Considering the Dan Ryan construction, what's the best route to take in and out of Chicago this summer for those of us who need to get over to southern Michigan for a weekend? How much extra time would you leave? I am going to and from Whitehall, MI just north of Grand Haven (and no, I can't do it by boat!) Thank you!

I would SERIOUSLY consider taking the ferry out of mke to muskegan - just north of grand haven. The traffic IS HORRID! I know that the ferry leaves out of mke, and it's a drive, but i live in SW Michigan and have a client in MKE, so if I drove I would have to drive either 94 and take the skyway or 294, both were nightmares. I drove 2 hrs north to muskegon, took the ferry and it was soooo much nicer, and it was quicker! Espcially if you're going to Grand Haven, it's 20 minutes away!

Worth considering. What's MKE?

I'd guess MKE is Milwaukee.

But I don't think I quite understand where you're traveling from/to.

Your header says to Chicago from Indiana, but your post says to Whitehall Michigan (from where?)

Where will you be starting, how will you be traveling, and where will you be ending? (Specifically, directions would be different if you're starting in Chicago heading to MI, or if you're starting in MI with Chicago as your weekend destination.)

The Michigan-Indiana border crossing isn't the problem, the Indiana-Illinois one will be, hence the header, even though the ultimate destination is in Michigan. I would 2nd the the ferry idea from Milwaukee to Grand Haven and come in from the north. Better yet, buy a vacation home in Illinois. There are some beautiful areas here, and traffic is much, much better going south and west than either east (Michigan) or north (Wisconsin). Seriously, if you do need to drive, just be prepared to sit in traffic. I know from experience that any alternates (Ridge Rd., Rt. 30) are just as jammed as 80-94. There's really no way around it, without going a hundred miles out of your way.

I drove from Madison Wi to South Bend this past Thursday am-going I90 through Chicago and getting to the Skyway at 11am. The total trip usually takes 4 hours-this time it took 4-1/2.

Coming back I went through Chicago at 9am Sunday and cruised through with no slowdowns at all.I had expected a far worse trip.

Maybe if you are able to time your trip to get through Chicago about 11 am on a weekday or early Sunday morning it will help.

Ditto, flamingomonkey. But I think it is well worth it.

IMHO, there just isn't any part of IL that resembles the inland lake areas of SouthWest and South Central MI. I looked for years wanting to go West or South for that traffic reason.

I do this trip all the time and go West on I-80 beyond Chicago coming home, which can get worse than the skyway. I go Rt. 30, Ridge Rd. and get some good books on tape. Yes, they are bad at times too, very bad with Rt. 30 construction last year.

Taking a ferry to Milwaukee!! The drive from Milwaukee to Chicago is no picnic either. Sometimes worse, according to my friend who goes into WI that way from my neighborhood. For me it would be 6 hours of going out of my way.

You sound like you are mid-Chicago or a good hike from Milwaukee.

I'm Tinley Park exit on I-80 to Paw-Paw MI exit 60 on 94 MI.

Get good IL & IN maps and be patient. Use Rt. 30 or Ridge Rd. if necessary. At the worst, it will take 3 or 3-1/2 hours if you know a few alternates.

Actually for us it is much better than it was, because as stated it is only just at the IL/IN border that it gets ridiculous now.

Alternate for Dan Ryan has become Ashland, but I happen to take Western and Kedzie both to downtown area in the last couple weeks from Evergreen Park /Beverly Chicago proper. Also dense traffic, but you'll get there.

And if you do the later, go east on Pershing Rd. (39th St.) from Kedzie or Western. Do not go beyond Pershing. And find Archer/Kedzie or Archer Ave on a map and follow that downtown.

The best way to get out of Chicago is to take Lake Shore Drive down to the Museam of Science and Industry, turn right and take Stony Island south which drives you right onto the Skyway. And do the reverse on the way back.

Yes, that works the best from IN if the skyway is moving and the ramps aren't loaded. Because of toll lines and merges etc. backing up from the construction areas farther North and East, they have been at times. I'm seen that solid and not moving a couple of times too.

More bad news, they've just started the reconstruction project on the Skyway this week. So much for having an alternate to the Ryan. Try leaving at two in the morning and hopefully you'll cross the Indiana border by dawn.

Maybe I can just send you some postcards from Michigan and you can come next year.

That's why I gave the alternates of a route through the city that is further West than Stony Island or Lake Shore Drive.

Get a map and use alternates near the IN/IL border. I or a family member have done this trip more than once a week and at all times- and it just requires a good map and patience.

Actually it is much better for those South & West of Chicago now, because Rt. 30 construction is finished. Gridlock does occur. But my kids sometimes put their babies in the car and drive with them sleeping (either late night or very early am- about 4 to 5 am) and do breeze thru to mid-MI in 2 hours. And on occasion we have come home mid-day and it took only 2-1/2 hours.

Coming INTO the state of IL in Indiana you will note that there are "over the expressway" digital reads of where the traffic is stopped and/or where delays start re the highway mileage markers.

We have left the expressway as early as one of the Gary exits when we see that the back ups are prohibitive.

I've learned a lot doing this. For instance, they are building $400,000 condos right off the public boat launches in Michigan City and in other IN environs that are in sight of abandoned steel mills.

Also take a look at 57, and if you can access that to get further into the city - depending upon your final destination. The trouble with that is, that it is probably out of your way, and the access to merges for that system may be backed up as well. But several times we have jumped off, drove to 57 and then proceeded from that system.

Of course you need to have a good, clear up to date map, if you are not familar with the area or street names.

Thanks to everyone for the great ideas. Clearly this will take some additional thought! I am torn between the MKE ferry (I'll be leaving from Montrose - where the Kennedy and Edens merge) or leaving right after rush hour(?) on Friday morning when the outbound Ryan shouldn't be as bad(?) and coming back Sunday morning. If anyone tries it over Memorial Day I'd be interested in a report as would eveyone else, I'm sure! Thanks again.

we'll be making that trip July 1 (Sat) toward Michigan, returning the next day (Sun, July 2nd) from South Bend- any ideas- it's our first time through that area- we're trying to get to Springfield or Effingham that night- should we go south on I-65 for awhile then cut across to *-57?

Absolutely. Take I-65 to Indianapolis, then either I-74 to I-72 to Spriingfield, or more directly I-70 to Effingham. When I travel from Chicago to Indy, I usually go out of my way to take I-57 to I-72. I don't want to have anything to do with trying to cross the Ill. /Ind. border in the Chicago area.