:Illinois Tollway oasis
{{Short description|Rest areas on top of a highway}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{maplink|frame=yes|text=Existing oases in blue; closed/demolished oases in gray|zoom=7|type=point|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Illinois Tollway oasis}}}}
File:Belvidere Oasis, Illinois.jpg
File:Hinsdale Oasis southbound entrance.jpg
An Illinois Tollway oasis is a type of commercialized rest area sited over Interstate Highways that are part of the Illinois Tollway system in northern Illinois, United States. The four (formerly seven) oases offer food and gasoline vendors and are found in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, DeKalb, and Belvidere. Although the oases date back to the original tollway construction in 1958, they were redeveloped in 2003–2005 by Wilton Partners, a private developer. The redevelopment of the oases has been the focal point of alleged political corruption.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}} The four oases are administered by a court-appointed manager following default of Wilton Partners.
Description and current status
As is typical for rest stops on toll highways, these areas are full service, or "commercialized", as a result of concessions awarded by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA).{{#tag:ref|Federal regulations forbid commercial development at rest areas on toll-free Interstates;{{cite web |author = Federal Highway Administration |author-link = Federal Highway Administration |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/23/752.5 |title = Landscape and Roadside Development: Safety Rest Areas |publisher = U.S. Government Printing Office |id = 23 C.F.R. 752.5 |access-date = December 16, 2011 }} only toll roads can offer services to the public. The Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway in Kentucky and the Connecticut Turnpike have service areas that have been grandfathered because they were built when their associated highways were toll roads. Some rest areas along the New York State Thruway and almost all along the New Jersey Turnpike, Indiana Toll Road, Ohio Turnpike, Florida's Turnpike,{{cite web |url = http://www.floridasturnpike.com/tools_serviceplazas.cfm |title = Service Plazas |author = Florida's Turnpike Enterprise |author-link = Florida's Turnpike Enterprise |publisher = Florida's Turnpike Enterprise |access-date = November 12, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091126000643/http://www.floridasturnpike.com/tools_serviceplazas.cfm |archive-date = November 26, 2009 }} Turnpikes of Oklahoma{{cite news |url = http://newsok.com/eatery-updates-set-for-will-rogers-turnpike/article/3413501 |title = Eatery Updates set for Will Rogers Turnpike |date = October 31, 2009 |work = The Oklahoman |location = Oklahoma City, OK |first = Michael |last = McNutt |access-date = November 14, 2009 }} and Pennsylvania Turnpike{{cite web |url = http://www.paturnpike.com/geninfo/srvcplaza/reconstruction.aspx |title = Service Plazas |author = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |author-link = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |publisher = Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |access-date = November 12, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091031025253/http://www.paturnpike.com/geninfo/srvcplaza/reconstruction.aspx |archive-date = October 31, 2009 |df = mdy-all }} are also commercialized to at least some extent. |group=lower-alpha}}
In 2011, over 11.8 million people visited the seven oases.{{cite web |first1 = Kevin |last1 = Stanley |first2 = Yolanda |last2 = Valle |name-list-style = amp |url = http://www.tollwayoases.com/dl/tlwyosis_bro_0112.pdf |title = Illinois Tollway Oases: Retail and Restaurant Leasing Opportunities |publisher = U.S. Equities Asset Management |access-date = January 10, 2013 }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} These facilities in Illinois have gas stations (Mobil) with 24-hour automated car washes, fast food restaurants (McDonald's, Panda Express, Subway, etc.) and other various shops (such as Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, Coleman Distributors, and TravelMart). Oases also have automatic teller machines. Six of the oases are built as a bridge-restaurant, directly over the Interstate Highway they service. The oasis in DeKalb is the only exception, with the facility located along the southern (eastbound) side of Interstate 88, and a vehicle overpass allows westbound traffic to access a segregated parking lot and gas station along one side of the facility. All the oases provide free WiFi access for visitors. The oases have a drive-thru lane for the McDonald's. All oases, except for the Hinsdale and DeKalb oases, have Tollway Customer Service Centers, where I-Pass toll transponders are sold and serviced.{{cite web |url = http://www.illinoistollway.com/portal/page?_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&_pageid=133,1495516 |title = Rest and Refuel at a Tollway Oasis |author = Illinois State Toll Highway Authority |author-link = Illinois State Toll Highway Authority |publisher = Illinois State Toll Highway Authority |access-date = December 23, 2009 }}{{cite news |url = http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/1804 |title = Illinois Tollway to Operate Customer Service Centers at 'Oasis' Service Plazas |date = February 18, 2007 |work = TOLLROADSnews |access-date = December 15, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110609140801/http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/1804 |archive-date = June 9, 2011 |df = mdy-all }} The oases have a total of {{convert|110000|ft2|m2}} of retail space.{{cite encyclopedia |url = http://www.britannica.com/bps/additionalcontent/18/23775927/Oasis-money-drying-up-for-tollway |encyclopedia = Crain's Chicago Business |date = January 8, 2007 |first = Thomas A. |last = Corfman |title = Oasis Money Drying up for Tollway |access-date = December 14, 2009 }} As of 2009, the oases were 45 percent to 65 percent vacant. ISTHA has established a special task force to study the oases' future.{{cite news |url = http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=339595 |title = Tollway Officials: We're 'Not Good' at Running Oases |work = Daily Herald |location = Arlington Heights, IL |first = Marni |last = Pyke |date = November 25, 2009 |access-date = December 14, 2009 }}
