An early-morning pothole repair on I-294 in Des Plaines turned deadly Saturday when three Illinois Tollway maintenance workers were hit in the southbound lanes, leaving one worker dead and two others rushed to local hospitals. The crash happened near milepost 41.5, close to the busy Golf Road interchange, and shut down all southbound lanes while emergency crews and investigators flooded the scene. Drivers were forced off the tollway onto local streets as traffic backed up through the corridor.
State police: crews were working on a pothole repair
According to CBS News Chicago, Illinois State Police said three tollway maintenance workers were in the southbound lanes near milepost 41.5, repairing potholes, when a vehicle slammed into them. CBS reports all three workers were taken to nearby hospitals, where one of them died from their injuries. State police told the outlet that southbound lanes were shut down and traffic was diverted at Golf Road while first responders and crash investigators worked the scene.
Tollway stresses safety in work zones
The Illinois Tollway has long pleaded with drivers to slow down around work zones, give crews room to operate and, as the agency likes to put it, "Give Them Distance" whenever vehicles are stopped with flashing lights, according to the Illinois Tollway. The agency notes its system carries more than 1.5 million vehicles on an average day and warns that a momentary lapse around lane closures or cones can be catastrophic for workers. Illinois' Move Over Law, commonly called Scott's Law, requires drivers to change lanes or significantly reduce speed when passing stopped emergency or maintenance vehicles, the Illinois State Police explains.
Investigation ongoing
Illinois State Police are leading the investigation into the crash, and officials are still sorting out exactly what went wrong. As reported by CBS, authorities have not yet released the workers' names or said whether the driver involved could face charges. Investigators have not publicly indicated whether speed, impairment or other factors played a role, and the agency has asked anyone who witnessed the impact or the moments leading up to it to come forward, CBS notes.
Traffic impacts and what drivers should expect
Drivers using I-294 through Des Plaines can expect lingering southbound delays while crews finish clearing the scene and investigators wrap their on-site work. Tollway officials are urging motorists to check real-time traffic alerts, watch for message boards and follow any posted detours instead of trying to edge through closures. The agency also reminds drivers that its H.E.L.P. trucks and incident alerts are available for motorists who end up stranded or need assistance along the corridor, according to the Illinois Tollway.
Local context
The Tri-State corridor near Golf Road has already seen serious trouble this year, including a fatal rollover in February that shut down lanes for hours, a reminder of how fast things can turn dangerous in heavy traffic and active work zones, as previously reported. As this latest investigation plays out, officials are again leaning on the same message: slow down, move over and give road crews the space they need to go home alive.
