Editing Interstate 355 (section)

===Opening===
[[File:I-355 at the Illinois Prairie Path.jpg|thumb|I-355 at the [[Illinois Prairie Path]], looking south towards [[Downers Grove, Illinois|Downers Grove]] in the distance]]
I-355 opened at the stroke of midnight on December 24, 1989. As a Christmas gift, the first two days of operation were free.<ref name="hausner_1989" /> Because of lower traffic counts at the north and south ends of the highway and lack of construction money, tollway officials built the road with four lanes from North Avenue ([[Illinois Route 64|IL&nbsp;64]]) to the [[Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway]] ([[Interstate 88 (Illinois)|I-88]]) on the north end, and around I-55 on the south end. As early as 1991, tollway officials had drawn up plans to widen the highway to three lanes in each direction.<ref name="szymczak">{{cite news |work = Chicago Tribune |date = December 25, 1991 |access-date = January 11, 2008 |last = Szymczak |first = P. Davis |title = State, motorists get money's worth in North–South Tollway |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0FFF0A165D70713C&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> Widening from North Avenue to Butterfield Road ([[Illinois Route 56|IL&nbsp;56]]) took place in 1995.<ref name="mills_1995">{{cite news |work = Chicago Tribune |last = Mills |first = Steve |date = December 15, 1995 |access-date = January 11, 2008 |title = I-355 work dominates toll projects |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0EB42727DF036799&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The old lines marking the former shoulder can still be seen in the right lane as a result of the tollway authority's attempt to grind them away.

After the new road opened, congestion decreased considerably on nearby north–south arteries. The DuPage County Division of Transportation calculated that congestion had decreased on IL&nbsp;53 by 20%, and the volume of cars on nearby north–south roads IL&nbsp;53, [[Illinois Route 59|IL&nbsp;59]] and [[Illinois Route 83|IL&nbsp;83]] had decreased. On IL&nbsp;53 between Ogden Avenue and Roosevelt Road, traffic counts sank from 21,400 to 11,800&nbsp;vehicles per day. In addition, traffic on the exit ramp from the [[Tri-State Tollway]] ([[Interstate 294|I-294]]) to I-55 dropped 10&nbsp;percent in 12&nbsp;months. Drivers also reported decreases in travel time from one end of the county to the other of up to 40&nbsp;minutes.<ref name="kamin_1990">{{cite news |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0FF82A8314756914&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |work = Chicago Tribune |date = April 20, 1990 |access-date = January 11, 2008 |title = New tollway helps some, hurts some |last = Kamin |first = Blair |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="washburn_1990">{{cite news |title = New tollway is surpassing expectations |date = December 17, 1990 |access-date = January 11, 2008 |last = Washburn |first = Gary |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0FF8328CCC72A2D1&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |work = Chicago Tribune |url-access=subscription }}</ref> However, the opening of the tollway also greatly increased congestion on I-290 near the northern terminus. A construction project in the summer months of 1990 widened I-290 just north of the tollway, at a cost of $2–2.5&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|20000000|1990}}}}–{{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|25000000|1990}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}).<ref name="kamin_1990" />

In spite of the apparent success of the tollway opening, traffic counts and projected toll revenues were initially lower than projected, with an estimated 65,000&nbsp;motorists per day traveling along the tollway, generating $55,000–65,000 (equivalent to ${{formatnum:{{inflation|US-GDP|55000|1990|r=-3}}}}–{{formatnum:{{inflation|US-GDP|65000|1990|r=-3}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}) in daily toll revenues. In addition, a spate of lawsuits were filed regarding the payment of contractors and subcontractors. Numerous [[lien]]s filed by subcontractors against the tollway were settled in June, 1990 at a cost of $10.1&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|10100000|1990}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}).<ref name="tribune_lien_1990">{{cite news |author = Chicago Tribune |work = Chicago Tribune |title = $10&nbsp;million released to pay for tollway |date = June 21, 1990 |access-date = January 11, 2008 |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0FF82C8EC99D4BC6&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="enstad_1990">{{cite news |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0FF82AD828F23C2E&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |title = Suits pile up on north–south Tollway |date = April 29, 1990 |access-date = January 11, 2008 |last = Enstad |first = Robert |work = Chicago Tribune |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The tollway authority released an additional $1&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|1000000|1992}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}) in May 1992 to further settle claims made by the general contractor, entering arbitration soon afterwards to settle another $1.6–27&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|1600000|1992}}}}–{{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|27000000|1992}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}) the contractor claimed it was owed.<ref name="tribune_payout_1992">{{cite news |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0FFEE0E601EAF11B&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |title = $1 million payout ok'd for toll work |date = May 29, 1992 |access-date = January 11, 2008 |author = Chicago Tribune |work = Chicago Tribune |url-access=subscription }}</ref> By 2005, average annual daily traffic values had risen to a range of 77,400 to 170,200&nbsp;vehicles per day.<ref name="t2" />

