Illinois Tollway Will Giveaway 7,500 Trees on Friday

When it comes to traveling the Illinois Tollway, it's usually you doing the giving. This Friday, the Illinois Tollway will give back.

Friday is Arbor Day, and if you plan on traveling on any of Illinois’ tollways, you can get a free tree seedling.

The Illinois Tollway has announced that it is giving away 7,500 trees to motorists. New this year, the tollway will also give out 7,500 pollinator seed packets to customers as well.

The Tollway will offer a variety of species that grow well in Northern Illinois. Tollway Executive Director Greg Bedalov says:

The Illinois Tollway is as committed to supporting the areas alongside our roadways as we are to delivering and maintaining pavement and bridges, we are sharing tree seedlings and wildflower seed packets to encourage the public to join our ongoing effort to provide habitat and support our region’s vital ecosystem.

The Illinois Tollway system is in the process of developing a system wide landscape master plan for trees, shrubs and other native plantings on Tollway properties and Tollway headquarters. The tollway wants to encourage all motorists to do the same.

SEEDS: Wildflower seed packets given out will include two native flowers:
monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot) and rudbeckia hirta (black-eyed Susan).

TREES: Shagbark hickory, red oak, pin oak and pecan. All these species are  that are native to Northern Illinois.

The trees and seed packets will be given out at Seven Illinois Tollway Oasis locations  on Friday while supplies last.

• Eastbound Belvidere Oasis Belvidere on I-90
• Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) DeKalb Oasis DeKalb West of the Peace Road exit
• Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis South Holland West of Illinois Route 394
• Hinsdale Oasis Hinsdale North of I-55
• O’Hare Oasis Schiller Park South of Irving Park Road
• Lake Forest Oasis Lake Forest Between Illinois Routes 60 and 176
• Eastbound Des Plaines Oasis
  

The seeds and trees are provided as through a partnership with the Morton Arboretum.

Catch Mark Charvat on Q98.5 from 3 p.m to 7 p.m.. Follow him on Twitter, and Facebook.