The Illinois Department of Transportation has proposed a route for a new limited access highway on the west side of O'Hare Airport which would connect with the Jane Addams Tollway at the site of the Des Plaines Oasis. The oasis there will be demolished for the new road.{{cite news |url = http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=348024 |work = Daily Herald |location = Arlington Heights, IL |title = O'Hare Bypass Threatens Des Plaines Oasis |first = Marni |last = Pyke |date = January 2, 2010 |access-date = January 2, 2010 }} As such, the Des Plaines Oasis was closed on March 16, 2014; this allowed vendor contents to be removed and demolition to proceed.{{cite news |first = George |last = LeClaire |url = http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140316/news/140318729/photos/ |title = Des Plaines Oasis Closes Today |date = March 16, 2014 |work = Daily Herald |location = Arlington Heights, IL |access-date = May 28, 2014 }}
The Tollway announced plans to widen the Tri-State Tollway, which resulted in the demolitions of the pavilions of the O'Hare Oasis in 2018 and the Hinsdale Oasis in 2021.{{cite news |first = Ted |last = Gregory |date = September 5, 2018 |url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-ohare-oasis-shutdown-20180905-story.html |title = Above-the-Road O'Hare Oasis—A Unique Slice of Illinois History—Closes to Make Way for Tri-State Widening |work = Chicago Tribune |access-date = September 5, 2018 }}{{cite news |title=Hinsdale Oasis pavilion now closed |url=https://wgntv.com/news/hinsdale-oasis-pavilion-now-closed/ |access-date=June 23, 2022 |location =Chicago |publisher=WGN-TV |date=September 14, 2021}}
History
The five original oases were built in conjunction with the original tollway construction in 1959. They featured Standard Oil (Amoco) gas stations and Fred Harvey restaurants, and were something of a novelty in the region—becoming destinations in and of themselves for driving customers. Because the Illinois State Toll Highway Commission (ISTHC) did not have the money to build the oases, they were built and paid for by the American Oil Company, which operated the Amoco/Standard Oil service stations and also sub-leased the restaurant areas to the Fred Harvey restaurant chain. The title of the oases reverted to the ISTHC after the original 25-year operating contract ended. During this initial operating period the state received 2.51 cents for each gallon of gas sold as well as 10% of the restaurant profits.{{cite news |last=McGrath |first=Paul |date=February 6, 1966 |title=Commission to Build Lincoln Oasis; New Contract Negotiated |url = https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33368148/commission_to_build_lincoln_oasis_new/ |work=Chicago Tribune |at= §10, p. 6 |access-date = June 29, 2019 |via = Newspapers.com }} {{free access}}
The Lincoln Oasis was added in 1968 and was different from the previous five oases in that it was an all-steel building designed by architect David Haid, a one-time student and employee of architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.{{cite web |url = http://www.illinoistollway.com/roadway-information/oases/oasis-chicago-southland-lincoln |title = Lincoln Oasis |author = Illinois State Toll Highway Authority |date = n.d. |publisher = Illinois State Toll Highway Authority |access-date = November 12, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131203010835/http://www.illinoistollway.com/roadway-information/oases/oasis-chicago-southland-lincoln |archive-date = December 3, 2013 |df = mdy-all }} The DeKalb Oasis opened in 1975 and was different from the prior six in that it was the only one of seven oases to not be constructed over the tollway.{{cite web |url = http://www.illinoistollway.com/roadway-information/oases/oasis-dekalb |title = DeKalb Oasis |author = Illinois State Toll Highway Authority |date = n.d. |publisher = Illinois State Toll Highway Authority |access-date = November 12, 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120124125141/http://www.illinoistollway.com/roadway-information/oases/oasis-dekalb |archive-date = January 24, 2012 |df = mdy-all }} In the mid-1970s, Howard Johnson's took over the restaurants.{{cite web |url = http://www.panix.com/~rbean/oasis/ |first = Ron |last = Bean |title = Illinois Oasis Tollway History |publisher = Self-published |access-date = December 13, 2009 }}{{sps|certain=y|date=December 2011}} One of the oases made an appearance on the silver screen when Carrie Fisher attacks The Blues Brothers at the Des Plaines Oasis in the 1980 film.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080455/]{{unreliable source?|date=November 2011}} In 1984, individual fast food restaurants took over from Howard Johnson, with the oases on I-90 and I-88 being run by McDonald's and the oases on I-294 alternating between Wendy's and Burger King.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}}
From 2003 to 2005, an extensive renovation program of the oases was completed, which involved demolishing the old structures down to the bridge deck and replacing them with new buildings. Where in the previous buildings the views of the highways were blocked by the vendor restaurants, in the new buildings large expanses of glass are used to create a sense of openness, and to give patrons better views of the highway. The steel truss design also has greater roof height (nearly {{convert|30|ft|m|disp=or}}) than the old buildings, which increases visibility for the oases. The architects for the project were Cordogan Clark & Associates. The gas stations were rebuilt with canopies to cover the gas pumps. The oases were redeveloped at no cost to the ISTHA or the Illinois taxpayers. The $95 million investment was provided by Wilton Partners of Los Angeles, California and ExxonMobil in exchange for a 25-year lease. Under the lease, Wilton would pay ISTHA a percentage of vendor sales with a minimum of $750,000 per year.
