Illinois Tollway looks to speed up suburban highways

The Illinois Tollway is moving closer to increasing the speed limit on several area tollways from 55 to 60 mph, according to an Illinois Tollway news release.

The Tollway’s Customer Service and Planning Committee recommended the changes based on years of traffic and engineering studies to determine areas where the speed limit could safely be increased to make traffic more efficient, according to the release.

The Tollway's Board of Directors will consider the recommendation at its March 26 meeting.

The board, the Tollway's Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and the Illinois Department of Transportation must approve the speed limit changes before they can be enacted.

Illinois Senate Bill 2015, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2015, allowed tollways in DuPage and Cook counties to be considered for increases up to 70 mph.

Tollway stretches that would see increases include:

• Interstate 88: from I-290 to Illinois Route 31

• I-355: from I-55 to Army Trail Road

• I-294: from the I-57 Interchange to the I-55 Interchange