52 m) pre-stressed bulb tee girders and 270-foot (82 m) post-tensioned segmental concrete girders. This

656-783: A mile. It also intersects I-80 before separating from US 52 and running concurrently with US 6 entering downtown. At the intersection of US 30 , IL 53 separates from US 6 and continues north. It crosses over the Des Plaines River before running concurrently with IL 7 and passing by the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill . Near Lewis University , IL 7 separates from IL 53. The route passes by Romeoville before interchanging I-55 in Bolingbrook . IL  Lisle ,

738-484: A preliminary environmental impact statement on March 13, 1986. At a public hearing a month later, arboretum executives and Woodridge officials strongly criticized the report as "fatally flawed" and a repeat of tollway-provided research, including typographical errors. The opposition also cited outdated and inaccurate data regarding wetlands replacement, salt dispersion, and the lack of compensation to residents for lowered property values. The tollway authority agreed to run

820-571: A right and leaving former US 66. The route continues east and loops around Gardner before heading northeast, running parallel with I-55. It crosses over the Mazon River before passing through Braceville and Godley . In Braidwood , the highway intersects IL 113 and runs parallel with IL 129 . IL 129 moves away from IL 53 before entering the Hitts Siding Prairie Nature Preserve. IL 53

902-500: A spate of lawsuits were filed regarding the payment of contractors and subcontractors. Numerous liens filed by subcontractors against the tollway were settled in June, 1990 at a cost of $ 10.1 million (equivalent to $ 20.8 million in 2023). The tollway authority released an additional $ 1 million (equivalent to $ 1.95 million in 2023) in May 1992 to further settle claims made by

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984-479: A structure within the footprint of an existing, larger facility or complex. For example, two recently completed sections of Interstate 69 in Kentucky were granted a CATEX from NEPA requirements as these portions of I-69 utilize existing freeways that required little more than minor spot improvements and a change of highway signage. Additionally, a CATEX can be issued during an emergency when time does not permit

1066-586: A water collection system to divert runoff from the arboretum. In addition, they would build earthen berms along the new road, preventing salt spray from damaging arboretum plants. In exchange, the DuPage County Forest Preserve District agreed to a 99-year lease providing 189 acres (0.76 km) of its land to the arboretum for the development of an "urban vegetation laboratory". Under the agreement, Morton Arboretum agreed to charge DuPage County residents lower admissions one day of

1148-409: Is designed to involve the public and gather the best available information in a single place so that decision makers can be fully informed when they make their choices. This is the process of EIS Environmental Impact Statement Often, the agencies responsible for preparing an EA or EIS do not compile the document directly, but outsource this work to private-sector consulting firms with expertise in

1230-976: Is selected in the Record of Decision. For example, the "No Action Alternative" was selected for the I-69/Trans-Texas Corridor Tier-I Environmental Impact Statement. In that Record of Decision, the Texas Department of Transportation opted not to proceed with building its portion of I-69 as one of the Trans-Texas Corridors to be built as a new-terrain route (the Trans-Texas Corridor concept was ultimately scrapped entirely), but instead decided to proceed with converting existing US and state routes to I-69 by upgrading those roads to interstate standards. The NEPA process

1312-401: Is to help key decisionmakers and stakeholders balance the need to implement an action with its impacts on the surrounding human and natural environment, and provide opportunities for mitigating those impacts while keeping the cost and schedule for implementing the action under control. However, many activities require various federal permits to comply with other environmental legislation, such as

1394-864: The Clean Air Act , the Clean Water Act , Endangered Species Act and Section 4(f) of the Federal Highway Act to name a few. Similarly, many states and local jurisdictions have enacted environmental laws and ordinances, requiring additional state and local permits before the action can proceed. Obtaining these permits typically requires the lead agency to implement the Least Environmentally Damaging Practicable Alternative (LEDPA) to comply with federal, state, and local environmental laws that are ancillary to NEPA. In some instances,

1476-531: The Interstate 11 corridor in Nevada and Arizona are being studied through a two-tiered process By requiring agencies to complete an EIS, the act encourages them to consider the environmental costs of a project and introduces new information into the decision-making process. The NEPA has increased the influence of environmental analysts and agencies in the federal government by increasing their involvement in

