Elgin-O'Hare Expressway Information & Elgin-O'Hare Expressway Links at HealthHaven.com

	Elgin O'Hare Expressway
Length:	5.95 mi (9.58 km)
Formed:	November 2, 1993
Direction:	East-west
From:	U.S. Route 20 in Hanover Park, IL
To:	Illinois Route 53/Thorndale Avenue in Itasca, IL
Major cities:	Schaumburg, Roselle
System:	Illinois State Highway System

The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is an Interstate-standard freeway in north-east Illinois, United States. Contrary to its given name, the expressway does not enter either Elgin or O'Hare International Airport. It currently connects U.S. Route 20 (Lake Street) in Hanover Park to the intersection of itself, Illinois Route 53 (Rohlwing Road) and Thorndale Avenue in Itasca. The only other towns it borders are Schaumburg and Roselle. The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is 5.95 miles (9.58 km) long.^[1]

[edit] Route description

The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is a four lane freeway located about 5 to 7 miles (8 to 11 km) to the south of Interstate 90, which it parallels. From U.S. 20, the highway travels over a half mile (.8 km) long bridge over the Metra Milwaukee District West Line tracks, and some wetlands. The freeway then enters Cook County from DuPage County and intersects Illinois Route 19 (Irving Park Road). At Meacham Road, the freeway enters back south into DuPage County.

The expressway is unusual in that both its termini have traffic signals with major arterial roads in the area. This arrangement causes large backups during weekday rush hours. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, average daily traffic counts (in 2003) for the Elgin O'Hare Expressway are 39,600 for the western two miles (3 km) and around 82,000 to 87,000 cars per day for the remainder.^[3]

A four-lane arterial roadway continues east, named Thorndale Avenue. This road terminates at York Road near the western border of O'Hare Airport.

[edit] History

The expressway was considered in the late 1980s due to increasing congestion on local roads, especially U.S. 20 (Lake Street). Although Lake Street was widened prior to the completion of the expressway to six lanes, initially to Glen Ellyn Road and then to the Roselle-Bloomingdale border nearly ten years later, its capacity was still insufficient for the rapidly growing western suburbs. Construction began around 1991 and completed two years later.

Prior to the expressway's opening, the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway was briefly marked as Illinois Route 19 on guide signs over the highway.^[4] The signs were removed shortly before the highway was opened, but it is unknown as to whether Illinois 19 will be moved onto the expressway after it is fully completed. Governor Jim Edgar opened the expressway at an afternoon ceremony on November 2, 1993.^[2]

[edit] Future

Original plans had the Elgin-O'Hare looping around the Ontarioville neighborhood of Hanover Park, rejoining Lake Street on the west side of Hanover Park. From there, existing pavement would be used to connect the expressway to Elgin.^[2] The western extension of the Elgin-O'Hare has not yet been funded as of the 2008-2013 Highway Improvement Plan.

The villages of Bensenville and Elk Grove Village have been actively fighting any highway expansion through their towns, as the right of way (ROW) runs directly through the heart of the largest industrial park in the Midwest, largely in Elk Grove Village. In addition, up to one hundred Wood Dale homes would be destroyed if the highway were to circumvent O'Hare Airport along the southern side.

However, other western suburbs that do not have direct access to the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (Interstate 90) are in support of the completion of the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway. A ring road around the airport and a western terminal are also part of eventual O'Hare expansion plans.

In addition, the Chicago Transit Authority has studied adding rail mass transit to the expressway.^[5]

[edit] Exit list

There are only five exits as of 2007^[update]. The sixth intersection is a traffic light. In addition, exits on the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway are not currently numbered.

County^[1]	Location	Mile	Destinations	Notes
Current western terminus of the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway
DuPage Mile 0.00–0.80	Hanover Park	6.0	US 20 - Lake Street
Cook Mile 0.00–4.22	Schaumburg	7.1	IL 19 - Irving Park Road Springinsguth Road	Eastbound exit is located here. IL 19 shield is not on overhead sign, instead placed on a separate sign on the right side of the road stating "To IL 19".
	Roselle	7.4	Gary Avenue	Flyover ramp to southbound Gary Avenue. Westbound exit, eastbound entrance.
	Schaumburg	7.7	IL 19 - Irving Park Road Springinsguth Road	Westbound exit is located here. IL 19 shield is not on overhead sign, instead placed on a separate sign on the right side of the road stating "To IL 19". Eastbound entrance ramps from IL 19 are here.
	Schaumburg	8.3	Rodenburg Road Wright Boulevard	Westbound exit to North Frontage Road, which accesses both streets and eventually Illinois 19. Eastbound, South Frontage Road terminates and joins with the Elgin O'Hare Expressway.
	Roselle	9.4	Roselle Road	Full diamond interchange.
Cook/DuPage	Elk Grove Village	11.3	Meacham Road Medinah Road To IL 53 South - Rohlwing Road	Medinah Road southbound, Meacham Road northbound. Westbound exit to a left-lane turnaround ramp leading to right-turn lane for southbound IL 53.
DuPage Mile 0.80–1.73	Elk Grove Village	12.1	IL 53 - Rohlwing Road	At-grade intersection. No left turn onto Rohlwing Road. Eastbound Elgin-O'Hare Expressway accesses northbound Illinois 53 via I-290 West to Biesterfield Road, which is where IL 53 overlaps I-290. Westbound Elgin-O'Hare Expressway accesses southbound I-53 via Meacham Road exit ramp and turnaround.
DuPage Mile 0.80–1.73	Itasca	12.5	I-290 - Rockford, Chicago	Partial cloverleaf interchange. Ramp to eastbound I-290 is marked as "To I-355". Ramp to westbound I-290 is marked as "To I-90".
Current eastern terminus of the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway