Bishop Ford Freeway

Infobox_road
marker_

state=IL
highway_name=Bishop Ford Freeway
maint=Illinois Department of Transportation


alternate_name=Formerly the Calumet Expressway
length_mi=10
length_round=2
established=1963
direction_a=South
terminus_a=Jct|state=IL|IL|1 near Crete
junction=Jct|state=IL|US|30 in Chicago Heights
Jct|state=IL|I|80|I|94|I|294 in Thornton
Jct|state=IL|US|6 in South Holland
Jct|state=IL|IL|83 in Dolton
direction_b=North
terminus_b=Jct|state=IL|I|57|I|94 in ChicagoThe Bishop Ford Freeway, formerly known as the Calumet Expressway, is a portion of Interstate 94 in northeastern Illinois, south of downtown Chicago. It runs from Interstate 57 south to the intersection with Interstate 80, Interstate 294 (Tri-State Tollway) and Illinois Route 394. The Bishop Ford constitutes 10 of the 77 miles (16 of 124 km) that Interstate 94 runs in Illinois.

This South Side highway is named for Chicago religious activist Bishop Louis Henry Ford, the former presiding bishop of the 8.5 million member Church of God in Christ. He spent 40 years preaching in the city of Chicago before dying at the age of 81 in 1995.

The Bishop Ford is the only freeway-grade, toll-free road in the Chicago area that is referred to as "Freeway." All of the others (Dan Ryan, Kennedy, Edens, Stevenson, Eisenhower, Elgin-O'Hare, Kingery, and Borman) are called "Expressway," even though there is little or no difference in the quality of the road between the Bishop Ford and the others -- calling them "Expressway" is merely a Chicago colloquialism to which the Bishop Ford is the lone exception.

The Bishop Ford turns into the Dan Ryan Expressway to the north, and the Kingery Expressway to the east of the Tri-State Tollway.

History

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The Bishop Ford Freeway in South Holland, approaching Exit 73.The Calumet Expressway was originally an extension of Doty Avenue. There were traffic lights at the intersections of Doty with 111th, 115th, and 130th, but interchanges were built in the early 1960s. The expressway was originally designated as Illinois 1, Alternate U.S. 30, and certain portions as U.S. 6 and Illinois 83, but Illinois 1 returned to Halsted Street, and U.S. 6 and Illinois 83 were routed onto Torrence Avenue. In 1962, the connection between the Calumet Expressway and Dan Ryan Expressway opened, and is now signed as part of the Bishop Ford.

In 2006-2007, the portion south of 159th Street was reconstructed as part of the Kingery Expressway-Southland Interchange project.

Emergency Traffic Patrol (IDOT Minutemen)

All portions of the Bishop Ford Freeway between the Dan Ryan expressway and Kingery Expressway (I-80/94) are patrolled by the Illinois State Police and the IDOT Emergency Traffic Patrol (IDOT ETP "Minutemen"). The ETP patrol 24/7/365 and can be recognized by their large bright yellow-green wreckers and orange jumpsuits. They can be reached at *999 via cellphone and respond to all manner of expressway incidents that you may be involved in from flat tires and no gas to major crashes. They are direct state employees and all of their services are free of charge (gasoline nominal mail-in charge). If your vehicle is disabled, attempt to pull immediately to the shoulder, place your hazard lights on and STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE until ETP arrival! If your vehicle stalls in a live lane of traffic and you are unable to coast to the shoulder, immediately place your hazard lights on, dial 911 (especially if traffic is moving at high speeds) and *999 if you have a cell phone and inform the operator that you are stalled in an interstate traffic lane; and brace for a possible high-speed rear end collision, but remain in your vehicle! An ETP vehicle wil arrive within twenty minutes (much sooner if you are in a lane). Never walk on or cross the Bishop Ford Freeway on foot! Also, never accept unsolicited help from a private towing company. These companies often attempt to illegally prey on vulnerable motorists and charge exorbitant rates. If you have a motor club, call them. But DO allow the ETP driver to fix your issue or relocate your vehicle to a safe spot off the interstate. The ETP and/or state trooper can provide you with a list of reputable towing companies.

Lingo

* The Steel Bridge is a common reference to the steel truss bridge over the Calumet River in Dolton.

Exit list

See Interstate 94 in Illinois for exits on the Bishop Ford Freeway.

References

External Links

* [http://www.gcmtravelstats.com/Default.aspx?selLinks1=46 Historic, Current & Average Travel Times For The Bishop Ford Freeway]