What Happened on I-290 and Why was it Closed?
Incident and Response
I-290 lanes were closed for hours and traffic was at a standstill during the busy commute on Monday morning after a pedestrian was struck and killed by an SUV on the Eisenhower Expressway overnight. The incident occurred at approximately 4:19 a.m. in the outbound lanes of I-290 near 17th Avenue in suburban Maywood.
Details of the Incident
At that time, an adult male in the roadway was struck by a vehicle. After being struck, the man was sent into the inbound lanes. By 5 a.m., traffic had been diverted in both directions, with major backups reported. In the outbound lanes, traffic was diverted at 9th Avenue, while traffic in the inbound lanes was diverted at 25th Avenue.
Traffic Consequences
As of 5:30 a.m., inbound drive times on I-290 had reached upwards of 75 minutes, with traffic backing up "well past Wolf Road." On the outbound side, drive times were as high as 90 minutes. As the morning went on, those travel times increased. "If this is your route in, do not take the Eisenhower Expressway," warned NBC 5’s Lisa Chavarria.
Investigation and Lane Closures
According to the Illinois State Police, both the I-290 inbound and outbound lanes could remain closed through the morning commute as an investigation continued. Photo and videos from the scene showed heavily backed-up traffic, with multiple state vehicles on the highway, as well as a badly damaged SUV with a broken windshield and heavily-dented hood.
Update: Lanes Reopen
As of 8:35 a.m., both the outbound and inbound lanes had reopened, ISP said.
Conclusion
The closure of I-290 lanes due to the fatal pedestrian accident caused significant disruption to morning commutes, with major backups and lengthy drive times reported. Authorities were able to reopen the lanes after investigating the incident, but not before significant disruption to the morning rush hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on I-290?
- A pedestrian was struck and killed by an SUV on the Eisenhower Expressway, leading to the closure of I-290 lanes.
- Why were I-290 lanes closed?
- The lanes were closed as an investigation into the incident continued.
- How long were the lanes closed?
- The lanes were closed for several hours, reopening around 8:35 a.m.
- What were the travel times like during the closure?
- Inbound drive times reached up to 75 minutes, while outbound drive times reached up to 90 minutes.
