In case of emergency
With lane capacity on the Dan Ryan Expy. being slashed in half later this week, one stalled car could back up traffic for miles.
That's why, for those who ignore constant warnings to avoid the Ryan, the Illinois Department of Transportation is urging people to make sure their vehicles are working properly before they get on the expressway.
"Take some simple precautions," IDOT Chief of Staff Clayton Harris III said.
"If your car stalls or you run out of gas, you are going to wind up inconveniencing a lot of people."
Along those lines, make sure that vehicles older than three years have the proper amount of engine coolant, and that belts and hoses are checked regularly, said Ray Frias, manager of IDOT's Emergency Traffic Patrol.
Frias estimates that his department responds to 6 to 12 calls a day of
people running out of gas on the city's expressways.
Making matters worse, motorists won't have road shoulders to pull onto if an accident or stall occurs on the Ryan after express lanes are shut down Friday night.
The best thing to do in the event of a problem, IDOT says, is to get off the expressway before calling *999 for assistance.
Emergency Traffic Patrol will be beefed up with extra trucks on the Ryan to tow disabled vehicles.
In the case of more serious incidents, emergency personnel may use temporary construction ramps to access the expressway or reverse the flow of traffic on existing ramps, Harris said.
IDOT's Schaumburg-based communications center will coordinate with the Illinois State Police, the Chicago Fire Department and the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communication to "get the problems cleared as quickly as possible," Frias said.