I-80 Westbound Rest Area three rivers — Local services in Minooka

🚨 DEAR ILLINOIS STATE TROOPERS 🚨

Please, for the love of brake pads, enforce the speed limits in greater Chicago!

I’ve driven through 42 states. I’ve seen cows crossing in Texas, potholes the size of bathtubs in Michigan, and roundabouts that make no sense in New England. But NOTHING compares to Chicago drivers.

The speed limit says 55mph. Out-of-staters like me try to be good citizens and do 65-70mph (which would already get us fat ticket in our home states). Next thing I know:

• I’m being passed by a Honda Civic doing 90 like it’s in Fast & Furious 12: Naperville Drift. • A Dodge Charger cuts me off so close my GPS reroutes to the ER. • I get high-beamed, honked at, and middle-fingered all in one combo move. (That’s basically Chicago’s version of “Welcome!”)

In any other state, going 15mph over = instant ticket. In Chicago? That just means you’re in the slow lane with the semis.

So please, either: Enforce the actual speed limits 🚔👮‍♀️ Or raise the signs to match the speed of light so the rest of us don’t feel like road hazards with out-of-state plates.

And while we’re at it… those “Camera Enforced” signs? Locals treat them like tourist attractions. I swear I saw a guy wave as he flew past at 95.

Chicago might have deep-dish pizza, but the driving here is thin-crust patience.

P.S. Rest area is excellent. 5...

An average (good) rest area. Modern rest room facilities. Fairly good on upkeep, though not on trash pick-up along either the off-ramp or on-ramp. Not much of a playground (see photo). Moss-covered canopies over picnic tables are nice. Pavement is in need of re-paving. Not enough truck parking. It is the first rest area out of Chicago on Interstate 80 and routinely gets full early in the evening. No loop-back for truckers so many will park on off-ramp for fear of no parking spot. Has plenty of extra space to add more truck parking. Low-grade water treatment plant area (see photo) to the west could be re-purposed (or at least give up some of its land) for more...

This is a very nice rest area. It has plenty of nice tall, shady oak ( unsure what species) tree grove. Looked for black trumpet mushrooms under them, none were to be found.

This is also a nice place for impromptu Amateur Radio play. I'm not sure though if the powers that be would be thrilled though to have antenna wire tossed upward.

02May2023: Was parked for the evening an discovered a shrub tree in leaf and with some sort of fruiting body. It's got me stumped and the Plantnet app does not appear to show this species. Maybe somebody can...