Traffic congestion on the Jane Byrne Interchange could be eased this weekend when a long-awaited ramp connecting the circle to the outbound Eisenhower Expy. is opened.

The new flyover ramp connecting the inbound Dan Ryan Expy. to the outbound Eisenhower will open Sunday, weather permitting, said the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Though only one of two lanes on the newly constructed ramp will open this weekend, the opening will have an immediate impact on traffic flow and efficiency, IDOT said.

The second lane wont open until summer 2018, IDOT said.

Traffic is routinely backed up on the inbound Dan Ryan as cars jockey to get onto the previous one-lane ramp. Around 400,000 cars pass through the Byrne Interchange daily, according to the state transportation agency.

The new ramp has been under construction for two years, IDOT said.

To facilitate the ramp opening, IDOT will close:

• The ramp from the inbound Kennedy Expy. to the outbound Eisenhower beginning 8 p.m. Friday and reopening at 5 a.m. Monday.

• The outbound Congress Parkway will be reduced to one lane between Canal Street and Morgan Street from 11 p.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Sunday.

• The inbound Dan Ryan’s right lane will close between 26th Street and Harrison Street from 9 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday.

IDOT is also opening other ramps and lanes near the Byrne Interchange this weekend:

Ramps connecting the Stevenson Expy. to the inbound Dan Ryan will be restored to two lanes, and all lanes on the inbound Dan Ryan will reopen. IDOT will also reopen the Roosevelt Road ramp to the outbound Eisenhower.

Five CTA Blue Line stations have been modernized, with new lighting, platform canopies and benches among the improvements, city officials announced Monday.

The $43 million project involved the Addison, Irving Park, Montrose, Harlem and Cumberland stations. The renovations also included the installation of an elevator at the Addison station to make that station accessible to customers with disabilities

“Today is an important milestone in our efforts to modernize transit infrastructure in Chicago, and we will continue making these much needed investments across the City to ensure we are providing the safest, most reliable service for commuters,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a news release. “There are now new tracks, signals and power between the Loop and the northwest side – all of which will make the ride smooth, safe and speedy.”

The station renovations are part of a $492 million Blue Line reconstruction program that also involves track and other station improvements.

Lincoln Park Zoo’s annual ZooLights display flips the switch Friday on its largest festival of holiday lighting ever.

Now in its 22nd year, ZooLights will be expanded to extend across the entire zoo for the first time.

Two million lights will be strung from Farm-in the-Zoo at the southern end to the new Arctic Tundra exhibit near Fullerton Avenue to the north, featuring the zoo’s new polar bear, Siku.

Hours are extended as well, 4:30-9 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday and again next weekend, Dec. 2-4, then nightly Dec. 9 through Jan. 1 (except, of course, for Dec. 24 and 25).

The zoo is bringing back last year’s addition, Monday Family Nights on Dec. 12, 19 and 26.

On the other hand, the zoo offers a special Adults Night Out for visitors 18 and up on Dec. 7 from 6:30-10. That comes at a cost of $15, $12 for zoo members.

As always, admission is otherwise free, but there are some events that come at a cost.

Ice skating also returns at Farm-in-the-Zoo starting Friday, at a cost of $5. Skate rentals are an additional $5. Hours vary, so check the rink schedule.

The third annual BrewLights night featuring a dozen local craft, seasonal and import beers on tap throughout the zoo is set for Dec. 1, with tickets $49, $60 at the door. Visitors must be 21.

The zoo initiates a new Holiday Market Nov. 29. Entry is $10, $8 for members.

The Chris White Trio plays a tribute to Vince Guaraldi’s soundtrack to “A Charlie Brown Christmas” Dec. 15 at Cafe Brauer. Tickets start at $20.

And finally there’s a Members Only night at, of course, no additional cost for zoo members.

All signs point to acceptable road conditions for Chicagoans who plan to travel over the Thanksgiving weekend. Though some roadblocks are inevitable — work on the Jane Byrne Interchange will continue, for example — other lane closures “will be lifted wherever possible,” said Gianna Urgo, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Transportation.

For instance, Illinois Tollway officials announced last week that more lanes were being opened on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway as work wraps up on the $2.5 billion project to rebuild and widen that highway.

Additionally, the National Weather Service forecast for the rest of the week has just a little rain in it, and Thanksgiving itself is expected to be partly sunny. High temperatures will be in the 40s through Sunday.

Still, Priscilla Tobias, director of IDOT’s office of program development, is urging commuters to remain cautious.

“The holiday season is the busiest travel season,” Tobias said, “you’re also at a higher risk for being in a crash.”

There have been 974 traffic fatalities in Illinois this year through November 20, up roughly 10 percent from 2015’s 868. IDOT surveys also show that seat belt use by Illinois drivers in 2016 has decreased slightly, from 95.2 percent last year to 93 percent this year. That has Tobias worried.

“The major contributing factor in vehicular fatalities is lack of seatbelt usage,” Tobias said. “We have people getting ejected [from their cars] in crashes that could have been preventable.”

