Labor Day Traffic: More Than 8 Million Vehicles Expected To Jam Illinois Tollway This Weekend

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — More than 8 million vehicles are expected to travel the Illinois Tollway Labor Day weekend, making it one of the most risky weekends on record for motorists this year. Drivers are urged to wear seatbelts, avoid texting, and avoid driving under the influence.

Travelers can expect the heaviest traffic on Friday, September 1, when more than 2 million vehicles are expected to be on the roadway. This is roughly 400,000 more cars than the tollway's normal daily average of 1.6 million.

As an extra precaution, the Illinois State Police will have extra units out "in full force" to target drivers who are speeding, texting, or driving under the influence of alcohol in an effort to keep motorists safe. Illinois Tollway Executive Director Greg Bedalov said, “One fatality on our roadways is too many, so we’re urging drivers to be responsible when getting behind the wheel and look out for the safety of themselves and others on the road.”

>>Image credit: By Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA (Tri-State Tollway, I-294, Chicago, Illinois) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons