Chicago Trucking Routes and Hazards

Chicago is America’s largest intermodal shipping center, with some $3 trillion in goods moving through the region annually. Studies suggest that various city highways carry more than 30,000 trucks per day. Unfortunately, all this truck traffic puts ordinary road users at risk. Paired with the unpredictable seasonal weather, dense traffic and tight infrastructure in many areas make truck collisions common.

Whether you’ve lived in the area for a while or are just passing through, you can be a vigilant driver by knowing the most common Chicago freight routes and the hazards you might face on each of them.

Trucking Routes in Chicago

Many Chicago trucking routes are either Class I or II highways. Class I highways include interstates, tollways, and expressways. Class II highways are significant arterial connections not built to interstate standards, but they still have lanes at least 11 feet wide.

Truckers in Chicago tend to use the following roads:

Interstate 94 – I-94 is the primary north-south corridor through Chicago. It begins at the Wisconsin state line as the Tri-State Tollway. From there, it becomes the Edens Expressway from the suburb of Northbrook to downtown, then the Dan Ryan Expressway from downtown to the area near Chicago State University.
Interstate 90 – I-90 is Chicago’s primary east-west corridor, running as the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway through northern suburbs like Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates. The section from O’Hare International Airport to downtown, known as the Kennedy Expressway, is one of the busiest roads in the Midwest, according to the Federal Highway Administration. From downtown, it runs as the Chicago Skyway to the Indiana state line.
Interstate 290 – I-290, also known as the Eisenhower Expressway, connects Schaumburg with downtown Chicago via the suburbs south of O’Hare. Truckers may use it to bypass rush-hour traffic on the Kennedy Expressway.
Interstate 55 – I-55 connects downtown Chicago with its southwestern suburbs. It runs as the Stevenson Expressway through Cook County, the Will Rogers Freeway through Joliet County, and the Barack Obama Presidential Expressway in the far southwest metro.
Interstate 80 – I-80 connects Joliet to Homewood, then runs concurrently with I-94 for the rest of its route through Chicagoland. Truckers use this route to bypass most of the city.
Interstate 88 – I-88 connects Aurora and Naperville with the suburb of Berkeley, then joins I-290 to go toward the Loop.
Interstate 57 – I-57 starts where the Dan Ryan Expressway ends. It connects the Roseland neighborhood to Matteson, then proceeds south to Kankakee.
Interstate 355 – I-355 is also known as the Veterans Memorial Tollway. It runs from I-290 in Itasca to I-80 at New Lenox. It serves as a north-south bypass for drivers to skip downtown Chicago.
Interstate 294 – The Tri-State Tollway runs through Chicagoland as I-294, and it serves as another option for truckers coming from Wisconsin to bypass downtown through the western suburbs. It branches off from I-94 in Northbrook, then reunites with it in Lansing near the Indiana state line.
Interstate 65 – I-65, also known as the Casimir Pulaski Memorial Highway, is a popular route for truckers entering Chicago from central Indiana.
Illinois State Highway 390 – This tollway is short, but Chicago truckers use it well. It connects Elgin and I-290 with the large industrial parks and distribution centers bordering O’Hare.

Common Hazards for Truck Drivers

The hazards a trucker faces while driving through Chicago will depend on their route. They could include the following:

Construction – Construction is one of the most common Chicago truck driving hazards, since it leads to sudden lane shifts, detours, traffic jams, and closures. Ideally, truckers will plan ahead to bypass construction zones, but if they cannot, they must watch their speed and monitor their surroundings.
Traffic – Many Chicago roads experience traffic that exceeds their design capacity. Since a loaded truck has more momentum, sudden stop-and-go traffic can lead to a rear-end collision.
Tight maneuvers – Some of Chicago’s older roads have narrow lanes and tight turns, both of which are difficult for truckers to navigate safely.
Blind spots – Trucks have large blind spots on both sides, often referred to as “no zones.” Dense urban traffic increases the risk that a trucker could sideswipe a vehicle when they move into a lane without checking their blind spots.

Most Dangerous Roads Near Chicago

Some roads are more prone to truck crashes than others. You should be particularly careful at these Chicago truck accident hotspots:

Jane Byrne Interchange – The Jane Byrne Interchange is one of the busiest in the country, connecting I-90, I-94, and I-290 in downtown Chicago. In one recent year, the Illinois State Police responded to 22,557 crashes there.
Stevenson Expressway – This stretch of I-55 is another of America’s most congested roads, and drivers must prepare for sudden lane shifts to avoid crashes.
Dan Ryan Expressway near 95th Street – Lots of merging happens on this section of I-94. Southbound traffic must prepare for a major interchange, and northbound vehicles must choose between local and express lanes to reach downtown.
Lake Shore Drive – Truckers cannot use Lake Shore Drive without a permit. The tight curves and variable speeds are hazardous for long and heavy vehicles.

On these roads, maintain a safe following distance behind trucks and avoid their blind spots.

Effects of Weather on Trucking Safety

Chicago’s weather can create additional hazards for truck drivers, and even a minor lapse in judgment could lead to a devastating collision. Some weather-related hazards include:

Snow and ice – Snow and ice make for less traction on the road. Truckers must maneuver gently and brake earlier.
High winds – Crosswinds on an elevated highway can cause a truck to tip over.
Rainstorms – Truckers must monitor their speed during rainy conditions to reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
Fog from Lake Michigan – Chicago can get foggy as seasons change, reducing drivers’ visibility.

Contact a Truck Accident Attorney Near You

If you were injured in a truck collision in Chicago, the attorneys of Salvi, Schostok, & Pritchard P.C. can evaluate your case and pursue the compensation you need. Our team has secured over $2.5 billion for clients over the last four decades, including Illinois’s highest compensatory verdict ever awarded to a single plaintiff. We have extensive knowledge of state and federal trucking laws and work with industry experts to build the strongest cases we can, all while you focus on your recovery. Contact our downtown Chicago or Waukegan offices for a free consultation.