Carpool Lanes May Come to Illinois Tollways

Carpool Lanes May Come to Illinois Tollways
The Illinois Tollway (AP/M. Spencer Green)
Carpool Lanes May Come to Illinois Tollways
The Illinois Tollway (AP/M. Spencer Green)

Carpool Lanes May Come to Illinois Tollways

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Illinois could finally get carpool lanes on the state’s tollways. Governor Rod Blagojevich wants dedicated lanes for drivers with multiple passengers or hybrid vehicles.

Blagojevich says the 80 miles of new “green lanes” would ease tollway congestion by making carpooling more attractive.

Other states like California and New York already have similar lanes in place. The governor says he wanted other highway construction to finish before the lanes were introduced in Illinois.

BLAGOJEVICH: Part of the goal is to do the work in such a way where you can reduce the inconvenience on the public. So you don’t want to do too much work at one time and people are stuck in traffic longer than they would have to be. So there’s a bit of a pace to this.

Carpoolers and hybrid drivers who use the green lanes would pay the regular toll. Other drivers could still go into the lanes but they’ll be charged extra. If the tollway board approves, the lanes could be in place by 2010.

I’m Tasha Flournoy, Chicago Public Radio.

The plan announced today also includes two new interchanges. One at I-294 and I-57, and another at the intersection of I-90 and Illinois-53, just northwest of O’Hare airport.