1558-526: The Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway ( I-88 ) on the north end, and around I-55 on the south end. As early as 1991, tollway officials had drawn up plans to widen the highway to three lanes in each direction. Widening from North Avenue to Butterfield Road ( IL 56 ) took place in 1995. The old lines marking the former shoulder can still be seen in the right lane as a result of the tollway authority's attempt to grind them away. After

1640-529: The I-290 interchange near the border of the villages of Itasca and Addison. As a result of a toll rate increase effective January 1, 2012, the northernmost two toll plazas (Boughton Road and Army Trail Road) charge $ 1.90 cash and $ 0.95 for cars with I-Pass and E-ZPass . The Spring Creek Toll Plaza charges $ 3.80 for travelers paying with cash and $ 1.90 for I-Pass and E-ZPass. All three toll plazas force traffic paying with cash to exit right into an area separate from

1722-669: The Illinois Tollway passed the General Assembly in September 2004, with $ 729.3 million being set aside for the extension (equivalent to $ 8.66 billion and $ 1.13 billion in 2023, respectively). Bidding on an excavation contract passed on November 18, 2004 with construction beginning several days later. To document and reduce the impact of construction on the dragonfly's habitat, construction crews agreed to keep carcasses of any dragonfly kills. In addition,

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1804-451: The NEPA is to promote informed decision-making by federal agencies by making "detailed information concerning significant environmental impacts" available to both agency leaders and the public. The NEPA was the first piece of legislation that created a comprehensive method to assess potential and existing environmental risks at once. It also encourages communication and cooperation between all

1886-529: The ROD is issued, the lead agency will often coordinate with stakeholders at all levels, and resolve any conflicts to the greatest extent possible during the EIS process. Proceeding in this fashion helps avoid interagency conflicts and potential lawsuits after the lead agency reaches its decision. On exceptionally large projects, especially proposed highway , railroad , and utility corridors that cross long distances,

1968-768: The Veterans Memorial Tollway has been widened to eight lanes between 75th Street and US 34. The tollway authority added the four-mile (6.4 km), $ 60.4-million project (equivalent to $ 85.5 million in 2023) to its Congestion Relief Plan in mid-2007, and the new lanes opened on October 24, 2009. Illinois Route 53 Illinois Route 53 ( IL 53 ) is an arterial north–south state highway in northeast Illinois . IL 53 runs from Main Street west of historic U.S. Route 66 (US 66) in Gardner to IL 83 in Long Grove ,

2050-425: The action may or may not cause a significant impact, the agency can first prepare a smaller, shorter document called an Environmental Assessment (EA). The finding of the EA determines whether an EIS is required. If the EA indicates that no significant impact is likely, then the agency can release a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) and carry on with the proposed action. Otherwise, the agency must then conduct

2132-497: The actors involved in environmental decisions, including government officials, private businesses, and citizens. In particular, an EIS acts as an enforcement mechanism to ensure that the federal government adheres to the goals and policies outlined in the NEPA. An EIS should be created in a timely manner as soon as the agency is planning development or is presented with a proposal for development. The statement should use an interdisciplinary approach so that it accurately assesses both

2214-547: The approved Tier I area is further broken down into subareas, and a Tier II EIS is then prepared for each subarea, that identifies the exact location of where the proposed action will take place. The preparation of Tier II EISs for each subarea proceeds at its own pace, independent from the other subareas within the Tier I area. For example, parts of the proposed Interstate 69 extension in Indiana and Texas , as well as portions of

2296-717: The areas near 159th Street and I-355. Commercial developers are also building large warehouse facilities in areas near the Lockport interchanges. One of "the most impressive engineering feats on the state's 274 miles [441 km] of toll roads" is the Des Plaines River Valley Bridge , a bridge over the Des Plaines River, the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal , the Illinois and Michigan Canal , Bluff Road, New Avenue, numerous railroads, and

2378-537: The construction of I-355 , IL 53 was moved off the I-290/I-355 combination south of Biesterfield Road and back onto its original alignment. For over 40 years, IL 53 had been at the center of a major dispute regarding a northern extension of its freeway segment into Lake County . The studied corridor ran from the current terminus of the freeway at Lake–Cook Road north to a planned bypass for IL 120 near Grayslake , as part of an earlier plan to build

2460-628: The county. In June 1984, Republican minority leader of the Illinois House of Representatives James "Pate" Philip helped push through legislation authorizing the construction of the tollway, then referred to as simply the DuPage Tollway. Officials at the Morton Arboretum , one of the nation's premier woodland research centers, promptly filed a federal lawsuit to block construction of the tollway. They also promised to prevent

2542-755: The crosses over the Kankakee River before intersecting the northern terminus of IL 102 in Wilmington . The route then continues north through the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie , passing by the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery and the former Joliet Arsenal in Elwood . From Elwood to Joliet , the route follows the old alignment of US 66, becoming concurrent with US 52 for nearly

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2624-647: The dedicated I-Pass lanes. Drivers paying with cash then pay their tolls at staffed plaza tollbooths. I-Pass and E-ZPass equipped cars and trucks are permitted to stay on the mainline and pay tolls at highway speeds in the tollway's ORT lanes. On I-355, the only control cities that are actual cities are Joliet, St. Louis, Missouri , and from I-80, Rockford . Other control cities on I-355 are limited to general areas of suburban Chicago. For example, control cities for I-355 while on I-55 are "West Suburbs" and "Southwest Suburbs". The control city for areas north of I-88 are "Northwest Suburbs". Because of increasing congestion,

2706-435: The development process. Because an EIS requires expert skill and knowledge, agencies must hire environmental analysts. Unlike agencies who may have other priorities, analysts are often sympathetic to environmental issues. In addition, this feature introduces scientific procedures into the political process. The differences that exist between science and politics limit the accuracy of an EIS. Although analysts are members of

2788-498: The entire system to relieve congestion caused by traffic stopping at mainline toll barriers. The tollway authority began testing I-Pass , the tollway system's electronic payment method, on the entire stretch of I-355 in 1993 at various tollbooths; by September 1994, every plaza on I-355 accepted I-Pass. By 1998, the tollway authority had installed dedicated I-Pass lanes (lanes specifically set aside for electronic toll collections ) at both mainline toll barriers. In 1999, I-355 became

2870-519: The environmental health of the Des Plaines River wetlands in 1995, ignited a series of legal challenges that delayed construction of the I-355 extension for several years. The Sierra Club filed a lawsuit in 1996 to block planning of the southern extension. In January 1997, a federal judge sided with the Sierra Club, halting construction of the southern extension while the state appealed. In 1999,

2952-613: The established western suburbs of Chicago in DuPage County . Travelers pay another toll just north of Boughton Road, at the Boughton Road Toll Plaza (mile 13.5). Continuing north, I-355 has another multiple flyover interchange with I-88 (miles 19.5 and 23.0), officially designated the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway . On the southern end of the interchange, northbound I-355 has exits to both directions of I-88. I-355 then swings below I-88 and runs side-by-side with

3034-403: The exit ramp from the Tri-State Tollway ( I-294 ) to I-55 dropped 10 percent in 12 months. Drivers also reported decreases in travel time from one end of the county to the other of up to 40 minutes. However, the opening of the tollway also greatly increased congestion on I-290 near the northern terminus. A construction project in the summer months of 1990 widened I-290 just north of

3116-746: The extension to cut travel times in the region by 20 percent. Upon the extension's opening, the tollway authority changed the name of the tollway to "Veterans Memorial Tollway". From 1963 to 1970, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) planned and built a new expressway north from Army Trail Road through Schaumburg to the Northwest Tollway (now the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway ). After its completion, IDOT rerouted IL 53 onto this new expressway from Rohlwing Road. The original alignment of I-355

3198-501: The first phase of the trail. The southern terminus of I-355 is northeast of New Lenox, where the highway intersects I-80 . I-355 is routed north and slightly west through rural, hilly portions of Will County. Just after the US 6 interchange (mile 1.0), tollway drivers pay a toll at Spring Creek Toll Plaza, the only toll plaza on the southern extension of I-355. It continues north through the rural sections of Will County, having exits that serve