The Chicago Police Department announced they would have hundreds of extra officers on patrol, and would seatbelt and DUI checkpoints in place through Sunday. That day-and-night effort is an attempt to prevent Illinois’ traffic fatality numbers from reaching their highest in seven years.

State Police Capt. David Byrd says the increased enforcement will not slow down travelers who are obeying the law.

“We’ll have mobile patrols, some traffic stops,” Byrd said. “It shouldn’t slow anybody down too much.”

Finally! After 108 years, the Chicago Cubs has won the World Series once again. It was 5 whole hours of anticipation, but it was worth it. Finally, this year’s team achieved what a few others only came so close to in the past, but never really grabbed.

The Curse of the Billy Goat

What caused the drought in the first place? Well, as any sports fan would know, the industry would always have a few superstitions here and there, and apparently, the Cubs was a victim of it.

William Sianis, owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, was enjoying game 4 of the 1945 World Series at Wrigley Field. Although this seems like a normal affair, what wasn’t acceptable was the fact that he had his pet goat, Murphy, with him at the time.

Understandably, the goat’s odor bothered all the fans around them. Because of this, Sianis was asked to leave the stadium.

This incident sparked the belief that the Cubs were cursed. People say that as Sianis was leaving the premises, he vowed that the Cubs would never win again. It was unclear at the time whether he was referring to the World Series, or to a National League Pennant. Evidently, the belief that the curse was in action was emphasized even more by the 108-year drought the team experienced.

How Chicago Wins as a City

So what do people from Chicago gain from all this, aside from the fact that they now hold the title once again? Finally, there’s something more to be excited about when people think about visiting Chicago. Wrigley Field tours have not exactly been on top of the list for people who aren’t really interested in the sport, but this win could turn out to be the site’s turning point.

Chicago has a lot of beautiful architecture, and a lot of cultural spots to see. This win after such a long drought is just the thing that would boost tourism around the city even more.

Going Around Chicago

If you plan on visiting Chicago anytime soon, there are a lot of ways for you to enjoy the city. You can experience real Chicago living by taking the L, or you can rent a bike and take advantage of the picturesque city. Even better, you can hire a Universal Taxi to take you around town. Cabbies, after all, are among the best tour guides you can ever find.

Download the Universal Taxi app and book your trip in advance. You can also book a cab anytime, anywhere, to save you from the trouble of having to flag down random taxis down the street. Once your driver has picked you up, make sure you add Wrigley Field on your list of must-sees. From there, your cabbie can start suggesting places you can visit next.

You can also ask cabbies where you can dine and shop. They’re bound to show you a few secrets that only locals know. And before you know it, you can start sharing unique Chicago experiences that nobody else but a local would know about.

A new “Elves’ Workshop Train” will follow the popular CTA holiday train through Chicago this winter, according to the Chicago Transit Authority.

Like the holiday train, the elves’ train will be adorned with garland, bows, and wintry scenes as “Santa’s Elves” hand out candy canes to riders. The six-car elf train will debut Nov. 26 and follow the holiday train every Saturday the holiday train is in service.

“The CTA holiday train and bus are iconic Chicago traditions that are enjoyed by thousands every year,” Dorval Carter, Jr., CTA’s president, said in a statement. “We’re pleased to expand on that strong Chicago tradition by offering the new Elves’ Workshop Train, which will allow even more customers to experience this unique holiday happening.”

The CTA will also roll out its annual holiday bus starting Nov. 29 on the No. 56 Milwaukee Avenue Bus. The full bus schedule can be found here.

CTA riders can track the holiday train and bus by using the CTA Train Tracker or clicking here.

Illinois cars are getting new license plates with a new look.

Secretary of State Jesse White announced Tuesday that the state will begin sending out replacement plates in 2017. Passenger cars will get them first on a rolling schedule that will stretch for years.

The new plates ditch the fancy, script font used for “Illinois,” replacing it with an all-caps, serif font.

It also features Abraham Lincoln off to the left side of the plate and a skyline with the Willis Tower and the state capitol in the background. The old plates had Honest Abe in the middle.

The change was made due to rusting issues with existing Illinois plates, the Sun-Times reported Tuesday. The state won’t be charged for the new plates due to a manufacturing error that caused the rust problem.

“This is a forward-thinking, long-term solution that does not require a complete replating overhaul, which would cost around $60 million,” said White. “This plan removes older plates and replaces them with newly designed plates within our current budget. This will ensure that plates are appropriately replaced with the ultimate goal being no license plate on the road will be more than 10- years-old.”

The oldest plates on the road will be replaced first. In 2017, passenger plates manufactured in 2000 and 2001 will be replaced, according to the secretary of state’s office.

In 2018, passenger plates made in 2002 and 2003 will be replaced. Each year the office will continue to replace older license plates with the new plate. The process will start again in 2027, replacing the plates issued in 2017.

Vehicle owners will be notified by mail if they qualify for the new license plates.