I don’t know how many of you may be familiar with Rt. 59 between Warrenville and Naperville (just south of where Don’s Auto Aid has hosted our last two spring tune-up parties) but the road has been under construction for the past 3 years while the interchange with the I-88 tollway was being reconfigured -- At the cost of $90 Million. Back in the day when Rt. 59 was a two-lane road the interchange was a standard cloverleaf. No problem. When 59 was widened to four lanes, the cloverleaf was taken out and replaced with left turn entrance ramps onto the toll road. As one had to turn across oncoming traffic, two stop lights were installed. Progress.

Now it is reconfigured into a “diverging diamond.” The lanes of Rt. 59 crisscross (the north bound lanes are on the west side and the south bound are on the east) making traffic drive on the left, which should make our British cars feel right at home. But turning onto the entry ramps for the toll road will not require crossing in front of oncoming traffic. However the thru traffic on 59 has to cross over to the left side then back again across traffic. Ala the figure eight track at the old Sante Fe speedway back in the sixties. Only this time there will be two cross overs per “lap” instead of just one. Let’s hope with safer results. Of course the cross overs will be protected by more stop lights. Progress.


A friend of mine tried it out the other morning before daybreak, exiting E/B Rt. 88 onto S/B Rt. 59. He found it rather confusing to turn left into what would normally be the oncoming lanes, but with the freshly painted lane markers he was able to navigate with incident, albeit at about 10MPH. But in a couple of months when the lines are covered with snow, it could be a real FUBAR. And I thought that round-a-bouts were a pain in the ***. And just so that those of you who travel on the north side of town don’t feel left out, a second diverging diamond is planed Rt. 90 and Elmhurst Rd. in Des Plaines for next year.

Gran Prix '88 Stuart Sykes and Roger Moody, 1986, 148 pgs, appendices, photos This volume was published by the BBC, so it defiantly has an English slant. The aim of this book is to give the reader a history of Gran Prix racing, not by stating racing stats and figures, but in a conversational tone. Topics include TV coverage, pit work, tracks, and a list of then current (1986) sponsors, drivers, and personalities; including Bernie Ecclestone, “President of the Formula One Constructor’s Association, owner of the Brabbam team, former racing driver and some say, the single most powerful man in grand Prix motor racing.” The more things change the more they stay the same. - - - Donated by The Goebberts. -- ~~ Bill Mennell