how's traffic in Chicago

[saldana]

question for the chicago area guys...i am going to be in town next weeked for a beer festival, and was thinking about trying to make it up to wrigley for the friday afternoon game...whats the traffic situation between munster, in and wrigley, other than the painfully obvious 2 lane road in and out of north chicago to get to the stadium? one of the guys on my beer site mentioned some heavy construction on one of the interstates, but i cant get a hold of him for more info.

thanks

[dervack]

The Dan Ryan (94 from Indiana to Chicago), is fucked once you get to 9th street. Try as hard as you can to stay away from that.

[Passacaglia]

Munster's right by I-94, but you might be better served heading up to Hammond and catching I-90 there. From I-90, you can take the US-41 exit (there's actually two exits in a row for US-41, so if you miss the first, it's okay). You're on plain roads for a while, and you really have to check the signs to see which way to turn if you want to stay on US-41 (it's not a straight shot). Eventually US-41 becomes Lake Shore Drive -- cruise through downtown, get off at Belmont, then once you hit Clark, start looking for parking!

If you're worried about all the turns on US-41, the recommended route is to stay on I-90 longer, and exit on Stony Island. I've never done this, but according to google maps, you go north on Stony Island for a mile and a half, then veer right on Cornell (near 67th). Cornell curves right, then hits Lake Shore Drive.

Now, I don't take the Dan Ryan -- the pamphlets they give out say the bad area is worse, but if you're okay until 9th street, you can take I-94 up to I-55 -- on your right, there'll be an exit for Lake Shore Drive. Take that, then get to the left for the Lake Shore Drive North exit.

[ice4277]

Not much different from what Pass said, but, from aaatraffc.com http://www.autoclubgroup.com/michigan/autos/traffic/report.asp?rid=5:

CHICAGO TRAVEL ADVISORY
Major construction is underway on the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/I-94) in Chicago. The freeway is reduced to as few as three lanes between Roosevelt Rd. and the Bishop Ford/I-57 interchange, causing major delays through Chicago's south side. Several on and off ramps in the work zone are also closed.

For commuter traffic headed to Chicago on westbound I-94, here are two suggested alternate routes:


I-94 to I-90 (Chicago Skyway) to US-41 (Stony Island Avenue/South Lake Shore Drive) to access the downtown/lakeshore area

I-94 to I-80 west to I-294 north to access O'Hare International Airport.

Public transportation is also highly recommended for travel around this area: the CTA Red Line, Ride Share, Metra, or PACE.

Note: IDOT recommends that ALL commercial truck traffic remain on the Dan Ryan rather than following surface streets that are not designated truck routes.

The construction is expected to continue into the fall.

[Daimyo]

I assume you're talking about the beer fest at Navy Pier? If so you can get to Wrigley field easily with public transportation. Just take one of the free trolley's from navy pier over to the red line stop at Grand and ride it to Addison. It only costs $2 each way if you pay in cash and is about as quick as driving (especially during rush hour).

Since you're in town for a beer fest I'd also highly reccomend you have dinner at the Goose Island brewpub once while you're here. The better one is at Clyborn, but there is also one near Wrigley Field just south of the stadium on Clark.

For schedule info (the trip planner tool is great).
http://chicagotransitauthority.com

[saldana]

I assume you're talking about the beer fest at Navy Pier? If so you can get to Wrigley field easily with public transportation. Just take one of the free trolley's from navy pier over to the red line stop at Grand and ride it to Addison. It only costs $2 each way if you pay in cash and is about as quick as driving (especially during rush hour).

Since you're in town for a beer fest I'd also highly reccomend you have dinner at the Goose Island brewpub once while you're here. The better one is at Clyborn, but there is also one near Wrigley Field just south of the stadium on Clark.

For schedule info (the trip planner tool is great).
http://chicagotransitauthority.com

not going to the navy pier. Saturday is a release party at Three Floyds Brewpub in Munster,IN. about 80 guys from my beer site are going to be there all day, and at our hotel all night...is the navy pier festival on friday? because all i have on the schedule is a smaller gathering at Flossmoor Station Brewpub Friday night. I've had a bunch of goose island beers before as well...they bottle some of their stuff, everything i've had from there has been great.

[Daimyo]

Cool. I wasn't too sure about the navy pier thing... I've just seen it advertised on the train a lot so I figured that might be what you were talking about. It looks like that one is May 13th:

http://www.gooseisland.com/events/events.asp?event=115

[timmae]

another option is to take Ashland all the way north but it is surface streets the entire way. Probably take about 90 minutes (WAG) but it'd be a straight shot north with no chance to get lost. Ashland crosses Addison about 1 mile West of Wrigley... easy walk from that intersection even...