Interstate 88 (Western)

Overview

Formerly IL 5, and before that IL 190, the western Interstate 88 is the Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway and the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway from Interstate 80 near the Quad Cities east to the I-290 (Eisenhower Expressway) and I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) interchange near Hillside. Until 2004, the toll road section from Sterling east to Hillside was known as the East-West Tollway.

Interstate 88 provides an alternative to I-80 between the Quad Cities area and Chicago, especially points north and west of the Loop. The tollway passes through Dixon, which is the boyhood home of former President Ronald Reagan.

History

Interstate 88 was commissioned in July 2, 1987,¹ replacing former IL 5. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) previously approved the designation subject to concurrence from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on May 25, 1987. The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority indicated that the renumbering was necessary so that they could raise the speed limit to 65 MPH due to a federal law at the time that allowed states to increase speed limits on highways designated as Interstates. The limit was increased between Napierville and Rock Falls.⁴ A similar process occurred with the unnumbered portion of the Kansas Turnpike, which was designated Interstate 335 to allow for 65 MPH speed limits.

Additionally the application to AASHTO indicated

The access controlled 4-lane facility which was opened in 1979 provides a link between Chicago and several northern Illinois cities. An Interstate marking would provide motorists a route marking more consistent with this type of highway.

The section of Interstate 88 (East-West Tollway) from I-290 (Eisenhower Expressway) west to Aurora was built between 1956 and 1958. The construction of the initial 28 mile long section of the East-West Tollway (and the other original tollways) was funded by a bond issuance in the amount of $415 million by the state tollway commission (which was created in 1953).^2,3 All of the urban tollways (including the Northwest Tollway, the easternmost portion of the East-West Tollway, the Tri-State Tollway, and the Chicago Skyway) were open to traffic by 1958.

The second major section of the East-West Tollway opened was 69 miles long, from IL 56 in Aurora west to IL 40 near Sterling and Rock Falls. This portion was funded with a bond issuance by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority in 1970. This route was shown as under construction in the 1972 Rand McNally Road Atlas and as complete in 1974. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) built the remainder of the highway from the interchange with IL 40 west to the Quad Cities in the 1970s; this section is toll free.

The first segment of the East-West Tollway (Aurora to Chicago) was originally designated as U.S. 30 Toll. It was changed to IL 190 in 1965 and renumbered again to IL 5 in 1972 (before the extension to the Quad Cities was completed).

Route Information

East End – Elmhurst, IL
West End – East Moline, IL
Branch Routes – 0
Mileage – 140.60
Cities – Sterling, Rock Falls, Rochelle, DeKalb, Aurora, Naperville, Downers Grove, Lombard, Elmhurst
Junctions –

Source: December 31, 2018 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

The East-West Tollway ran 29.8 miles from Sugar Grove to Hillside in 1964.

The East-West Tollway carried the designation of U.S. 30 Toll until 1965, when it was renumbered to IL 190. The original west end of the tollway to Sugar Grove was eventually designated as IL 56.

Northwest Illinois – 1970.

The original studies for the East-West Tollway included a route northwest to Clinton, Iowa. It was determined however that traffic on the proposed route would not be high enough to justify construction.⁵

IL 5 (East West Tollway) under construction – 1973 Illinois Official Highway Map.

IL 5 was extended west from Interstate 80 to Rock Island in 1975. The route within the Quad Cities remained after the 1987 commissioning of Interstate 88.

Highway Guides

Illinois

East End – Elmhurst, Illinois

East at

Continuing beyond the York Toll Plaza, the ensuing exit from I-88/IL 110 is for I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) southbound. Photo by Don Hargraves (09/02).

Traffic headed south on the Tri-State Tollway to I-80 and the Kingery Expressway east to Northwest Indiana departs from I-88/IL 110 (CKC) east. Photo by Brian Dowd (08/16/02).

A two lane flyover partitions from Interstate 88 east to both I-290 (Eisenhower Extension) west and I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) north. Photo by Brian Dowd (08/16/02).

Entering the two-wye interchange with I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) north toward Milwaukee and I-290 west to Schaumburg. Photo by Brian Dowd (08/16/02).

Interstate 88 concludes at I-290 (Eisenhower Expressway) east ahead of a c/d roadway for U.S. 12-20-45 and Manheim Road. This portion of the Hillside Strangler interchange was reconstructed in 2001-02. Photo by Brian Dowd (08/16/02).

Interstate 88 end sign posted at the wye interchange joining the Ronald Reagan East-West Tollway with the Inbound Eisenhower Expressway. Photo by Don Hargraves (09/02).

The unnumbered ramp for Manheim Road and U.S. 12-20-45 separates as the I-88 mainline joins inbound Interstate 290. Downtown Chicago lies 15 miles to the east. Photo by Brian Dowd (08/16/02).