The lease agreements between ISTHA, Wilton Partners, and various vendors have come under investigation by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald. This investigation, reported on December 30, 2005, will determine if a conflict of interest existed between the lessees and a political fund-raiser for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (Antoin Rezko). DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett had also requested documents pertaining to these leases earlier in 2005.{{cite news |url = http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?post_date=2005-03-04&id=15706&rel=1 |work = Crain's Chicago Business |title = Birkett Requests Tollway Oasis Docs |date = March 4, 2005 |access-date = March 19, 2007 }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} According to the Chicago Tribune, the Subway restaurants in two oases are managed by the nephew of Tony Rezko, a controversial political fundraiser. In response, tollway spokesmen noted that Wilton Partners was selected during the administration of Governor George Ryan and that the lease gives Wilton discretion to select the individual vendors.{{cite news |url = https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/792422861.html?dids=792422861:792422861&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+13%2C+2005&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&edition=&startpage=1&desc=Tollway+oasis+pact+rich+with+links+to+governor%27s+allies+%3B+Fundraiser%2C+friend+tied+to+restaurants |archive-url = https://archive.today/20120712224623/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/792422861.html?dids=792422861:792422861&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+13,+2005&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&edition=&startpage=1&desc=Tollway+oasis+pact+rich+with+links+to+governor's+allies+;+Fundraiser,+friend+tied+to+restaurants |url-status = dead |archive-date = July 12, 2012 |title = Tollway Oasis Pact Rich with Links to Governor's Allies |first1 = Virginia |last1 = Groark |first2 = John |last2 = Chase |date = February 13, 2005 |work = Chicago Tribune |access-date = November 12, 2009 |via = ProQuest Archiver }}
News accounts quoted businessmen who claimed that Jay Wilton, the President of Wilton Partners, encouraged them to donate funds to Blagojevich's 2003 gubernatorial campaign.{{cite news |url = http://www.dailyherald.com/story/print/?id=313967 |title = Toll Authority Was Ready to Forgive Millions Oasis Operator Owed It |work = Daily Herald |location = Arlington Heights, IL |date = August 15, 2009 |first1 = Joseph |last1 = Ryan |first2 = John |last2 = Patterson |access-date = November 12, 2009 }} In December 2003, Wilton Partners reportedly gave Rezko's Panda Express franchise a 50% reduction in its rent at the oases. In January 2007, Wilton stopped making required payments to ISTHA for the oases, and by February 2008, when the back rent grew to $1.4 million, Wilton and ISTHA entered into settlement negotiations. However, in July 2008, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan rejected a proposed settlement where ISTHA would forgo the $1.4 million in back rent in exchange for Wilton dropping a claim of $4.7 million for lost business due to tollway construction. In the spring of 2009, Wilton Partners' lender, iStar Financial, foreclosed on the oases. Subsequently, the court appointed U.S. Equities, a Chicago firm, to manage the oases pending the outcome of the foreclosure.{{cite news |url = http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=334257 |first = Marni |last = Pyke |title = Tollway Gets an Earful on Oasis Contracts at Hearing |date = November 5, 2009 |work = Daily Herald |location = Arlington Heights, IL |access-date = November 12, 2009 }} Further, another food vendor operating in all seven oases who donated to Blagojevich has also received press attention for failure to pay sales taxes and state unemployment insurance.{{cite news |url = http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/694850,CST-NWS-watchdog13.stng |work = Chicago Sun Times |first1 = Chris |last1 = Fusco |first2 = Dave |last2 = McKenney |title = Tax Debt No Bar to Tollway Deal |date = December 13, 2007 |access-date = November 12, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081011072530/http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/blagojevich/694850,CST-NWS-watchdog13.stng |archive-date = October 11, 2008 |url-status = dead |df = mdy-all }} In 2010, SFI Chicago Tollway LLC became the oases' operator. In 2012, SFI paid the Tollway $813,000 for a long-term lease to operate all seven oases, excluding the fuel stations and convenience stores operated by 7-Eleven.
