Fastest route between Dubuque and Chicago (Rockford, Addison: dangerous, linear, safest)

[il_blguy87]

Is there a route faster than US-20? One should have 4 lanes. US 20 has only 2 lanes between Galena and Freeport, going through several small towns with 30mph speed restriction !!!

Hate that route but for now it only seems to be the quickest route and during snowy winter the safest US61->I-80->I-88.

[linicx]

Most US, State and County routes are two lane and they do pass through the towns the Interstate routes bypass. The only four lane routes I know between the Iowa border and Chicagoland are E-W I-80, N-S I-55 and I-39 (crosses the IKE), and the I-74 that moves traffic SE toward Indiana.

Early morning before 6am is the best time to travel through Chicago if you are in a hurry.

[chet everett]

The only real alternate to US-20 is US-52. You pick it up off I-88 north of Dixon IL. Still mostly a two lane road, technically about 15-20 more linear miles too. Generally adds a little under a half an hour to the trip, but there are less traffic conflicts heading toward farm land instead of Wisconsin Dells... Chicago, IL to Dubuque, IA - Google Maps

(BTW I am pretty sure that the Eisenhower designation of I-290 generally ends at it intersection with I-355 near Addison. I-39 intersects / joins with I-90 at Rockford... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_290_(Illinois) )

[css9450]

Originally Posted by il_blguy87

Is there a route faster than US-20? One should have 4 lanes. US 20 has only 2 lanes between Galena and Freeport, going through several small towns with 30mph speed restriction !!!

You should have seen it about 15 years ago; it was in terrible shape even east of Freeport. A local wag erected a sign declaring it to be "US 20 - America's Bandaid Highway".

In contrast, head west into Iowa on 20 and its wide and smooth as glass.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by il_blguy87

Is there a route faster than US-20? One should have 4 lanes. US 20 has only 2 lanes between Galena and Freeport, going through several small towns with 30mph speed restriction !!!

Hate that route but for now it only seems to be the quickest route and during snowy winter the safest US61->I-80->I-88.

NO. And for your snowy route, cut across at Clinton using US 30 to save some time.

[SJaye]

There was a plan build a 4-lane highway from Freeport to Galena, including a Galena by-pass. What happened to it?

[il_blguy87]

Originally Posted by chet everett

The only real alternate to US-20 is US-52. You pick it up off I-88 north of Dixon IL. Still mostly a two lane road, technically about 15-20 more linear miles too. Generally adds a little under a half an hour to the trip, but there are less traffic conflicts heading toward farm land instead of Wisconsin Dells... Chicago, IL to Dubuque, IA - Google Maps

(BTW I am pretty sure that the Eisenhower designation of I-290 generally ends at it intersection with I-355 near Addison. I-39 intersects / joins with I-90 at Rockford... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_290_(Illinois) )

US 52 is worse, and quite dangerous especially between Dubuque and Clinton, because you're going through quite few miles of forest preserver on two lane road and over there u completely loose cell phone signal.

I might think about US 61-->US30 through clinton.

[il_blguy87]

Originally Posted by linicx

Most US, State and County routes are two lane and they do pass through the towns the Interstate routes bypass. The only four lane routes I know between the Iowa border and Chicagoland are E-W I-80, N-S I-55 and I-39 (crosses the IKE), and the I-74 that moves traffic SE toward Indiana.

Early morning before 6am is the best time to travel through Chicago if you are in a hurry.

Do u realize I am talking about trip mostly from northeast Iowa, which is near Illinois border? Its all way north. I-55? hello? this is southwest to Missouri!.

If you're trying to get me route to bypass tollways, I don't need that. I have I-Pass.


Overall it seems to me Illinois got pretty quite bad roads in rural areas especially in northwest. I took I-151 to Madison before and it was all way 4-lane road with bypasses around small towns!

The most grip issues I have with U.S 20 when u get stuck behind a large truck or overcautious grandma for many miles.

[SJaye]

Originally Posted by il_blguy87

Do u realize I am talking about trip mostly from northeast Iowa, which is near Illinois border? Its all way north. I-55? hello? this is southwest to Missouri!.

If you're trying to get me route to bypass tollways, I don't need that. I have I-Pass.


Overall it seems to me Illinois got pretty quite bad roads in rural areas especially in northwest. I took I-151 to Madison before and it was all way 4-lane road with bypasses around small towns!

The most grip issues I have with U.S 20 when u get stuck behind a large truck or overcautious grandma for many miles.

Unfortunately, I think there is no getting around that route from Dubuque to Chicago. Simply put, there is no better way. However, I would not say that Illinois has bad roads overall. Based on the trips you seem to take regularly, I understand how you would come to this conclusion, but there are plenty of routes elsewhere in Illinois that connect medium sized cities better than most states (example Rockford to Bloominton has an interstate while South Bend to Indianapolis does not). If you drove up to LaCrosse or Rochester would would probably be frustrated by two lane highways in Iowa and Wisconsin.

[Drover]

To Dubuque from Where? Chicago? Obviously your best bet is to take I-90 to Rockford and then hop on 20 from there instead of taking 20 all the way through the suburbs and what-not.

From Rockford west, 20 is pretty much the fastest route. And it's not like you encounter a town every 5 miles where you're required to slow down. While I'd prefer interstate speeds and rights-of-way, I never found 20 to be an overly-burdensome route from Rockford to Dubuque.