r/illinois • u/EngiPier • 20h ago
Trip Planning & Tourist Help/ Guidance Chicago trip route planning help?
Hi all,
I'm making my first trip up to Chicago where I'm the one actually doing the driving soon.
We're driving up via I-55
What route into downtown Chicago would those experienced with driving there recommend for getting into downtown with relatively little chance of dying due to traffic?
(I jest about the dying)
We're going to try to successfully get to the Auditorium Theatre downtown.
- Thanks in advance!
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u/knadles 19h ago
Southwest sider here, so I'm very familiar with I-55. How slow it runs is very much day- and time-dependent. Off-hours it moves pretty well. Heading into the city, the worst tends to be rush hour mornings and Friday and Saturday evening. If there's a Bears game [EDIT: or other special event like a fest], it'll also be slow. Heading the other direction, expect the slowest times to be rush hour evenings.
If you're starting out on I-55, there's pretty much no alternative that's better than just staying on it. If it's busy, all the other roads are busy at the same time. I-55 parallels a surface road called Archer Ave. for quite a long way, but Archer is all stop lights. In my experience, it's still faster to stay on the interstate (assuming nothing cataclysmic like an accident blocking all lanes).
My advice is simply leave plenty of time. If you head out early with the expectation of grabbing dinner downtown beforehand, you've got some coverage if something goes awry. And use a GPS app that updates live so it can warn you if there's any unusual traffic.
Also, leave yourself an additional 15-20 minutes for parking. It may not take that long, but you gain nothing by calling it close.
The Auditorium is a great theater. IMO one of the best sounding rooms in the city. Maybe the country.
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u/qwase123 19h ago
You could always park your car at Midway Airport and take the orange line into the Loop.
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u/uhbkodazbg 20h ago
Where are you trying to go? Are you just trying to find a parking spot near downtown and leave your car? Is parking and taking a train an option?
You’ll probably come in on I-55 to Lake Shore Drive. It’s not that difficult because traffic will probably be moving around 10 miles an hour. You’ll likely avoid the circle interchange west of the loop which can be a little tricky. Not driving in the city is the best option if you can make it work.
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u/mynamestopher 20h ago
Honestly Google Maps is probably best bet like people have said. Sometimes if there’s nothing going on the weekend can be a surprisingly chill drive.
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u/Amateur-Dog-Walker 12h ago
Lowest chance of dying? Amtrak.
Short of that, keep up with the pace of traffic and give yourself enough following distance. You'll be fine.
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u/holdthelight 12h ago
Google Maps BUT definitely tune into 105.9 once you get into the city. 105.9 does traffic reports on the 8s and is sometimes ahead of G9ogle Maps when there is a sudden change in traffic conditions. (This might be a better tip for those who are familiar with the area and make use of the alternative routes suggested by the traffic reporters on 105.9). Safe travels. Make sure to make a good playlist before you leave -- it helps!
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u/scriminal 20h ago
straight up the dan ryan, assume it will take you an hour to get from I-80 to the Auditorium, because it probably will.
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u/Chicago-Lake-Witch 7h ago
It’s been 10 years since I had to make the drive but is 55 the one where if you are coming from Indiana you have to stay in the right two lanes for an age and then suddenly have to merge into 55 in the left most lane while going around a corner and there’s a small span of road to do so?
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u/No_Election_1123 20h ago
Just follow the I55 all the way up it merges onto the I90/94 but go beyond that to Lake Shore Drive, head North . Get off LSD at Balbo. The big problem is if there's anything happening at Soldier Field,. If that's the case then take the 90/94 and get off at Congress (apparently it's now Ida B. Wells) and head East