3280-416: The first tollway to receive I-Pass Express Lanes (also known as open road tolling , or ORT). With the installation of the express lanes, vehicles with I-Pass could be tolled at highway speeds of 55 miles per hour (89 km/h). In 2005, the tollway authority widened the express lanes from two lanes to three lanes in each direction. This allowed the number of express lanes to match the number of travel lanes on

3362-743: The first two earth moving contracts issued by the tollway authority to move forward. The tollway authority put the total cost of 17.7 miles (28.5 km) of new pavement at $ 450 million (equivalent to $ 1.04 billion in 2023). Of the total cost, $ 325 million (equivalent to $ 748 million in 2023) was allocated for construction, $ 30 million (equivalent to $ 69 million in 2023) to alleviating environmental concerns, including moving and enlarging 117 acres (0.47 km) of wetlands, and $ 30 million (equivalent to $ 69 million in 2023) for utility relocation. Work in 1987 consisted primarily of excavation, embankment building and land acquisition. Because of problems with pavement on other roads in

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3444-498: The future, a possible five-mile (8.0 km) ride across the Des Plaines River Valley Bridge may be held. At around 10:00 p.m. on November 11, a group of Illinois State Police vehicles and tollway maintenance vehicles escorted the first motorists southbound along the I-355 extension, stopping at each interchange to remove barricades. By the time the maintenance crews began to remove barricades along

3526-408: The general contractor, entering arbitration soon afterwards to settle another $ 1.6–27 million (equivalent to $ 3.12 million–52.7 million in 2023) the contractor claimed it was owed. By 2005, average annual daily traffic values had risen to a range of 77,400 to 170,200 vehicles per day. As early as 1989, the tollway authority had discussed implementing automatic toll collection across

3608-724: The highway more closely resembles a spur from I-55. Ultimately, the tollway authority kept the I-355 designation. Governor James R. Thompson and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Samuel K. Skinner dedicated the North–South Tollway on December 22, 1989. When it opened, officials estimated travel times from Schaumburg to Oak Brook would be reduced from 55 minutes to 34 minutes, and from Wheaton to Darien from 60 to 34 minutes. Tollway officials also estimated that 200,000 cars per day would use I-355. This figure has since been shown to be slightly optimistic, with maximum average daily traffic values approaching 170,200 only at

3690-573: The last issues settled prior to the opening of the tollway was the highway's number. Originally, tollway officials designated the new road I-355. Early in 1988, however, the tollway administration received a letter from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) indicating that the highway should be designated as Interstate 455. FHWA policy at the time dictated that auxiliary Interstate routes that join two other Interstate Highways should start with an even number. IDOT argued

3772-411: The latest study was suspended, effectively cancelling the project. Environmental impact statement An environmental impact statement ( EIS ), under United States environmental law , is a document required by the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making. It describes

3854-400: The lead agency may use a two-tiered process prior to implementing the proposed action. In such cases, the Tier I EIS would analyze the potential socio-environmental impacts along a general corridor, but would not identify the exact location of where the action would occur. A Tier I ROD would be issued approving the general area where the action would be implemented. Following the Tier I ROD,

3936-474: The move, Congress gave the rights to half of the $ 200 million (equivalent to $ 677 million in 2023) that had been earmarked for the Crosstown Expressway to DuPage County. However, county officials found this amount insufficient for construction of the new freeway. The officials then handed authority for the project over to the tollway authority, and spent the money on other projects in

4018-589: The new bridge. The tollway authority held a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony on Veterans Day (November 11), 2007, officially renaming the entire length of I-355 the Veterans Memorial Tollway. Ceremonies were held on the tollway near the 127th Street interchange in Lemont, at 147th Street in Homer Glen, and at US 6 in New Lenox. In addition to the dedication, the tollway authority sponsored

4100-446: The new road opened, congestion decreased considerably on nearby north–south arteries. The DuPage County Division of Transportation calculated that congestion had decreased on IL 53 by 20%, and the volume of cars on nearby north–south roads IL 53, IL 59 and IL 83 had decreased. On IL 53 between Ogden Avenue and Roosevelt Road, traffic counts sank from 21,400 to 11,800 vehicles per day. In addition, traffic on

4182-493: The northbound lanes of the extension, a group of 50 to 60 vehicles had gathered behind the crews. As part of constructing the southern extension, the tollway authority donated a 15-to-20-foot-wide (5–6 m) corridor to local municipalities for the construction of a multi-use trail , named the Veterans Memorial Trail, that will run along most of the length of the tollway from I-80 to I-55. Completion of

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4264-499: The northern end of the Interstate. The initial length of I-355 was 20.01 miles (32.20 km) from I-55 north to I-290. I-355 opened at the stroke of midnight on December 24, 1989. As a Christmas gift, the first two days of operation were free. Because of lower traffic counts at the north and south ends of the highway and lack of construction money, tollway officials built the road with four lanes from North Avenue ( IL 64 ) to

4346-789: The northern terminus of I-290 at I-90 . From there, IL 53 remains as a freeway heading north. It interchanges IL 62 , US 14 , and US 12 in Palatine . The northeast Palatine stretch that goes through the Rand (US 12) and Dundee ( IL 68 ) interchanges is considered to be one of the country's deadliest interchanges in traffic accidents. IL 53 follows Dundee (IL 68) west to Rand (US 12), and then Rand west to North Hicks Road. It then continues north on Hicks until it reaches its northern terminus at IL 83 . SBI Route 53 ran from Romeoville to Long Grove on Rohlwing Road and Hicks Road from 1924 to 1963. From 1963 through 1970, it

4428-615: The original alignment of I-355, the Transportation Plan of April 1962 included the concept of a route that ran from Bolingbrook south to Joliet . After the northern portion of I-355 opened in 1989, the Illinois General Assembly authorized the tollway authority to begin studying the southern extension of I-355. The discovery of the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly , an endangered species, and related concerns for

4510-618: The other tollway for one mile (1.6 km). Southbound exits to both directions of I-88 are at the northern end of the interchange. At the Army Trail Road Toll Plaza (mile 29.0), through traffic pays the last toll of the tollway. I-355 has no tolls north of the Army Trail Road exit (mile 30) in Addison . There is one untolled exit (mile 31.5) at US 20 (Lake Street) north of the tollway. I-355 terminates at

4592-552: The path of the highway. The Sierra Club opposed the roadway extension because it would have been routed through wetlands and the group had concerns about suburban sprawl and increased pollution. Due to funding constraints with IDOT, the Illinois General Assembly authorized the Illinois Tollway to plan and construct the IL 53 extension in 1993, and was studied on and off for 25 years. In 2019,

4674-402: The physical and social impacts of the proposed development. In many instances an action may be deemed subject to NEPA's EIS requirement even though the action is not specifically sponsored by a federal agency. These factors may include actions that receive federal funding, federal licensing or authorization, or that are subject to federal control. Not all federal actions require a full EIS. If

4756-435: The positive and negative environmental effects of a proposed action, and it usually also lists one or more alternative actions that may be chosen instead of the action described in the EIS. One of the primary authors of the act is Lynton K. Caldwell . Preliminary versions of these documents are officially known as a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) or draft environmental impact report (DEIR). The purpose of

4838-612: The preparation of an EA or EIS. An example of the latter is when the Federal Highway Administration issued a CATEX to construct the replacement bridge in the wake of the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge Collapse . NEPA does not prohibit the federal government or its licensees/permittees from harming the environment, instead it requires that the prospective impacts be understood and disclosed in advance. The intent of NEPA

4920-412: The proposed action and its anticipated effects on the environment. Because of the intense level of detail required in analyzing the alternatives presented in an EIS or EA, such documents may take years or even decades to compile, and often compose of multiple volumes that can be thousands to tens of thousands of pages in length. To avoid potential conflicts in securing required permits and approvals after

