Getting Around.

Exit Marks Spot Where Tempers Rise

April 05, 1993|By Gary Washburn.

As I motored north approaching downtown on the Dan Ryan one recent afternoon, I prepared to enter a stretch of highway where frustration is almost guaranteed for anybody who plays by the rules.

It's at the Circle Interchange where the far right lane of the Ryan is supposed to be reserved for people exiting east onto Congress Parkway, the lane next to it designated for motorists exiting west to the Eisenhower Expressway.

Because more people usually want to go west than east here, what often happens is that Eisenhower-bound cars and trucks stack up, creeping stop-and-go toward the ramp.Traffic exiting to Congress is much less heavy, however, and folks heading east theoretically should have an easy time of it.

But what invariably happens is that a bad situation is made worse for westbounders, and eastbounders suffer needless delays as self-important people who want to get to the Eisenhower without taking a place in line stay in the right lane until the last minute.

Then they shoehorn their way in front of all the common folk who, they must believe, don't mind waiting.

What these me-firsters do, of course, is make the Eisenhower-bound traffic even slower and block the right lane as they attempt to butt in, producing needless delays for drivers trying to get to Congress.

As I headed down the right lane on this particular afternoon, a white semi was wedging its way into the Eisenhower line, while a Lincoln Town Car and a Chevy Cavalier up ahead were attempting to do the same without a thought for the people behind them.

The two exit lanes are separated from the rest of the Dan Ryan by a concrete barrier wall-an improvement made a few years ago that prevents inconsiderate motorists from backing up the whole expressway by attempting to zoom into the exit lanes at the last second.

But state highway officials are at a loss for ways to fight the illegal line-butting.

A barrier wall between the two exit lanes would take up too much space and also make it difficult to clear the scene when there's an accident. And a high curb separating the two lanes would itself lead to accidents and delays, hanging up motorists who foolishly try to cross it.

Officials also believe cones or other plastic dividers would be destroyed as soon as the me-firsters discovered they could be breached.

Of course, you could put down a solid white line, similar to the ineffective one that used to "guard" the Kennedy express lanes from illegal entry at the Edens Junction.

A new and redesigned ramp to replace the long, winding one that now connects the northbound Ryan with the westbound Eisenhower would ease the problem by allowing traffic in the left exit lane to move faster. But this would be a major undertaking requiring big bucks, and so far there are no plans on the drawing boards.

Thus, for things to improve at this frustrating choke point anytime soon, everybody will have to get in line, respect fellow drivers and proceed in an orderly manner.

Which means that things aren't about to get better.

Of course, this is only one of the maddening bottlenecks that dot the Chicago area highway system.

And since, in the interest of mental health, it's important to vent, we hereby give the opportunity to all of you who are particularly peeved, exceedingly exasperated and especially enraged about some other glaringly bad spot.

In short, nominations for the Getting Around "Worst of the Worst" list are open.

We're looking for the places you dread to drive, the nightmare intersections and merges, the chronic headaches that can turn a simple trip into an ordeal, the spot you're tempted to drive miles around to avoid.

Write to the address below and let us know why your candidate should be added to the list. And don't hold back. Let it all out.

You'll feel better.

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How can they do it?

Some people traveling to the airport on the CTA's O'Hare line put their luggage in a doorway of the rail car they board, plunk down in a nearby seat and then proceed to bury their noses in a newspaper, totally ignoring their valuables.

We certainly wouldn't want to discourage the all-American exercise of reading the paper. But would these people consider putting their wallets on the seat behind them, too?

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The "protect the trees" wintertime slowdown on Lake Shore Drive was lifted last Friday when the regular 45 m.p.h. speed limit was reinstated. Now officials must determine whether the experimental reduction - - -

A project that raised cries from Wilmette residents last year because it threatened the fate of more than a dozen aging elm trees is among the north suburban projects on the Illinois Department of Transportation's bid list to go out Friday.

A resurfacing of Dempster Street between Milwaukee Avenue (Illinois Highway 21) and Waukegan Road (Illinois Highway 43) in Morton Grove and Niles, and a re-bidding of a project to widen and resurface Park Avenue from Glencoe to Sheridan Roads in Glencoe also will go out for bids on Friday.