Need some ideas!!!

[Montana Sky]

Ron,
They are still working on I-80!! URGH! I went through there in October last year when I went to Nashville, TN. Took I-80 over to I-65 and took that all the way to Tenn. I was sure hoping that the construction would have been completed by now. We can always get off in New Lenox, IL and take I-30 all the way over to HWY 15 and take that north to Goshen. I will give my family members a call in Joilet and get a alt. route as they are up in the Goshen area often.

[Fordzilla]

I am not that familiar with routes around Chicago as I have only been thru there 3 times and all three we went I80 and just dealt with the traffic and construction. I would be willing to look at alternate routes as I would prefer to avoid the traffic all together. I was hoping for some of the more seasoned travelers would chime in and give some updates on what routes are best.

[RADHAZJOE]

Last time thru Chicago area we went south and up thru rockford IL. The traffic on the Freeway north of Rockford was as bad as any I have seen. It took us 3 hours to negotiate less than 12 hours, and we also had to pay a toll. I intend to approach northern WI from the west next year and return out through the west. If we didn't have lots of relatives up here, I would avoid anywhere near Chicago at all.

[Montana Sky]

Being from Chicago and having a great deal of family there, I tend to spend many hours in that traffic. It is the darn tolls that tick me off. If you do not have the Ipass which would cost you 50cents, you have to go through the manual booth thus costing you a dollar. I have not towed a trailer through the tolls, I dont know what they charge for the extra axles. That new leader in IL is a scam artist!! =(

Ron,
I have a call into my aunt, hopefully she will call back w/ that alt. route around I-80 and the tollway. Will keep you posted!

[Sunshine]

Montana Sky - will look forward to what your aunt has to say about an alternate route. Hwy 24 was a good one for us last year, although it is a little far south, but it goes through the town in Indiana where my dad grew up and we were sightseeing a little too.

[CountryGuy]

Al and I steer clear of Chicago, PERIOD. One bad experience sitting in that parking lot called 94 was enough

If we have to traverse that area, we skim around Goshen, Bremen, and Kankankee Illinois. Back roads, lots of corn a growin, lots of cows and critters to look at, not much traffic, mosey along. Probably takes as long as it would to sit in the backups, but a lot more pleasant.

Carol

[Montana Sky]

Well I finally was able to connect with my aunt. The two options she said I have are I80/90 tollway or route 30 to 15 and go north. 80 is always under construction and will be packed and slow. Route 30 is less traffic and right now very little construction. The problem w/ rt 30 is it has a great deal of stop lights, but usually faster than taking 80. I will be heading to the Lippert plant around the 6th of September, right now I am planning on taking 80 over. I will TRY to post the results and the time it takes me to get there. Trip from my aunts house to Goshen is aprrox 180 miles. I must say, I find the traffic in Chicago much better than the traffic over in Seattle. That place drives me nuts!!!