Future Interstate 490 Illinois

Interstate 490 Illinois
Des Plaines, IL ↔ Franklin Park, IL•6.20 miles

Overview

Interstate 490 in Illinois is part of a $4.3 billion investment to improve connectivity to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and adjacent transit facilities, distribution centers and freight transportation hubs. Being developed by the Illinois Tollway Authority in conjunction with the Illinois Route 390 Tollway, the I-490 Tollway is part of 17 miles of new expressway built to both accommodate traffic around the west side of O'Hare Airport and to provide access to the airport (Illinois Tollway, 2018).

The Illinois Route 390 Tollway was completed in November 2017 (Illinois Tollway, 2018). It extends west from IL 83 (Busse Road) at the city of Wood Dale to U.S. 20 at the village of Hanover Park. Construction of IL 390 included converting the previous Elgin O'Hare Expressway west from I-290 (Eisenhower Expressway) to U.S. 20 into a toll road.

I-490 Tollway Construction Map

Construction on the I-490 Tollway got underway in 2018 and extends through 2029. The north end of Interstate 490 is a trumpet interchange with I-90 (Jame Addams Memorial Tollway) at Des Plaines. The exchange was constructed where service plazas were previously located. The $120 million I-490/I-90 Interchange Project ran from Summer 2018 to 2025 (Illinois Tollway, 2026a).

The south end of Interstate 490 is a wye interchange being built along the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) between Grand Avenue at Northlake and Wolf Road in Franklin Park. Part of $360 million in construction widening and rebuilding I-294 (Illinois Tollway, 2026b), work commenced in 2020 and was completed in 2025.

The first section of Interstate 490 opened to traffic on October 24, 2026. The 1.5 mile long link connects I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) with Franklin Avenue in Franklin Park. Work through late 2027 continues north from there to the IL 390 Tollway (Martin, 2026).

Mileage by State

Illinois6.20 mi

Data Sources

AASHO Route Numbering Committee Notes, November 20, 2014.

History

Interstate 490 was approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) subject to concurrence by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on November 20, 2014.

Future South End Interstate 294 ‐ Franklin Park, IL

Future/Proposed Alignment Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

Interstate 294 North at Interstate 490

I-294 north at Future I-490 - Franklin Park, IL

One of the pier supports for the future flyover linking I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) north with the I-490 Tollway north was erected in 2021. 06/23/22

References

  1. Illinois Tollway. (2018, June 11). Elgin O'Hare Western Access Project - Illinois Route 390 Tollway and I-490 Tollway. Retrieved from https://www.illinoistollway.com/documents/20184/1193494/2022-03_EOWA_490-390Projects_OnePager.pdf/6a60a53a-9fce-b944-ad14-36734eb0e3a0?t=1648085195489
  2. Illinois Tollway. (2026, February 2). Elgin O'Hare Western Access Project - I-490/I-90 Interchange Project. Retrieved November 7, 2026 from https://agency.illinoistollway.com/documents/d/guest/2026-i-490-i-90-interchange_factsheet
  3. Illinois Tollway. (2026, April 8). Elgin O'Hare Western Access Project - I-490/I-294 Interchange Project. Retrieved November 7, 2026 from https://agency.illinoistollway.com/documents/d/guest/2026-i-490-i-294-interchange_factsheet-final
  4. Martin, K. (2026, October 24). First part of new tollway in Chicago suburbs opens to traffic. WMAQ NBC 5. Retrieved November 7, 2026 from https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/first-part-of-new-tollway-in-chicago-suburbs-opens/4006876/
Updated November 7, 2026