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The Elgin O’Hare Expressway has a long history, dating back to the 1960’s. Planning in the 1980’s lead to construction of a short section of the expressway, between US 20 (Hanover Park) and I-290, in the mid-1990s. Recognizing the ongoing travel needs of this critical transportation hub in the Chicagoland area, on August 10, 2005, Congress passed the Safe Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act, a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA LU), which set forth Federal Transportation priorities over a 5 year period. Within SAFETEA LU, the EOWB was designated as a project of national and regional significance, and a $140 million Federal Earmark was provided for the project. IDOT began the planning process in 2007, as a fresh look at transportation issues and community concerns. During Tier One, the project defined the following key objectives:
- Improve local and regional travel
- Improve travel efficiency
- Improve west access to O’Hare
- Improve modal opportunities and connections
Stakeholder input has been a central part of the Tier One study process, which is being advanced in compliance with IDOT Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) policy. The Tier One study was completed in June of 2010, and identified the preferred transportation system alternative for the study area at a conceptual level of detail. This alternative was selected based on travel performance, social and environmental impacts, economic benefits, costs and stakeholder input, and included improvements to roadway, transit, bike and pedestrian facilities.
Roadway Improvement features include:
- Widening the existing Elgin-O’Hare Expressway from Gary Avenue to I-290
- An easterly extension of the Elgin-O’Hare Expressway extending from I-290 to O’Hare International Airport
- A new western bypass of O’Hare connecting I-90 and I-294, and
- Improvements to connecting arterial roadways
Transit and Bike/Pedestrian features include:
- A provision for bus or rail transit in the median of the Elgin-O’Hare Expressway and north leg of the west bypass, and
- A connection to a proposed multi-modal transit hub on the west side of O’Hare International Airport
- A range of bike and pedestrian facilities
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