Route 66 Road Trip (Illinois): Suzanne Corbett maps out how to drive the “Mother Road” east from St. Louis to Chicago, with tips to use IDOT’s Route 66 map and look for historic brown Illinois markers and nearby wayside exhibits. Road Work & Delays: IDOT says I-55 will be reduced to one lane in both directions at the Illinois 140 bridge in Madison County nightly from Aug. 20 through mid-to-late September for bridge maintenance, with long delays expected; separately, Route 29 repaving in Creve Coeur starts now and runs through December with lane closures. School Safety for Drivers: Collinsville CUSD 10 shared back-to-school bus and traffic rules, including stopping at least 20 feet from buses with flashing red lights and stop arms. Travel Planning Headline: An “On Your Side” alert warns travelers about a Springfield motel reservation mix-up after a Motel 6 location shut down and online bookings didn’t match the property. Illinois State Fair Politics: Democrats packed the Bank of Springfield Center for Governor’s Day, celebrating Sen. Dick Durbin as he prepares to retire and pressing candidates on what “Durbin would do.” Gas Prices (Travel Budget): GasBuddy reports show E15 as low as $3.54/gal in Marshall County for the week ending Aug. 8, with other nearby-region price snapshots also trending lower than earlier in the summer.