Editing Interstate 294 (section)

==History==
[[File:Southbound, Tri-State Tollway, Interstate 294, Chicago, Illinois (9181919778).jpg|thumb|I-294 southbound, at the intersection with I-90 near O'Hare|left]]
The portion of the [[Borman Expressway]] that was completed from Gary westward and the [[Kingery Expressway]] were originally designated as I-80, I-90, and I-294 from shortly after the Interstate Highway program was enacted until about 1965 when the connection between the Borman and the [[Indiana Toll Road]] was completed, and I-90 was swapped with I-94 west of that junction (and east of where those routes share the same road in Chicago), cutting back I-294 to its current south terminus (eliminating the Indiana part of I-294).

I-294 was constructed largely before the growth and maturation of the suburbs that run along the corridor. As a result, the vast majority of the interchanges are partial or were configured to have entrance ramps feeding the toll plazas. Long gaps between exit ramps are common, the {{convert|6.5|mi|km|adj=on}} gap between Cicero Avenue (IL&nbsp;50/IL&nbsp;83) and 95th Street (US&nbsp;12/US&nbsp;20) being one of the more notable ones. Partial interchanges are located at [[Roosevelt Road]] ([[Illinois Route 38|IL&nbsp;38]]; northbound exit, southbound entrance), Irving Park Road (IL&nbsp;19) (southbound exit, northbound entrance), [[Touhy Avenue]] (northbound exit, southbound entrance), [[Dempster Street]] (US&nbsp;14; northbound exit, southbound entrance), and Golf Road (IL&nbsp;58; southbound exit, northbound entrance).

From 1992 to 1993, the central portion of I-294 between Balmoral Avenue and [[95th Street (Chicago)|95th Street]] was widened to eight lanes.<ref>{{cite news |first = P. Davis |last = Szymczak |title = Widening of Tri-State Could Begin in October |date = September 27, 1991 |access-date = April 18, 2010 |work = Chicago Tribune |url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24500899.html?dids=24500899:24500899&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+27%2C+1991&author=P.+Davis+Szymczak.&pub=Chicago+Tribune+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=Widening+of+Tri-State+could+begin+in+October&pqatl=google |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121026110705/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/24500899.html?dids=24500899:24500899&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+27,+1991&author=P.+Davis+Szymczak.&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Widening+of+Tri-State+could+begin+in+October&pqatl=google |url-status = dead |archive-date = October 26, 2012 }}</ref> As part of the project, the 79th Street exit was removed while the 75th Street/Willow Springs Road exit was constructed.<ref name="1993-1994 Map">{{Illinois road map|year=1993}}</ref><ref name="1995-1996 Map">{{Illinois road map|year=1995}}</ref> It also caused southbound 83rd Street Toll Plaza to relocate north.<ref name="1995-1996 Map"/><ref>{{Illinois road map|year=1997}}</ref> Several former partial interchanges have been converted to full interchanges, with automated toll collection facilities on the new ramps, such as at [[159th Street (Chicago)|159th Street]] (US&nbsp;6; northbound on and southbound off added) and [[95th Street (Chicago)|95th Street]] (US&nbsp;12/US&nbsp;20; southbound on and northbound off added).<ref>{{Illinois road map|year=1990}}</ref><ref name="1991-1992 Map">{{Illinois road map|year=1991}}</ref><ref name="1993-1994 Map"/> Between 2006 and 2009, the southern and northern portions of I-294 (IL-394 to 95th Street and I-90 to Lake Cook Road respectively) were fully reconstructed and expanded, bringing the entire highway up to eight lanes.

The [[Illinois State Toll Highway Authority]] (ISTHA) and the [[Illinois Department of Transportation]] (IDOT) are partnering to construct a new interchange to connect I-294 to I-57. The primary interchange connections between I-294 and I-57 were completed in 2014, while the remaining ramps except for northbound I-57 to southbound I-294 and northbound I-294 to southbound I-57 were completed on September 11, 2022.<ref>{{cite news |last1=DoGood |first1=Silence |title=Full Opening of I-57/I-294 Interchange a Dream Come True for the Southland According to State Rep. Bob Rita |journal=The Southland Journal |date=September 12, 2022 |url=https://thesouthlandjournal.com/full-opening-of-i-57-i-294-interchange-a-dream-come-true-for-the-southland-according-to-state-rep-bob-rita/ |access-date=November 24, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = I-294/I-57 Interchange Project: Phase 2 |url = https://www.illinoistollway.com/projects/tri-state/294-57-interchange |publisher = Illinois State Toll Highway Authority |access-date = August 12, 2020 }}</ref>

The central portion of I-294 between Balmoral Avenue and 95th Street is currently being reconstructed and widened to a five/six-lane cross-section, with the inside shoulder being a flex lane that can be used during emergencies or heavy congestion. The work also includes reconfiguring the interchange with I-88/I-290. It required the demolition of the Hinsdale Oasis. The entire project is scheduled to be completed in 2026.<ref>{{cite web |title = Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project |url = https://www.illinoistollway.com/projects/tri-state/central-tri-state-reconstruction |publisher =Illinois State Toll Highway Authority |access-date = August 12, 2020 }}</ref>{{Update after|2026}}
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