Rockford is split by the Rock River, with downtown on both banks and the city spreading out in every direction from there. I-90, the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway, runs along the east side of town toward Belvidere and Chicago in one direction and Beloit and Madison in the other. I-39 meets it southeast of the city and heads toward Rochelle and central Illinois, while US 20 forms a bypass along the south side. IL 2 follows the river north and south, and IL 251 carries traffic north toward Loves Park and Roscoe.
East State Street is the city's main commercial strip, stretching from downtown out to the tollway, with heavy traffic, frequent signals and plenty of breakdowns at the lights. Alpine Road, Perryville Road and Harrison Avenue carry much of the east-side traffic. The west side has older, denser neighborhoods with narrower streets and fewer driveways, while the east side and the northern suburbs have larger lots, attached garages and easier access. River crossings downtown can bottleneck at rush hour, which makes a repair that comes to you even more useful.
Chicago Rockford International Airport on the south side handles passenger flights and a large air cargo operation, and its lots see plenty of cold-weather no-starts. The Rockford Mass Transit District runs buses across the city, but most people drive, and many commute long distances toward the Chicago suburbs on I-90. A car that fails on the tollway means a long wait on a busy shoulder, so catching problems at home matters.