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Interstate 190 (Illinois)
Encyclopedia
Interstate 190 is an intrastate Interstate Highway
in the U.S. state
of Illinois
. I-190 runs west from I-90
to O'Hare International Airport
. This is a distance of 3.07 miles (4.94 km). Interstate 190 is the westernmost leg of the Kennedy Expressway
. This leg is often referred to as the O'Hare Expressway.
, and three lanes west of I-294. The freeway portion of I-190 consists largely of cloverleaf interchanges.
Each road crossing I-190 is accessible via exit ramps. Not all interchanges are accessible in the same way from both directions, however. For example, the exit to southbound U.S. 12/45 traveling eastbound on I-190 requires exiting at Bessie Coleman Drive. Westbound, direct access is provided.
There is no specific sign indicating Interstate 190's western terminus at O'Hare. Interstate-standard freeway ends roughly at the ramps to the upper (Departure) and lower (Arrival) loops. The freeway then resumes shortly after both loops merge to cross an emergency fire lane.
The eastern terminus, I-90, is considered to be the origin point of the highway. Both exit numbers and mileage markers on roadside light fixtures ascend traveling westbound.
O'Hare Airport originally opened in 1942, and was expanded to its current size in 1962.
In late 2005, the intersection with Mannheim Road was reconstructed to remove unsafe conditions and bring the route closer to Interstate standards. In the late 1990s, the Illinois Department of Transportation
restriped I-190 at Interstate 294. This action increased the number of lanes west of I-294 from two to three. In the process, the speed limit was reduced from 45 to 35, and yield signs were erected at the ends of the ramp from northbound Mannheim Road to westbound I-190, the busiest ramp at that intersection. This created a hazardous condition, often leading to high-speed crashes should drivers waiting on the ramp become impatient or underestimate the speed of westbound traffic. Often, an IDOT Minuteman (rapid response vehicle) would be stationed on the ramp waiting to tow away vehicles that would be involved in a crash during rush hour.
The improvements are designed to widen bridges and create significantly more merging space so that collision hazards are mitigated. In addition, the Mannheim Road bridge over Interstate 190 had outlived its useful life.
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. I-190 runs west from I-90
Interstate 90 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 90 runs roughly northwest through the northern end of the state, from the Indiana border to Wisconsin. I-90 traverses a variety of settings, from farmland west of the Fox River Valley to medium-density suburban west of O'Hare International Airport, to the...
to O'Hare International Airport
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
. This is a distance of 3.07 miles (4.94 km). Interstate 190 is the westernmost leg of the Kennedy Expressway
Kennedy Expressway
The John F. Kennedy Expressway is a long highway that travels northwest from the Chicago Loop to O'Hare International Airport. The expressway is named for the 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy. The Interstate 90 portion of the Kennedy is a part of the much longer I-90...
. This leg is often referred to as the O'Hare Expressway.
Route description
Interstate 190 has two lanes in either direction between Interstate 90 and Interstate 294Interstate 294
Interstate 294 is a tolled Interstate Highway in northeastern Illinois, U.S.A.. It forms the southern portion of the Tri-State Tollway in Illinois. I-294 runs from South Holland at Interstates 80 and 94, and Illinois Route 394 to Northbrook at I-94. Interstate 294 is long; are shared with I-80....
, and three lanes west of I-294. The freeway portion of I-190 consists largely of cloverleaf interchanges.
Each road crossing I-190 is accessible via exit ramps. Not all interchanges are accessible in the same way from both directions, however. For example, the exit to southbound U.S. 12/45 traveling eastbound on I-190 requires exiting at Bessie Coleman Drive. Westbound, direct access is provided.
There is no specific sign indicating Interstate 190's western terminus at O'Hare. Interstate-standard freeway ends roughly at the ramps to the upper (Departure) and lower (Arrival) loops. The freeway then resumes shortly after both loops merge to cross an emergency fire lane.
The eastern terminus, I-90, is considered to be the origin point of the highway. Both exit numbers and mileage markers on roadside light fixtures ascend traveling westbound.
History
The highway that is now I-190 was signed Illinois Route 194 from 1960 to 1970. In 1971, it was changed to Illinois Route 594. and was changed to I-190 around 1978 after the rest of Illinois 194 was changed to Interstate 90 in the mid to late 1970s.O'Hare Airport originally opened in 1942, and was expanded to its current size in 1962.
In late 2005, the intersection with Mannheim Road was reconstructed to remove unsafe conditions and bring the route closer to Interstate standards. In the late 1990s, the Illinois Department of Transportation
Illinois Department of Transportation
The Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
restriped I-190 at Interstate 294. This action increased the number of lanes west of I-294 from two to three. In the process, the speed limit was reduced from 45 to 35, and yield signs were erected at the ends of the ramp from northbound Mannheim Road to westbound I-190, the busiest ramp at that intersection. This created a hazardous condition, often leading to high-speed crashes should drivers waiting on the ramp become impatient or underestimate the speed of westbound traffic. Often, an IDOT Minuteman (rapid response vehicle) would be stationed on the ramp waiting to tow away vehicles that would be involved in a crash during rush hour.
The improvements are designed to widen bridges and create significantly more merging space so that collision hazards are mitigated. In addition, the Mannheim Road bridge over Interstate 190 had outlived its useful life.
Exit list
The entire route is in Cook County. Although exit numbers are marked as increasing east to west, IDOT measures mileposts from O'Hare International Airport, increasing west to east.| Location | Mile | # Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 3.07 | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
| Rosemont | 2.24 | 1 | River Road (9400 West) | Signed as exits 1A (north) and 1B (south) eastbound |
| 1.81 | 1C | – Milwaukee, Rockford | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |
| 1.79 | 1D | – Indiana Indiana Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is... |
No eastbound entrance | |
| Chicago | 1.27 | 2 | (10400 West) | Signed as exits 2A (west/north) and 2B (east/south); eastbound exit to US 12 east/US 45 south is via Bessie Coleman Drive |
| 0.99 | Bessie Coleman Drive – International Terminal 5 | |||
| 0.00 | O'Hare International Airport O'Hare International Airport Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop... |
Continuation beyond Bessie Coleman Drive |