Illinois Tollway ramps up safety measures amid heatwave

Ill. (WTVO) — The Illinois Tollway is providing additional assistance to drivers as temperatures become dangerously high.

The tollway will be providing a 24-hour hot weather patrol to better assist drivers who are stranded on the highway.

There is already a regular patrol in place that runs from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. during weekdays, but the tollway will be sending at least 12 hot weather patrols to provide additional help.

Patrol crews will direct traffic around stranded vehicles, bring passengers and drivers to a cool place and take vehicles to a maintenance garage or the Tollway Oasis.

“During this dangerously hot weather, we are adding these additional road patrols to better protect our customers by ensuring we can more rapidly find and aid drivers who are stranded along our roads or need assistance,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse. “Safety is always our highest priority and operating these Hot Weather Patrols provides an additional layer of protection to drivers whose vehicles have become disabled so they can quickly obtain the assistance they need to safely continue their travels.”

If a driver is stranded on the tollway system, drivers should dial *999 for roadway assistance.