2 million travelers expected to leave Illinois this weekend for Memorial Day

LAKE FOREST (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — For almost two million drivers it’s time to hit the road, as the long Memorial Day weekend sends Illinois residents out of town on road trips.

The parking lot of the Lake Forest Oasis was full of cars from Illinois and other states in the middle of the day Friday.

A big church group from Waukegan was getting something to eat before heading to a camp in Lawton Michigan. One of the chaperones tells us the busloads of about 280 worshippers include lots of teenagers.

“We have a lot of things to do. We're going to have so much fun also, but you know, they are so happy for the retreat. They look forward for, like, four years for this retreat.”

The Tri-State is projected to be one of the busiest roads in the area this weekend.

Bernard and his brother Gary were driving from Evergreen Park to Milwaukee to spend the weekend with several relatives, at the behest of another brother who had planned meals and activities at a casino and hotel.

Ann from Iron Mountain says she and her husband decided it would be faster to come through Illinois on their way from a graduation in Kalamazoo back to the Upper Peninsula.

“The Mackinac Bridge is down to two lanes, and with people going north it's going to be crazy. And we have a lot of, you know, just single lane roads up there.”

Roads full of holiday travelers, she expects.

“It’s going to be terrible,” her husband said.

Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok