Construction underway for, 'I-490,' new tollway that will create western access to O'Hare airport

BENSENVILLE, Ill. (WLS) -- Progress is being made on the construction of a new roadway that will create western access to O'Hare airport.

The "I-490" tollway project is still two years from being finished.

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The airport gateway is also expected to boost economic development around it.

O'Hare is one of the busiest transportation hubs in the world. It's a place where planes are taking off and landing, trains are carrying cargo from all over the continent and automobiles are traversing the region.

"When I talked about western access eight years ago, people were laughing," 8th District Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi said.

But, with construction crews working away, it's becoming a reality.

SEE MORE: Construction underway for new I-490 western O'Hare corridor to I-90, Rt. 390, Tri-State Tollway

"We see a finish line in sight," Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse said.

The roadway will connect Interstate 90 in Des Plaines to Interstate 294 in Bensenville. A portion of the road under construction runs alongside the western border of the airport, and crews are working on an entrance from the road directly into the airport.

"That will give us western access. So, we don't have to drive into the city to come back to the airport for the millions of people who live west of O'Hare," Krishnamoorthi said.

Congressman Krishnamoorthi said that access will spur economic development and new well-paying jobs, especially for towns along the west side of the airport.

The project is already years in the making, and has created huge engineering challenges, with crews trying to build around and through airport and railroad properties. But, they're the kind of hurdles that make the project more rewarding for those working on it.

"This is huge. There's nothing like this happening in the rest of the country," Chief Engineering Officer Manhar Nashif said.

Right now, it's safe to walk on the northbound lanes of I-490.

But, in the fall of 2027, they expect to have cars on the road and the project completed.