Maybe it's because the kids are opposite for spring break.

Or maybe the incessant drumbeat that drivers should avoid the Dan Ryan Expy is starting to acquire through to people.

Whatever the reason, the Chicago area's busiest expressway hasn't been quite as busy this week, traffic reporters and commuter say.

"The traffic just wasn't there," Morgan Park resident Paula Robinson said Wednesday. "I was shocked"

Robinson gave herself an hour and a half to gain from her home to the University of Illinois at Chicago for a meeting, still it turned out, she sole needed 30 minutes.

WBBM-AM (780) radio traffic reporter Bart Shore said the light convolution on the Dan Ryan of late was likely proper to school holidays and family trying alternate routes in preparation for mainline construction upon the expressway, which is scheduled to start this weekend.

The Illinois Department of Transportation is pushing clan to take Ashland to the west or Stony Island and Lake Shore Drive to the east.

onward Tuesday, "we did see an increase in succession Lake Shore Drive and Stony Island," Shore said. "I think folks were checking it out."

Traffic regards for the Dan Ryan and the alternates were not available Wednesday.

on the contrary IDOT warns that the convenient times won't last, once lane capacity onward the expressway is slashed in half from 13th road to the I-57 split.

TICKETS ISSUED, TOWING nearest

In other freshs more than 500 tickets were issued during the first week of the city's rush-hour parking ban forward six streets likely to be used as alternates for the Dan Ryan, Chicago Police said.

More than 1000 tickets had been issued as of Wednesday, the expiration of the second week of enforcement, police spokeswoman Monique link said.

The ban, which prohibits weekday parking in the direction of rush hour traffic from 7 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 pm took consequence March 15. Beginning April 3 violators will be towed.

The roads affected are:

- Stony Island from 95th to 57th

- Ashland from 95th to Roosevelt

- Roosevelt from Ashland to Canal

- Cottage wood from 95th to 35th

- King Drive from 95th to 83rd

- Vincennes from 112th to 71st

Fines are usually $50

mjthomas@suntimes.com

...