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Illinois' Northwest Toolway Has New Name


RoadDog
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Illinois' NorthwestvTollway, Interstate 90, has a new name from the I-294 junction out past Rockford to the Wisconson state border.

 

It will now be known as the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, named after the famous social activist. It is the first road in Illinois named after a woman and some activists are quite angry at how long it took.

 

Jane Addams, the founder of Chicago's Hull House, never owned a car and preferred to hike or ride a bike when she wanted to go somewhere.

 

She studied at what is now Rockford College and was born and is buried near the tollways' alignment.

 

Let's Update those Maps. --RoadDog

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Illinois' NorthwestvTollway, Interstate 90, has a new name from the I-294 junction out past Rockford to the Wisconson state border.

 

It will now be known as the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, named after the famous social activist. It is the first road in Illinois named after a woman and some activists are quite angry at how long it took.

 

Jane Addams, the founder of Chicago's Hull House, never owned a car and preferred to hike or ride a bike when she wanted to go somewhere.

 

She studied at what is now Rockford College and was born and is buried near the tollways' alignment.

 

Let's Update those Maps. --RoadDog

 

 

The flap over naming a roadway after Addams kinda reminds me of a story I heard years ago. Seems Joe DiMaggio's estate wanted the city of San Francisco to name something after him. The city offered a park, and the estate thought a bridge was more appropriate. I don't know that they budged....anyone know if a park exists with his name? I kind of agree with the city, DiMaggio was a heck of a ball player, but didn't do anything like change our society. Addams, I think she's deserving of a roadway.

 

Matt Smallwood

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  • 3 weeks later...

Only tangentially related to Jane Addams, I note that the IL DOT is beginning the planning stages to re-do the now-terrible interchange of I-90 (Addams/Northwest Tollway), I-39 and US 20 at Rockford. Don't look to be driving on it anytime in the near future, but it's a start!

 

See http://www.dot.state.il.us/US20-I39/default.html

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