On December 9, 2009, a truck driver standing at the gas station parking lot of the Belvidere oasis was killed when debris thrown by an explosion at an adjacent factory struck him. The six-story factory building was hundreds of feet away from the oasis.{{cite news |url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-belvidere-explosiondec08,0,4688959.story |title = Debris from Explosion Kills Trucker at Belvidere Oasis |work = Chicago Tribune |date = December 8, 2009 |first1 = Georgia |last1 = Garvey |first2 = William |last2 = Lee |access-date = December 13, 2009 }}
On September 26, 2013, ISTHA announced that the Des Plaines Oasis over the Jane Addams Tollway would be closed in April 2014. The structure was demolished to make way for the widening of the toll road and the O'Hare West Bypass.{{cite news |first = Richard |last = Wronski |date = September 26, 2013 |url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-tollway-closing-des-plaines-oasis-20130926,0,7876799.story |title = Tollway Closing Des Plaines Oasis |work = Chicago Tribune |access-date = September 26, 2013 }}
Additionally, ISTHA has proposed rebuilding and widening the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to five lanes in each direction with a wide shoulder that could be used as a "flex lane". Under these plans, the Hinsdale and O'Hare Oasis will have to be demolished in order to make room for the wider road.{{cite news |last1 = Pyke |first1 = Marni |title = Hinsdale Fears Loss of Tollway Oasis |url = http://www.dhbusinessledger.com/article/20170313/news/170319563/ |work = Daily Herald |location = Arlington Heights, IL |access-date = April 26, 2017 }}{{cite news |last1 = Wisniewski |first1 = Mary |title = Tollway Unveils, Advances $4B Plan to Widen Tri-State, from Balmoral to 95th |url = http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-tollway-294-construction-0425-20170424-story.html |work = Chicago Tribune |access-date = April 26, 2017 }} On September 5, 2018, the O'Hare oasis closed to prepare for the widening project. The Hinsdale Oasis closed on September 13, 2021, to also prepare for the widening project.
Locations
The oases are spread along the tollway system, with each oasis serving traffic in both directions. The Lincoln Oasis is strategically placed to serve east-west traffic crossing Illinois on Interstate 80. The DeKalb Oasis serves traffic crossing Illinois on Interstate 88, and the Belvidere Oasis serves traffic travelling between Madison, Wisconsin, and Chicago on Interstate 90. The O'Hare Oasis also benefits from serving traffic, including returning rental cars, associated with O'Hare Airport. The only tollways that do not have any oases are the Veterans Memorial Tollway (Interstate 355) and the Elgin–O'Hare Tollway (Illinois Route 390), which were designed to serve local traffic and opened decades after the other tollways and oases were built.{{cite web |url = http://www.beepcentral.com/discussions/thread.aspx?bctid=410&bcgid=13 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071123141621/http://www.beepcentral.com/discussions/thread.aspx?bctid=410&bcgid=13 |archive-date = November 23, 2007 |last = Kemp |first = Jan |title = Why isn't there an oasis on the North–South Tollway? |work = BEEP Message Board |date = June 28, 2006 |access-date = November 15, 2007 }}{{Unreliable source?|failed=y|date=December 2011}} On March 16, 2014, the Des Plaines Oasis closed as part of construction on the Elgin–O'Hare Expressway expansion.{{cite news |first = Marni |last = Pyke |date = March 16, 2014 |title = Des Plaines Oasis Closes Today |url = https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140316/news/140318729/ |work = Daily Herald |location = Arlington Heights, IL |access-date = April 2, 2014 }} On September 5, 2018, The O'Hare Oasis closed to make way for Tri State Tollway widening. The Hinsdale Oasis closed on September 13, 2021, also to make way for the Tri State Tollway widening.
Notes
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References
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External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20131207014222/http://www.illinoistollway.com/roadway-information/oases Illinois Tollway oasis general information page]
- [http://www.illinoisoases.com MBRE Illinois Tollway Oases web site]
Category:Expressways in the Chicago area
Category:Buildings and structures in Illinois
Category:Toll roads in Illinois