West at

The Outbound Eisenhower Expressway advances 1.5 miles from U.S. 12-20-45 / Mannheim Road (Exit 17) to the split with Interstate 88. The forthcoming exchange is commonly known as the Hillside Strangler due to commute hour delays and back-ups. 05/24/08

I-88/IL 110 provides the connection from I-290 (Eisenhower Expressway) west with I-294 south along the Tri-State Tollway. 08/10/09

Entering the Hillside Strangler interchange along the I-290 (Eisenhower Expressway). Exit 15A leads to the Ronald Reagan East-West Tollway west to Aurora and the Quad Cities and the Tri-State Tollway south to Joliet and Hammond, Indiana. 08/10/09

Interstate 290 branches northwest from I-88 and IL 110 (CKC) along the Eisenhower Extension to Rockford and Exit 15B for the Tri-State Tollway north to O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Milwaukee. 08/10/09

West

The first confirming marker for Interstate 88 west appears after the ramps with I-294 (Tri-State Tollway). Photo by Steve Hanudel (05/14/06).

West End – East Moline, Illinois

West at

I-88/IL 92-110 (Chicago Kansas City Expressway) west parallel Zuma Creek across an agricultural area on the two mile approach to Exits 1B/A with Interstate 80. 04/08/13

Old IL 2 ties into Interstate 88 just east of the cloverleaf interchange with I-80 and IL 5. 04/08/13

Exit 1B forms a collector distributor roadway from Old IL 2 to Interstate 80 west for Bettendorf, Davenport and Des Moines. Iowa. 04/08/13

Interstate 88 west becomes IL 5 just beyond I-80/IL 110 (CKC). IL 5 joins IL 92 along an at-grade expressway southwest to Silvis. 04/08/13

East at

Heading northeast through East Moline, IL 5/92 advance one mile east to the cloverleaf interchange (Exits 1A/B) joining I-88 with I-80/IL 110 (CKC). 04/08/13

IL 5/92 upgrade to a freeway beyond the intersection with Hubbard Road and 193rd Street N and a half mile ahead of the exchange with Interstate 80 and IL 110 (CKC). 04/08/13

Illinois Route 5 ends as Interstate 88 begins. The drive east to Aurora is generally rural. 04/08/13

I-80 east combines with IL 110 (CKC) south from I-88 (Exit 1A) to Interstate 74 at the Big X Interchange in Colona. 04/08/13

The ramps for I-80 along I-88/IL 92 eastbound are unnumbered. I-80 travels north to Rapids City and across the Mississippi River to LeClaire, Iowa. 03/12/17

I-88/IL 92-110 (CKC) enter a diamond interchange (Exit 2) with Old IL 2 to the immediate east of Interstate 80. IL 2 remains in service northeast of Dixon along the Rock River. 03/12/17

The first confirming marker for I-88 stands along the rural stretch leading from East Moline to Joslin. 03/12/17

East at

The Mississippi Rapids rest area and welcome center lies two miles north of the exchange joining Interstate 80 east with I-88 east, IL 5 west and IL 92. 12/25/19

One mile north of Exits 4A/B with I-88 and IL 5, IL 92 and IL 110 (CKC). IL 92 is part of a multi-state route beginning in Torrington, Wyoming and ending at U.S. 34 near La Moille, Illinois. IL 5 west encircles southern reaches of Moline and Rock Island from East Moline to U.S. 67. 05/28/18

The initial 44 miles of Interstate 88 east is the toll free Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway. Beyond U.S. 30 (Exit 44), I-88 follows the Ronald Reagan East-West Tollway past Rochelle (I-39/U.S. 51), De Kalb, Aurora and Naperville before ending at the merge with I-290 just outside Chicago. 03/12/17

Eastbound Interstate 80 reaches Exit 4A to IL 5/92 west to Silvis, East Moline and Moline. The succeeding ramp (Exit 4B) connects with I-88/IL 110 (Chicago Kansas City Expressway) east to Sterling and Rock Falls. 12/25/19

Interstate 88 begins where IL 5 ends below I-80 at Exit 4B. IL 92 combines with the freeway east to Joslin (Exit 6). IL 110 (CKC) overlays all of the route to I-290. 12/25/19

West East at

The first sign for the interchange with I-88 and IL 5/92 precedes the Rock River and the Rock Island County line along I-80 west / IL 110 (CKC) east. 03/31/16

Advancing north across Barstow Road, one mile south of the cloverleaf interchange (Exits 4A/B) with I-88, IL 5 west and IL 92. IL 5remains west from I-88 as a 15-mile route serving Silvis, East Moline, Moline and Rock Island. 03/31/16

Interstate 80 and IL 110 (CKC) separate in one mile at Exit 4B for I-88/IL 92 east to Sterling and Rock Falls. The Chicago-Kansas City Expressway overlays all of Interstate 88 to I-290. 03/31/16

I-80 west / IL 110 (CKC) east reach Exit 4A for I-88/IL 92 east to Sterling and Rock Falls and the East-West Tollway to Rochelle, De Kalb and Aurora. The succeeding ramp (Exit 4B) connects with IL 5/92 west to Silvis and East Moline. 03/31/16

Sources:

Personal Email from Jason Hancock on 07/09/06, citing an article from the Moline Daily Dispatch on 7/29/87.
Encyclopedia of Chicago: Expressways by Dennis McClendon of the Chicago Historical Society.
Encyclopedia of Chicago: Tollways by David M. Young of the Chicago Historical Society.
“East-West Tollway now I- 88 – speed 65 in one area.” Chicago Sun-Times, July 2, 1987.
“Motor Club To Hear Study On Tollway.” Chicago Tribune, September 26, 1963.

Page updated July 19, 2021.