Ramp closures and detours scheduled at O’Hare Interchange for toll plaza relocation
The Illinois Tollway announced on March 19 that overnight ramp closures and detours are planned next week at the O’Hare Interchange, where the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) meets the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90), to support ongoing work relocating the toll plaza. The closures are necessary for installing a communications tower and performing electrical work as part of construction related to the Illinois Department of Transportation’s future I-190 Project.
This project is significant because it aims to improve operations and roadway access for O’Hare International Airport. The work will require one night of ramp closures beginning at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, affecting ramps from southbound I-294 and eastbound I-90 to westbound I-190. If weather prevents completion, additional closures may be scheduled later. Detours will direct southbound I-294 traffic to westbound Irving Park Road and northbound Mannheim Road before accessing westbound I-190; eastbound I-90 traffic will follow a similar route via southbound I-294.
The ramps are expected to reopen by 4 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25. Construction signage and electronic message boards will alert drivers about the changes, with updates available in the Daily Construction Alert section of the Tollway website. Traffic through the area is currently reduced to a single lane with limited shoulders as construction continues throughout 2026.
The improvements include relocating the existing toll plaza, building a new control facility, reconstructing ramps, updating lighting, and enhancing roadway signage. Maps and further details can be found in the Projects section of illinoistollway.com.
Motorists are reminded that construction zone speed limits remain in effect at all times and that caution should be exercised due to changing traffic patterns. The "Move Over Law" requires drivers to change lanes or slow down when passing vehicles with hazard lights activated; violations can result in fines up to $10,000 or more severe penalties if workers are endangered.