Dive Brief:
- The I-294 at I-290/I-88 interchange west of Chicago is considered the most congested bottleneck for trucks in the U.S., according to the 2026 annual report from the American Transportation Research Institute.
- The interchange handles more than 300,000 vehicles a day and is in year six of a massive reconstruction project scheduled for completion at the end of 2027, according to the Illinois Tollway. Once completed, the $800 million project is expected to reduce congestion and improve road safety.
- Road work contributes to traffic snarls, ATRI said. American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear said in a statement that those least likely surprised by the Chicago area highway’s ranking are “the truck drivers and commuters who are forced to endure endless delays when navigating this dreadful interchange.”
The top 10 biggest truck bottlenecks
Highway interchange City and state Average speed (mph)
1. I-294 at I-290/I-88 Chicago, Illinois 39.5…