Before most of Chicago woke up Sunday, the Eisenhower was already a mess.
Early that morning, a chain-reaction crash on the westbound Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) near Ashland Avenue left one person dead and several others hurt, tying up traffic on the city’s West Side. Authorities said eight people were taken to area hospitals, and one of the injured later died. Troopers shut down lanes and several ramps while crews worked the scene, and investigators stayed on the highway into the morning.
Crash details and immediate response
The collision happened around 3 a.m., when traffic slowed and a car slammed into the rear of another, setting off a four-vehicle chain reaction, according to FOX 32 Chicago, which cites the Illinois State Police. The outlet reports that eight people were transported to local hospitals and that one occupant later died from their injuries; authorities have not yet released that person’s identity.
Troopers blocked the right lane and several ramps while they secured the scene and began their investigation, FOX 32 Chicago adds.
Shooting reported hours earlier
Just hours before the pileup, troopers had already been called to a separate emergency on the Ike. A motorcyclist was shot and then crashed on I-290 at California Avenue, Illinois State Police told ABC7 Chicago. That motorcyclist was taken to a hospital in unknown condition, according to the station.
Officials have not said whether the shooting and the later multi-car crash are connected, and for now they are treating them as separate incidents.
Traffic and scene clearance
Investigators cleared the crash scene shortly before 8 a.m. and reopened the affected lane, according to FOX 32 Chicago. Until then, the ramp and lane closures sent ripple effects across inbound routes, the kind of stop-and-go headache regular Ike commuters know all too well, as troopers documented the wreckage and gathered evidence.
The Illinois State Police provided the initial details to local media while the investigation continued.
Why the Ike is a frequent trouble spot
The Eisenhower corridor is one of the region’s busiest stretches of highway and has long been targeted for upgrades meant to cut down on crashes and flooding. Engineering News-Record reports that the I-290 corridor carries more than 200,000 vehicles a day and has an elevated crash rate. A study from the Illinois Department of Transportation points to aging design and drainage problems that planners say fuel both congestion and safety issues.
With that combination of heavy volume and outdated infrastructure, a single crash on the Ike can quickly trigger widespread backups and create dangerous, sudden slowdowns.
What investigators say
Authorities did not immediately release further details about what led to the crash, ABC7 Chicago reports. The Illinois State Police is leading the investigation, and local outlets say they expect to update coverage as more information becomes available.
