Illinois Tollway: Beware of Standing Water on Roadways

Have you noticed icy roadways or standing water on roadways in your area or on your commute tonight? Let your neighbors know which areas to avoid by commenting below. 

The Illinois Tollway is advising motorists to travel with caution Friday and avoid driving through standing water left by rains and melting snow along several portions of its 286-mile tollway system. 

Additional maintenance crews have been deployed to help clear storm drains to allow the water covering section of pavement to subside. Patrols will continue through the night until the rain ends.

All of the Tollway’s roads are open at this time though standing water has been reported at several locations, including in northbound and southbound lanes on the Tri-State Tollway (I-94/I-294/I-80) near the O’Hare Oasis. However, lanes in other areas may temporarily be covered by water in other portions, although no widespread lane closures are expected.

“We’re asking our customers to be cautious as they travel and, most importantly, to avoid driving through standing water,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Kristi Lafleur in an Illinois Tollway news release. “Drivers also should allow themselves extra time to reach their destinations safely.”

Drivers should dial *999 from a cellphone for assistance if their vehicles become disabled or to report other stranded cars.

Know Before You Go

The Tollway offers the following ways for drivers to get the latest travel information before they get on the road:

•  Illinois Tollway website: Construction/Planning section and Tollway Trip   Calculator and real-time roadway incident information
• 1-800-TOLL-FYI: Daily lane closure and travel information (updated every two hours or as conditions require during winter storms)
• Travel Midwest website: Real-time travel times
• NBC Chicago: Up-to-the-minute traffic by roadway.
• My Fox Chicago website: Latest traffic conditions
• Twitter: Real-time roadway incident information at Tollway Trip 90, Tollway Trip 88, Tollway Trip 355 and Tollway Trip 94/294

Source: Illinois Tollway press release