8 Million Vehicles Expected On Illinois Tollway Fourth Of July Weekend

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Friday is set to be the busiest travel day of the year, with roughly 8 million vehicles expected to travel on the Illinois Tollway for Fourth of July weekend. According to a statement from IDOT, travelers should expect heavy delays from June 30 to July 4.

The bulk of the traffic will take place just as the weekend begins. IDOT predicts 2.1 million vehicles on Friday, which will add to the increased congestion due to weekend travel and road construction. On a standard day, IDOT states that 1.6 million vehicles use the tollway.

In an effort to ease travel woes, there will be limited roadwork on the Illinois Tollway this weekend. Temporary lane closures will be suspended starting Friday, June 30 at 12 p.m. until Wednesday, June 5 at 9 a.m. The remaining road construction is not expected to impact traffic times.

Motorists are advised to use extra caution and reminded that using a handheld device or drinking and driving is illegal and could have grave consequences. The Illinois State Police will have additional reinforcements to handle speeding, distracted driving and driving under the influence. According to the Illinois Secretary of State's Office, Fourth of July has been the deadliest traffic day in Illinois, with nearly one-fifth of accidents being related to alcohol consumption.