Driving from northern Chicagoland to Madison in AM - via Milwaukee...traffic? (Kenosha: living in)

[logicallypositivist]

Hi,

I live in Evanston, IL, and I'm driving to Madison, WI tomorrow morning, leaving at 8am. Though Google Maps recommends going via I-90, I'm concerned I may experience a lot of traffic in the Chicago area, so I'm considering going via I-94/Milwaukee. I will reach the Milwaukee area around 9:15am. Will I encounter traffic in the Milwaukee area if I take this route?

thanks

[west336]

I read this post, even though I'm not from Wisconsin, because I drive from Chicago to Minneapolis ALL THE TIME and I feel like I know the options very well. I-90 from Chicago to Madison is one of the busiest/congested interstates (non-urban) in the country, but it's a more direct route than going through Milwaukee. However, like you said, traveling SOUTH into the city to connect to the Kennedy (I-90) sounds like an absolute nightmare at 8:00!! If I were you, I'd take the Milwaukee bypass (which becomes almost logistically the same as taking I-90 if you are already in the northern suburbs) and risk the 20 extra miles or so against Milwaukee's morning rush hour (which I doubt lasts much past 9:00).

Take I-94 through Milwaukee.

[Jesse276]

Like the other poster said, if you take 894 through Milwaukee... you will slow down a little but there won't be any real traffic problems.

[slamont61]

Rush hour is over by then anyways. (9:15) Take 94 to the 894 bypass and pick 94 back up for the rest of the trip. Better route than I-90.

[paddock_laker]

I remember from living in Wisconsin that the stretch of 94 between Waukegan, Kenosha, and Racine (three cities between Milwaukee and Chicago) is absolute hell in the morning from all the people going to Abbot (huge employer in Waukegan) and Case (huge employer in Racine).