Memorial Day travel will be the busiest in two decades, and Chicagoans are bracing for traffic delays and crowds at O’Hare International Airport.
Triple-A projects that 43. 8 million people nationwide will travel during the holidays, adding up to 38. 4 million by car and 3. 5 million by plane. Others will do it by bus, working out, or even on a cruise ship. In Illinois, about 2 million people will mobilize slightly more than last year. This figure is not far from the record of 2. 2 million set in 2005.
Experts say this will be the biggest Memorial Day holiday era in two decades, as other people have fully embraced post-COVID-19 travel.
INRIX, a provider of transportation knowledge and information, said drivers who leave on Thursday or Friday leave early to avoid mixing with commuters. Travelers returning home on Sunday or Monday avoid the afternoon hours, when return trips are at their peak.
For example, a vacation from Chicago to Milwaukee on a Sunday afternoon would take about 2. 5 hours, 27% longer than usual times, according to INRIX.
Chicago travelers can also expect congested roads heading to popular destinations in Southwest Michigan.
Historically, times on the Kennedy Expressway increase, as it is the number one address to O’Hare Airport. This year, the freeways connecting Ohio Street to Edens are closed due to construction, which is exacerbating traffic congestion.
CBS 2 highway reporter Kris Habermehl said the worst “pain points” would be long-term projects.
In addition to the Kennedy, this would come with paint dominance on the Tri-State Turnpike between O’Hare and Ogden, I-80 from New Lenox to Minooka, I-80/94 from Hammond to Gary, and Indiana Toll Road, all of which feature lane discounts, lane changes, and speed restriction discounts in paint zones.
“With the overall increase in traffic volume, it’s harder to avoid reducing express schedules,” Habermehl said. “Normally, the Memorial Day getaway starts on Thursday after noon, and the first volume ramps up. On Friday at noon the second peak begins, with construction on the house back on Monday afternoon. “
I-65 will be heavy as racing enthusiasts head to the Indianapolis 500, which will take place on Sunday.
It will be the busiest Memorial Day weekend at airports since 2005, when 3. 64 million people flew on vacation as the industry finally recovered from Sept. 11.
Chicago will be no exception. According to Hopper, Chicago O’Hare reserved 801,000 seats departing over the weekend, with the busiest hours being between four p. m. and five o’clock in the afternoon and nine o’clock at night.
The average value of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Illinois is $3. 93, up a penny from last year.
In the Chicago metro area, the amount is much higher ($4. 16), but it’s 4 cents less than last year. This means that a tank with a single tank would save the driver about 60 cents for a 15-gallon tank.
The Chicago Department of Transportation is repairing segments of South DuSable Lake Shore Drive between Roosevelt Road and Street in the north and south directions.
Currently, southbound lane closures will be in effect. Two lanes will be closed starting at four p. m. at nine o’clock in the morning every day; Three lanes will be closed during daylight hours between 9 a. m. and 4 p. m.
At Rant Park, Los Sueños is located on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 10 p. m. and features more than 20 Latin and reggaeton artists.
Now in its third year, the festival borders Lake Shore Drive, Roosevelt Road, and Columbus Drive, with the main entrances near the Buckingham Fountain.
Street closures
Sidewalk closures