Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355)

Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355)
Country	United States
Name	Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355)
Type	Interstate
Route	355
Length mi	32.5
Established	1989
Direction a	South
Terminus a	I-80 near New Lenox
Direction b	North
Terminus b	I-290/I-294 near Itasca
Counties	Will County, DuPage County, Cook County

Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) The Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) is a north–south toll Interstate in northeastern Illinois serving the Chicago metropolitan area, linking suburban corridors and providing access to regional hubs. It connects major arteries such as I-80, I-55, I-88, and I-294 while intersecting with arterials that serve Oak Brook, Bolingbrook, Wheaton, and Naperville. Operated primarily by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, the route supports commuter, commercial, and freight movements across Will County, DuPage County, and Cook County.

Route description

I-355 begins at a junction with I-80 near New Lenox and proceeds north through suburban landscapes passing near Joliet-area suburbs such as Plainfield and Romeoville. The route intersects US 30 and crosses IL 53 before meeting I-55 near Bolingbrook and Romeoville. Continuing north, I-355 provides interchanges with I-88 at Lombard/Villa Park and passes near Oak Brook and Wheaton, intersecting with US 34 and IL 56. Farther north, the expressway meets I-290 and I-294 near Itasca and provides connections to O'Hare International Airport via I-294 and parallel arterials. The corridor crosses waterways such as the DuPage River and rail lines serving Metra branches and freight carriers like BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad.

History

Planning for the tollway emerged amid regional efforts to manage suburban expansion in the 1960s and 1970s involving agencies such as the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and regional planners from CMAP and the MTA of Illinois. The initial segment opened in 1989, following predecessor proposals tied to corridors studied alongside projects affecting earlier I-355 proposals, Interstate 394, and extensions discussed in meetings with officials from DuPage County Board, Will County Board, and the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Environmental assessments referenced statutes under the National Environmental Policy Act with consultations involving the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and conservation groups such as the Sierra Club and local land trusts. Economic development tied to the tollway influenced suburban employment centers including Oak Brook Center and corporate campuses for firms such as Medline Industries, Tollway plaza contractors, and regional offices of MB Financial, drawing commuter demand from municipalities like Naperville and Aurora. Subsequent extensions northward and southward were approved and funded through toll revenue and bond issues overseen by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority board, with construction contractors including national firms that worked on other corridors like major expressway contractors.

Tolls and operations

Tolls on I-355 are collected via electronic systems compatible with regional transponders such as I-PASS and interoperable programs linked to E-ZPass networks. The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority sets rates, issues bonds, and finances capital projects with oversight from state officials including the Governor of Illinois and the Illinois General Assembly. Toll plazas and gantries employ automated enforcement technologies similar to those used on Interstate 294 and Chicago Skyway. Revenue supports maintenance, snow removal contracts often coordinated with county highway departments like DuPage County Highway Department, and capital improvements. Policies on toll discounts, transponder accounts, and violations are administered in coordination with agencies such as the Illinois Secretary of State for registration verification and the Illinois Attorney General for consumer protections.

Services and facilities

Along the corridor, motorists access park-and-ride lots served by commuter providers including Pace Suburban Bus and Metra feeder shuttles connecting to lines like the Milwaukee District/West Line and BNSF Railway stations. The tollway corridor supports logistics with proximity to intermodal facilities such as the Joliet Intermodal Facility and industrial parks near Romeoville and Will County logistics hubs. Emergency response is coordinated through agencies like the Illinois State Police District posts, local fire departments including Bolingbrook Fire Department and Wheaton Fire Department, and county emergency management offices. Roadside amenities, incident management programs, and traffic cameras integrate with the Illinois Tollway Traffic Operations Center and regional traffic management systems used by Chicago Department of Transportation and county DOTs.

Traffic, safety, and impact

Traffic volumes on I-355 reflect commuter peaks tied to employment centers in Oak Brook, Downers Grove, and Naperville, as well as freight movements to terminals serving Chicago Ridge and Cicero. Safety programs mirror initiatives from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Highway Administration including corridor-wide deployments of dynamic message signs and pavement improvements. Studies by regional planners at CMAP and academic research from institutions like Northwestern University, University of Illinois Chicago, and University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign have examined I-355's effects on traffic diversion, air quality impacts assessed with the Environmental Protection Agency models, and land use changes adjacent to interchanges. Crash reduction measures and winter maintenance practices have reduced incident clearance times coordinated with Illinois Department of Transportation and local police departments.

Future plans and improvements

Planned improvements have included interchange reconstructions, managed lanes proposals, and multimodal enhancements coordinated with projects on I-88, I-55, and regional transit initiatives tied to Metra expansion concepts. Funding strategies have been discussed in the Illinois General Assembly and among tollway commissioners to support rehabilitation projects, bridge replacements, and technology upgrades such as expanded open road tolling and vehicle-to-infrastructure pilots linked to U.S. Department of Transportation programs. Local municipalities including Bolingbrook, Wheaton, and Itasca participate in corridor planning through agencies like CMAP and regional chambers of commerce such as the DuPage County Chamber of Commerce to align economic development with transportation capacity improvements.

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