Expressway Names and Interstate Numbers

Chicago Expressway Names and Interstate Numbers

Travelers in the Chicago area, especially travelers new to the area, sometimes do not know the correspondence between expressway names and interstate highway numbers, and have difficulty understanding why expressway directions are indicated the way they are.

The following is a cross-reference between interstate numbers and expressway names in the Chicago area:

Several interstates follow more than one named expressway on their path through the area. The expressway names for I-80, I-90, and I-94 are listed from east to west.

The following is a cross-reference between expressway names and interstate numbers in the Chicago area:

The Dan Ryan Expressway and the Kennedy Expressway south of the junction with the Edens Expressway are followed by both I-90 and I-94.

The Chicago-Kansas City (CKC) Expressway was recently established as a new national transportation corridor. This route is designated as Illinois Route 110 and traverses the Eisenhower Expressway (Interstate 290) west from the Jane Byrne Interchange (Interstate 90/94/290) to the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (Interstate 88). The route follows Interstate 88 into the western part of Illinois before connecting with other interstates and highways.

Chicago Expressway and Interstate Directions

Travelers are sometimes confused by the designation found on roadway signs that the northbound Dan Ryan Expressway is the westbound I-90 and I-94. The reason for this is the following. The interstates I-90 and I-94 cross the country in an east-west direction, generally north of Chicago. However, both interstates move to the south in the Chicago area to go around Lake Michigan as they cross the country. For example, I-94 goes west from Detroit across the state of Michigan, then around Lake Michigan, and joins with westbound I-80 in Indiana before entering Illinois on the Kingery Expressway. Then to continue around Lake Michigan, it proceeds north on the Bishop Ford Memorial Freeway, the Dan Ryan Expressway, the Kennedy Expressway, and the Edens Expressway, west on the Edens Expressway Spur, and then north again on the Tri-State Tollway. Therefore the northbound orientation of these expressways is I-94 westbound from the perspective of the interstate system in which I-94 crosses the country from east to west.

Milwaukee Expressway Names and Interstate Numbers

As with Chicago, travelers new to the Milwaukee area may not be familiar with the correspondence between expressway names and interstate highway numbers.

The following is a cross-reference between interstate numbers and expressway names in the Milwaukee area:

Indiana Expressway Names and Interstate Numbers

The following are common names used for expressway numbers in Indiana:

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Tue Mar 19 2024 00:53:17 CDT