I-355

I-355
Name	Interstate 355
Other names	Veterans Memorial Tollway
Route number	355
Length mi	32.5
Established	1989
Termini	South: near New Lenox (I-80/US 6); North: near Schaumburg (I-290)
Counties	Will County, DuPage County, Cook County
Maintained by	Illinois State Toll Highway Authority

I-355 is a major north–south controlled-access highway serving the western suburbs of Chicago. It connects with national corridors including Interstate 80, Interstate 55, Interstate 88, and Interstate 290, providing a high-capacity link between suburban nodes such as New Lenox, Bolingbrook, Naperville, Lisle, Wheaton, Itasca, and Schaumburg. The route operates primarily as a tolled facility and forms part of the Veterans Memorial Tollway corridor managed by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

Route description

The corridor begins at a junction with Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 6 near New Lenox and proceeds north through Will County into DuPage County, traversing suburban landscapes adjacent to landmarks like Joliet, Romeoville, and Bolingbrook. It crosses major east–west arteries including U.S. Route 30, Illinois Route 59, and Interstate 88 near Naperville, with connections that facilitate travel to nodes such as Oak Brook, Downers Grove, and Aurora. Continuing north, the highway intersects Interstate 55 at a multi-level interchange serving traffic bound for Chicago Midway International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport via feeder routes, then passes near Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, and Itasca before terminating at Interstate 290 in Schaumburg. The alignment parallels commuter rail corridors like Metra lines and provides access to suburban centers including Willowbrook, Westmont, and Lisle while crossing waterways such as the DuPage River and tributaries of the Des Plaines River.

History

Planning for the corridor dates to regional transportation studies conducted by entities including the Illinois Department of Transportation and metropolitan planning organizations such as the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Early proposals traced back to mid-20th-century expansion plans linking Interstate 80 and Interstate 290 to relieve congestion on Interstate 294 and surface arterials like Ogden Avenue (U.S. Route 34). Construction proceeded in phases during the late 20th century; initial segments opened in the late 1980s and 1990s, supported by funding mechanisms involving the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and state bond issues. Subsequent extensions and interchange reconstructions in the 2000s and 2010s reflected demand from growing suburbs including Naperville, Bolingbrook, and Schaumburg.

Key projects involved coordinated work with regional agencies such as Metra, the Regional Transportation Authority (Illinois), and county governments of Will County and DuPage County. Environmental reviews and public hearings engaged organizations like the Sierra Club and local civic groups in controversies over right-of-way acquisition and impacts to natural areas near Butterfield Road and the Illinois Prairie Path. The tollway was formally designated the Veterans Memorial Tollway in ceremonies attended by officials from Cook County, legislators from the Illinois General Assembly, and appointees of the ISTHA Board of Directors.

Major modernization initiatives introduced all-electronic tolling, interoperable transponder programs with agencies such as E-ZPass, and reconstruction of interchanges with Interstate 88 and Interstate 55 to improve freight mobility to industrial centers including Joliet and Aurora. Infrastructure resilience programs coordinated with utilities and emergency services such as the Illinois Emergency Management Agency to enhance winter maintenance and incident response.

Exit list

The corridor features grade-separated interchanges providing access to regional and local routes. Major interchanges include termini with Interstate 80/U.S. Route 6 near New Lenox, an interchange with U.S. Route 30 serving Plainfield-area traffic, connections to Illinois Route 59 and Illinois Route 53 near Bolingbrook and Lisle, and junctions with Interstate 88 and Interstate 55 facilitating movements toward Aurora and Downers Grove. The northern terminus at Interstate 290 in Schaumburg connects users to commercial nodes including Woodfield Mall and corporate campuses for firms headquartered in suburbs like Hoffman Estates and Schaumburg.

Spur ramps, collector–distributor lanes, and multi-level stacks accommodate high-volume movements; service plazas and maintenance facilities are sited with access to county roads operated by DuPage County and Cook County. Local access points serve municipal streets such as Route 59 (Illinois), Butterfield Road (Illinois), and 63rd Street-area connectors, while park-and-ride lots coordinate with Pace (transit) and Metra facilities for commuter access.

Traffic and usage

Traffic patterns reflect commuter peaks toward downtown Chicago and lateral suburban travel among employment centers in Naperville, Oak Brook, and Schaumburg. Freight flows use the corridor for access to intermodal terminals serving railroads like the BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, and distribution centers near Joliet and Romeoville. Annual average daily traffic (AADT) varies by segment, with highest volumes near interchanges with Interstate 55 and Interstate 290, drawing users from adjacent suburbs including Bolingbrook, Warrenville, and Glen Ellyn.

Transit-oriented development and park-and-ride integration influence modal split, with coordination among Pace (transit), Metra, and regional planning bodies like the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. Safety programs have targeted reductions in incident severity through roadway lighting, variable-message signs managed by the Illinois Department of Transportation, and law enforcement partnerships with county sheriff's offices and the Illinois State Police.

Tolls and funding

The tolling regime transitioned to all-electronic tolling using interoperable systems compatible with E-ZPass and statewide transponder initiatives managed by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. Toll revenues support capital programs including pavement rehabilitation, interchange reconstruction, and corridor preservation projects financed through toll-backed bonds under oversight by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and financial advisors engaged in municipal finance markets. Funding allocations have been coordinated with federal programs administered by the United States Department of Transportation for select freight and safety improvements, and state appropriations for ancillary projects overseen by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Category:Interstate Highways in Illinois Category:Toll roads in Illinois