Transportation / Village of Wheeling Economic Development

Seamless Connectivity

Transportation and accessibility stand as pillars of strength within the Village of Wheeling. Situated at the eastern boundary lies Interstate 294, offering convenient interchanges at Lake-Cook and Palatine Roads. This vital artery provides swift connections to O'Hare International Airport, the bustling Chicago Loop, and the expansive Regional Interstate System. Nearby Illinois Route 53, accessible via Lake-Cook and Dundee Roads, further facilitates access to this comprehensive network.

Chicago Executive Airport

Wheeling proudly shares ownership of the esteemed Chicago Executive Airport, a thriving hub catering to the general and business aviation sectors. As the fourth busiest airport in Illinois, it hosts approximately three hundred aircraft and witnesses over 200,000 take-offs and landings annually, solidifying its significance in the region's aviation landscape.

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O’Hare International Airport

About 10 miles away from Wheeling is one of the nation’s busiest airports, O’Hare International Airport. According to the Chicago Department of Aviation, not only is O’Hare International one of the busiest airports for passenger traffic, but it ranks as the #1 airport by freight value in the Americas. In total, O’Hare has approximately 2 million square feet of airside cargo facilities and space for 40 jumbo freighters.

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Rail and Bus Networks

The Village of Wheeling is multimodal; with a variety of transportation options beyond just our strategic access to key highways. Residents have access to our region's premier commuter rail to Chicago through Metra, and readily available bus network with Pace, and Wheeling is perfectly situated with direct access to freight through Canadian National Railways.

Commuter Services

Commuter rail services are readily available to Wheeling residents, employees, and visitors through the Wheeling Metra Station, part of the Metra North Central Line. This line offers service to and from Chicago's Union Station, O'Hare Airport, and suburban communities further north. For local and regional travel, residents can rely on Pace bus lines, providing convenient public transportation within the Village and to nearby communities.

Metra NCS

Freight Rail and Logistics

The largest provider of intermodal rail transportation in Wheeling is through Canadian National Railway that spans east to west to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and south to the Gulf of Mexico through New Orleans, LA.

Canadian National Transportation

Port Access

With various ports along the south suburbs of Chicago, the Port of Chicago Lake Calumet terminal is only a 90 minute drive to the south from Wheeling. The Lake Calumet terminal boasts impressive facilities, including transit sheds spanning 29,000 square meters (315,000 square feet) and over 900 linear meters (3000 linear feet) of ship and barge berthing.

Covering approximately 1,600 acres, it offers ample space for various operations. With grain storage capacity totaling 493,000 metric tons (14 million bushels) and bulk liquid storage capable of accommodating 127 million liters (800,000 barrels), the terminal serves as a vital hub for storage and transportation needs.

Illinois International Port District