5002-536: The range of alternatives presented for study. The No Action Alternative identifies the expected environmental impacts in the future if existing conditions were left as is with no action taken by the lead agency. Analysis of the No Action Alternative is used to establish a baseline upon which to compare the proposed "Action" alternatives. Contrary to popular belief, the "No Action Alternative" doesn't necessarily mean that nothing will occur if that option

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5084-467: The result of NEPA analysis leads to abandonment or cancellation of the proposed action, particularly when the "No Action" alternative ends up being the LEDPA. An EIS typically has four sections: While not required in the EIS, the following subjects may be included as part of the EIS or as separate documents based on agency policy. Every EIS is required to analyze a No Action Alternative , in addition to

5166-502: The road below-grade at 75th Street instead of as a 28-foot-high (8.5 m) elevated highway. In addition, they agreed to spend an extra $ 1 million (equivalent to $ 2.36 million in 2023) on the redesigned elevation and interchange. The Corps of Engineers issued a permit for the tollway on October 8, 1986, rejecting last-minute concerns from the Sierra Club to reroute the toll road around sections of Churchill Woods Prairie, between Glen Ellyn and Lombard . The permit allowed

5248-439: The route interchanges US 34 before meeting I-88 . It then intersects IL 56 and IL 38 before passing under and running parallel with I-355 . West of Addison , it intersects US 20 before passing under I-355 again. Then, it runs parallel with I-290 and intersects IL 19 . At Biesterfield Road, the highway then runs concurrently with I-290, intersecting IL 72 and passing over IL 58 before reaching

5330-431: The scientific community, they are affected by the political atmosphere. Analysts do not have the luxury of an unlimited time for research. They are also affected by the different motives behind the research of the EIS and by different perspectives of what constitutes a good analysis. In addition, government officials do not want to reveal an environmental problem from within their own agency. Citizens often misunderstand

5412-475: The state dropped its appeal and amended the environmental impact study (EIS) to meet the Sierra Club's concerns. The state released the supplemental EIS in 2000, and in 2002 the FHWA issued a Record of Decision, allowing construction of the tollway to proceed after six years of delays. Land acquisition and utility relocation took place in 2004. Governor Rod Blagojevich 's $ 5.6 billion Congestion-Relief Program for

5494-434: The system and anticipation of heavy traffic on the new Interstate, the tollway authority decided to pave I-355 with pavement expected to last 20 years. Construction workers laid concrete on the tollway to a thickness of 12 inches (30 cm) over an 8-inch (20 cm) sub-base. The new pavement also incorporated fly ash and less cement, allowing the pavement to achieve maximum strength faster than pure concrete. One of

5576-403: The tollway authority from obtaining environmental approval from federal officials. In April 1985, the two agencies came to an agreement regarding construction of the new tollway. To protect the arboretum from salt spray and other pollutants caused by cars on the tollway, the tollway authority agreed to build I-355 below grade around the perimeter of the arboretum. The tollway authority would build

5658-707: The tollway authority funded the construction of separate habitats for the dragonfly near the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Lemont and in two other preserves in Cook and Will counties. In late 2005, construction began on the roadway of the 12.5-mile-long (20.1 km) southern extension of I-355 from I-55 in Bolingbrook to I-80 in New Lenox. Another controversy erupted in February 2006, when

5740-456: The tollway authority threatened to build the tollway with no interchanges unless the suburbs through which the new extension ran contributed $ 20 million (equivalent to $ 29.1 million in 2023) for construction of the interchanges. This marked the first time that the tollway authority had required local municipalities to contribute funds for interchange construction. The towns of Homer Glen, Lemont, New Lenox, Lockport and Will County agreed in

5822-427: The tollway, at a cost of $ 2–2.5 million (equivalent to $ 41.2 million–51.5 million in 2023). In spite of the apparent success of the tollway opening, traffic counts and projected toll revenues were initially lower than projected, with an estimated 65,000 motorists per day traveling along the tollway, generating $ 55,000–65,000 (equivalent to $ 113,000–134,000 in 2023) in daily toll revenues. In addition,

5904-478: The tollway. Unlike the other tollways in the tollway system at the time, there were no oases on the Veterans Memorial Tollway when it was opened. This is primarily due to the widespread access to food and fuel throughout the western suburbs when construction began in the late 1980s. When the southern extension was opened in Will County in 2007, that segment of road also did not have any oases. In addition to

