I am traveling to The Crowne Plaza in downtown Chicago on Friday April 8, 2016, coming from Cincinnati. I expect to hit the Indiana-Illinois border around 3pm Chicago time. What is the best way to commute to downtown at that point, considering the notorius Friday evening rush hour traffic in the Chicago area? We are going to an 8pm concert at the United Center, and I don't want anything to jeopardize that.....we would like to arrive early enough to get some dinner before the show......Thanks in advance!

What routes are you taking to get to the Indiana-Illinois border? I65 NB? And what else?

It isn't just notorious rush hours on Fridays, but every weekday. Add in that there is construction on the Jane Byrne Interchange once you get to Chicago.

BTW, if you are taking I65, have you checked what other construction is ongoing along the way?

Yes taking I-65 North to border....although I'm seriously looking at cutting over on US 30 to 394 North.....

Where is the Jane Byrne interchange?

I65 doesn't take you all the way to the Indiana-Illinois border. You have to take either the Toll Road (and then the Skyway) or I94 to get the remaining miles. That's why I was asking which you were planning on doing.

Jane Byrne Circle Exchange: circleinterchange.org This is a huge construction project which has been ongoing for quite some time.

I would never recommend that you take U.S. #30 to 394 North.

Can you leave even by an hour earlier so you don't run into the Chicago rush hour traffic (begins around 4 p.m.)?

That is, assuming you won't run into road construction further to the south on I-65. You really need to check to see what is happening there. There were some big projects on the books in the Louisville to Indy corridor and perhaps around Lafayette as well.

Although nothing is set in stone, because in addition to construction there may be accidents during your drive: but if and when I have to drive into Chicago from Indiana, I normally take the Toll Road to the Skyway and not I94.

Caveat: I have been very fortunate and haven't had to do this during this big construction project.

Have you used Google Maps before? Might be a really, really good idea to do a test run a couple of days this upcoming week to see what problems (and timing) arise on either route. Doesn't mean that it will be the same on a Friday night, but you can see where the real problem areas are.

Thanks Princess for your help, yes I am intimately familiar with Google Maps, have been doing a lot of research with the app open at all times......I will be checking for issues on I-65.....what do you know about Cline Ave (912)? What about getting on Lake Shore drive as soon as possible and taking it into downtown? These are ideas I have seen from various forums and such....your thoughts? I am inclined to take your advice and take the skyway via the toll road and not I-94.....we should get to the I-65/I-90/I-94 interchange around 2:30 Chicago time if everything goes right.....that gives us 3-3 1/2 hrs to get to the Crowne Plaza.....

Also, until you pointed it out, I had no idea the Jane Byrne interchange construction.....thanks!

Cline Avenue/Indiana 912 is closed between its western terminus at I-90 and exit 5 or 6. I-294 is also not an option if you're heading downtown.

I have driven this route on a Friday evening. You'll encounter the least traffic if you take I-90 (the Chicago Skyway) to Stony Island Ave. Follow Stony Island and near 68th Street you'll see signs directing you to Lake Shore Drive.

Follow Lake Shore north into The Loop. Also be advised that the Adams Street bridge is closed for construction, so you'll need to take Roosevelt, Van Buren or Madison west to the Crowne Plaza.

Thanks City, I wondered if that wouldn't be a good idea.....another question, can I turn left off of Lakeshore on those roads you mentioned during rush hour? I seem to recall there is no left turn from northbound Lakeshore at a lot of intersections.

You can turn left from Lake Shore at Roosevelt, Balbo or Monroe, however at Michigan Avenue, Monroe becomes one-way eastbound. You can look at the street view of Google Maps and see the traffic patterns.