Best route to Madison, WI?

[noobert]

Soon I'm gonna have to drive to Madison about once a week for a few months, so I'd like to ask what's the best way to get there. So far GPS and Google are trying to take me straight through downtown Chicago, but I'd rather not get stuck in that traffic every week. Does anyone make this trip regularly and have some secret route? Thanks! EDIT: oops forgot to put: leaving from Lafayette, and thanks for the responses! Will go check it out

 

[edporch]

Where are you leaving from?

 

[kjf48197]

take 74w to through Champaign then to Bloomington to 39n. That will take you straight to Madison and just about as long. It also avoids all of the tolls and road rage in Chicago. Been there before and this is easy and and a nice view. If you look on google maps you will see it.

 

[Cpl. Klinger]

take 74w to through Champaign then to Bloomington to 39n. That will take you straight to Madison and just about as long. It also avoids all of the tolls and road rage in Chicago. Been there before and this is easy and and a nice view. If you look on google maps you will see it.

^this 1000%^ We always go this way when we go skiing in WI, and while it's quoted by Google to be about a 30 minute extra drive, it's usually a wash and just as quick. Very little traffic the whole way.

 

[wtburnette]

Another vote for 74/39/90. Used that route all the time when I used to live in St. Paul driving back from visiting family here.

 

[Blown71X]

Add yet another + to the 74 39/51 90 route.
I have property in Ontario and good friends in the middle of Wisconsin and I swear to god as long as I am breathing, I WILL NEVER drive thru Chitcago again.
It just isn`t worth the stress.


Rick

 

[Kagnew]

We drive up to the Madison area (actually to "The Only Waunakee in the World") 5 or 6 times a year to see family. If there were no traffic (hah!) and no construction on I-90 (double hah!) the quickest route would be 65/80-94/294/290/90/39. Realistically, though, the best route we've found is 65/80-94/80/355/88/39. 74 over to 39 is quite a bit further. One tip, if you're going to be driving up there very often: get an I-Pass transponder. You can go through "open road tolling" and the tolls are half price.

 

[427TriPowered]

the chicago avoidance from west lafayette map link...

the chicago parking lot loop and i heart toll roads from west lafayette map link...

the chicago parking lot belly of the beast and i heart toll roads from west lafayette map link...

 

[confused89]

If you go up I39 you will hit one toll road in IL right where it joins I94. It doesn't cost that mush per car.

 

[MadMan66]

My wife is from Madison, WI. We drive up there to see family quite frequently. My vote is for 74 to 39/90 too. Its a nice relaxing drive, compared to taking 65 through Chicago.

 

[MadMan66]

If you go up I39 you will hit one toll road in IL right where it joins I94. It doesn't cost that mush per car.

I believe its something like $1.90 now. We use that I-Pass thing so I never really pay too much attention to the price though, so I may be wrong.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

The timing of your trips will also factor...

If you'll be missing all rush hours or traveling through late at night - might as well go through downtown Chicago. Especially night time. Most weekends, too. Probably save you quite a bit of time.

-J-

 

[JettaKnight]

We drive up to the Madison area (actually to "The Only Waunakee in the World") 5 or 6 times a year to see family. If there were no traffic (hah!) and no construction on I-90 (double hah!) the quickest route would be 65/80-94/294/290/90/39. Realistically, though, the best route we've found is 65/80-94/80/355/88/39. 74 over to 39 is quite a bit further. One tip, if you're going to be driving up there very often: get an I-Pass transponder. You can go through "open road tolling" and the tolls are half price.

THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^^


355 is the way to go, traffic is rarely heavy.

 

[mcolford]

Another supporter of 39/90. Do it every year with the camper on back, no problem. Did the around Chi-Town thing ONCE, and NEVER AGAIN!

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Note:

My wife and I make treks to Woodstock, IL a few times a year. Woodstock (where they filmed the Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day) is 14 miles north of I-90 and ~26 miles East of I-39.

With the exception of one trip made last winter (or perhaps the year before?) during a winter storm, we generally take 65 up to 80/94 to 294 to 290 and then out to I-90.

But the 290 N to 90 W interchange SUCKS. Seriously sucks.

This trip we took 294 up to 90 at Rosemont. MUCH better interchange - even though it wasn't very busy there as we went by.

We've also taken 80/94 to 80 out to 355 and then north to 294 then to 90. But again, that puts us at the 290/90 interchange.

If we know we'll be traveling in the middle of a Sunday afternoon, sometimes we'll take 90 through town for something different / scenery.

Have NEVER had a problem with any of the Chicago-area Interstate traffic.

If you're not at all used to or comfortable with "traffic", then, by all means, head out 74 to 39 and up. It's probably prettier... And that's the route we took during the winter storm. Didn't want to be stuck "in chicago" during a Friday evening rush hour just as the storm was getting bad.

 

[jkaetz]

Driven at least once a year headed to Stevens Point. 74->39 is my route. It is roughly 40 miles longer than going up 65, but you will not have any traffic issues. As others have said, there is one toll after Rockford, get an I-pass and use the open road tolling or simply drive through the open road toll and pay it in the allotted time frame. No need to actually stop and pay unless you just want to.