5986-511: The towns of Homer Glen and Lockport . At 135th Street (approximately mile 8.0) in Lemont, I-355 briefly enters Cook County. After an interchange at 127th Street (mile 9.0), I-355 crosses over the Des Plaines River on the Des Plaines River Valley Bridge before returning to Will County. Shortly north of the bridge, I-355 intersects I-55 at Bolingbrook (mile 12.5). Multiple flyover ramps connect all directions of both highways. North of I-55, I-355 continues to run almost due north through

6068-434: The trail is expected to cost $ 10 million, with funding to be provided by local communities along the path. A new construction fund for the trail was created from registration fees collected for "Roll the Tollway". The Active Transportation Alliance announced on January 29, 2008 that about $ 108,000 (equivalent to $ 150,000 in 2023) was raised through "Roll the Tollway". Of this amount, $ 70,000 (equivalent to $ 97,000 in 2023)

6150-424: The week, build a bicycle path connecting the arboretum to nearby forest preserves, and begin a joint clean-streams program to improve the water quality of DuPage County's lakes and streams. In January 1986, the tollway paid out $ 2.5 million (equivalent to $ 5.9 million in 2023) to a trust fund as a part of the settlement to help finance the arboretum's new programs. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released

6232-408: The west side of Chicago, and most of a proposed northern extension of IL 53 were scrapped because of intense local opposition. Initially, state and county officials anticipated building a freeway for the expressway south of Army Trail Road, similar to the existing freeway north of Army Trail Road. In 1979, Chicago mayor Jane Byrne canceled plans for the proposed Crosstown Expressway . Following

6314-408: The western suburbs of Chicago to commercial and industrial development. On November 11, 2007, the tollway authority opened a southern extension of I-355, which runs 12.5 miles (20.1 km) between I-55 and I-80. The extension was routed through Will County and a small portion of Cook County , which together formed one of Illinois' fastest-growing regions at the time. The tollway authority expected

6396-660: The work of creating and funding the trail among local communities. The Forest Preserve District of Will County has begun work on the Veterans Memorial Trail from International Parkway, Woodridge , to 135th Street, Romeoville , and will then extend the trail to US 6 in the Village of New Lenox . This addition will link the trail to a number of businesses in New Lenox, including a shopping mall currently being constructed, Silver Cross Hospital, and medical offices. The Omnibus Appropriations Act included $ 470,000 (equivalent to $ 641,000 in 2023) in federal funding for construction of

6478-454: Was $ 12 million (equivalent to $ 17 million in 2023) cheaper than the concrete box girder design option, and $ 50 million (equivalent to $ 70.8 million in 2023) less than the steel plate girder design option. A design-build clause in the original contract for the bridge, in addition to success in the design-build contracts on the 2004–07 Tri-State Tollway widening and reconstruction, allowed project managers to redesign and build

6560-702: Was defined in the Chicago Area Transportation Study (abbreviated CATS) Transportation Plan of April 1962. The plan called for a supplemental system of limited-access expressways to be built in the Chicago metropolitan area by 1980, and defined corridors where the expressways were to be located. Most of these corridors, including the Des Plaines River expressway, the Crosstown Expressway running north–south along

6642-432: Was routed onto a new freeway from Addison to Rolling Meadows and cosigned with I-90 until that was changed to I-290 . In 1967 IL 53 was extended to Gardner, and in 1995 IL 129 was routed onto IL 53 south of Braidwood . This lasted a year until IL 129 was dropped entirely south of Braidwood. Near the northern end, the freeway was extended from Dundee Road to Lake–Cook Road in 1989. In 1990, with

6724-576: Was set aside for preliminary engineering studies on the 10.5-mile (16.9 km) bicycle trail. The remaining amount was directed towards advocacy efforts for the Chicago Bicycle Federation and other local bicycle clubs. The initial engineering phase of the bike trail has been completed in the form of the I-355 Area Trails Master Plan, a framework created by Housel Lavigne Associates designed to distribute

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