Best routes from Michigan?

[Joe Delene]

I usually just take I-294 & pay the tools, the I-Pass makes it easier though. Time of day can be a LARGE factor with traffic. If your not real familiar with the roads I'd just take the tollway & pay the fees. Any good way to go without a toll will of been long ago plugged up with the locals, who would all know about it.

Getting around Chicago isn't that bad(usually). Just stop in IN for a fuel, potty, & food break, set the right mindset & go for it. Once you get behind the cheddar curtain things start to improve.

Just saying what I would do. One can factor in the fuel & time costs by going 80+ miles out of your way & adding an hour. There is also a toll near Rockford on I-90 getting into WI. Chicago traffic can be a pain but I wouldn't go to Bloominton, IL trying to avoid it. I realize a guy from MI won't have an I-pass.

[rickatic]

I usually just take I-294 &amp; pay the tools, the I-Pass makes it easier though. Time of day can be a LARGE factor with traffic. If your not real familiar with the roads I'd just take the tollway &amp; pay the fees. Any good way to go without a toll will of been long ago plugged up with the locals, who would all know about it.<br>
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Getting around Chicago isn't that bad(usually). Just stop in IN for a fuel, potty, &amp; food break, set the right mindset &amp; go for it. Once you get behind the cheddar curtain things start to improve.

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I must respectfully disagree...and I have several years of not only Oshkosh experience but also several years of delivering motor homes from Indiana up into Wisconsin to support my position.. I ran the mileages last night using Microsoft Street and Trips. 2 miles further to stay off the toll roads and no stopping for the toll booths. It is very unlikely that Kazoo has an I- pass so he is stopping every 10 miles to feed the tax man. He is going to drop at least a dollar each time...sounds like lunch money to meto me...<br><br>I do agree that once you get to Wisconsin all is better. I always top my 50 gallon diesel tank at I-94 Exit 41 in Indiana. There is a Speedway fuel stop just south of the freeway that has always had good fuel prices and easy access. I then refill in Oshkosh before returning home. <br>
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The route I described is not at all complicated. It is just as easy as taking the toll road...and I have never seen difficult traffic on US-41. How simple...When I-94 splits just North of Exit 30 and heads West to the I-294 Toll Road, keep to the left and continue straight ahead onto US-41 North...it is an expressway,,,but no tolls. Stay on US-41 North. While it does turn into 4 and 6 lane divided highway with a median, the minimal number of traffic lights are well timed. No time or mileage penalty that I have ever seen.<br>
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JMO...YMMV...but not by much<br>
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Regards

[Ozzie]

Wow gotta have a giggle over the comments on the toll fee of 1 dollar. when i drove up from Chicago on my first trip to Airventure as i came up to the toll booth i grabbed a ten dollar note and the guy seemed a bit peeved and handed me back a bunch of notes. i was suprised how cheap it was, just one dollar. The next one cost two dollars i think but that was much longer. To put that into my perspective to travel from Sydney's (Australia) outer western suburbs to the airport will cover several tollways (all tagged) for a minimum of $23. each way. just to cross the famous harbour bridge is $3.00 off peak. During peak these roads are a parking lot. Only one dollar, suck it up.
ozzie

[rickatic]

Wow gotta have a giggle over the comments on the toll fee of 1 dollar. when i drove up from Chicago on my first trip to Airventure as i came up to the toll booth i grabbed a ten dollar note and the guy seemed a bit peeved and handed me back a bunch of notes. i was suprised how cheap it was, just one dollar. The next one cost two dollars i think but that was much longer. To put that into my perspective to travel from Sydney's (Australia) outer western suburbs to the airport will cover several tollways (all tagged) for a minimum of $23. each way. just to cross the famous harbour bridge is $3.00 off peak. During peak these roads are a parking lot. Only one dollar, suck it up.
ozzie

That's the problem...toll road sucking up dollars...the road is no better than the "freeways"...fuel is much more expensive on any of the toll roads...if you do not have the I-Pass the toll is twice as much so tourists pay a bunch more...and in my case, towing a fifth wheel, the toll is much more than a dollar every few miles...there is not a single advantage to driving on the toll road so why pay anything...

If you have money to throw away...more power to you...as for me...I will continue to enjoy less traffic, no additional stops and the satisfaction that I saved some cash to spend somewhere that has value for the expenditure...


Regards

[Bob Kaestner]

I've learned to avoid CHI all together. My route originates in the southeast (Charlotte, NC) so a decision on route from Michigan is no factor. I have however made the trip to KOSH from western PA several times, each time transiting CHI and its ALWAYS a nightmare - with or without toll roads. My route the past few years passes well south and west of Chi-town - west on I-74 out of IND and then due north on I-39 on Bloomingtion. After a technical stop at KRFD for my CFII wife to meet up with the B2OSH group, i continue to KOSH in the ground support vehicle I-39N to 151-26-41 to our destination.

[davidsflying]

Looks like 41 is a construction zone the entire way so I'll just stick on 94. My Garmin has live traffic and traffic trends on it so I'll see what it thinks too.

http://www.gettingaroundillinois.com/gai.htm?mt=cons

[rickatic]

Looks like 41 is a construction zone the entire way so I'll just stick on 94. My Garmin has live traffic and traffic trends on it so I'll see what it thinks too.

http://www.gettingaroundillinois.com/gai.htm?mt=cons

Thanks for the link...it has been my experience that this section of US-41 has always had some intersection construction along the way but the impact, at least when I travel through in the wee early morning hours, before 6am, has been minimal to non existent. Even when traveling home through Chicago after Oshkosh, the traffic never piles up in that area. It always piles up when you get back to I-94...

My heartfelt thanks to all that stay on the toll road...more room on US-42 for us cheapskates......arriving Sunday morning before 7am

Regards

[sphealey]

The S.S. Badger (the ferry you mentioned) is a lot of fun and a memorable trip. Somewhat expensive, but have to compare to the cost of fuel, stops, etc in driving through Chicago. Manitowoc is also a nice town to stop in for lunch, etc.

Here's the link: http://www.ssbadger.com/home.aspx

sPh