As early as 1989, the tollway authority had discussed implementing automatic toll collection across the entire system to relieve congestion caused by traffic stopping at mainline toll barriers.<ref name="washburn_19890420">{{cite news |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0FF786AF76A5E0C2&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |title = State reveals traffic plan to combat area gridlock |date = April 20, 1989 |access-date = January 26, 2008 |work = Chicago Tribune |last = Washburn |first = Gary |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The tollway authority began testing [[I-Pass]], the tollway system's electronic payment method, on the entire stretch of I-355 in 1993 at various tollbooths; by September&nbsp;1994, every plaza on I-355 accepted I-Pass.<ref name=gillis_1993>{{cite news |work = Chicago Sun-Times |date = November 18, 1993 |access-date = January 11, 2008 |last = Gillis |first = Michael |title = On I-355, change is no longer a constant: New device collects tolls automatically |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CSTB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0EB42164F69DDC5B&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> By 1998, the tollway authority had installed dedicated I-Pass lanes (lanes specifically set aside for [[electronic toll collection]]s) at both mainline toll barriers.<ref name=presecky_1997>{{cite news |work = Chicago Tribune |author = Presecky, William |access-date = January 11, 2008 |date = August 13, 1997 |title = Tollbooth to nowhere put to the test: Vacant Lemont tract a proving ground for new I-Pass technology |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0EB4289D13E9D4DF&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> In 1999, I-355 became the first tollway to receive I-Pass Express Lanes (also known as [[open road tolling]], or ORT). With the installation of the express lanes, vehicles with I-Pass could be tolled at highway speeds of {{convert|55|mph|km/h}}.<ref name=mannion_1999>{{cite news |work = Chicago Tribune |access-date = January 11, 2008 |date = February 6, 1999 |title = Toll plaza gets up to speed: I-Pass express lanes debut at Boughton Road site |last = Mannion |first = Annemarie |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0EB42A283A0A1E7A&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> In 2005, the tollway authority widened the express lanes from two lanes to three lanes in each direction. This allowed the number of express lanes to match the number of travel lanes on the tollway.<ref name="hilkevich_200511">{{cite news |work = Chicago Tribune |title = Open-road toll lanes wait for Blagojevich |access-date = January 11, 2008 |date = November 21, 2005 |last = Hilkevitch |first = Jon |url = http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:CTRB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=10E06BF6A6370520&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=AA98CDC331574F0ABEAFF732B33DC0B2 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Unlike the other tollways in the tollway system at the time, there were no [[Illinois Tollway Oasis|oases]] on the Veterans Memorial Tollway when it was opened. This is primarily due to the widespread access to food and fuel throughout the western suburbs when construction began in the late 1980s.<ref name=kemp_jan>{{cite web |url = http://www.beepcentral.com/discussions/thread.aspx?bctid=410&bcgid=13 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071123141621/http://www.beepcentral.com/discussions/thread.aspx?bctid=410&bcgid=13 |archive-date = 2007-11-23 |last = Kemp |first = Jan |title = Why isn't there an oasis on the North–South tollway? |date = June 28, 2006 |access-date = November 15, 2007 }} Via an interview/response through the ''Daily Herald''.</ref> When the southern extension was opened in Will County in 2007, that segment of road also did not have any oases.