Routes 1 thru 20:
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SBI Route 1 was Chicago (Cook Co.) to Norris City (White Co.) on the current IL-1, then to Metropolis on the current US-45. This has been Michigan Av., Vincennes and Halsted St. in Chicago. The starting point in Chicago was at Jackson and Michigan.
Currently IL-1 runs from the South Side of Chicago on Halsted Street, from the intersection with I-57 south through Danville, Paris, Mt. Carmel, and Norris City, and ends at a ferry crossing to Kentucky at Cave In Rock. IL-1 runs through Cook, Will, Kankakee, Iroquois, Vermilion, Edgar, Clark, Crawford, Lawrence, Wabash, Edwards, White, Gallatin and Hardin Counties. |
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Alternate-IL-1 was placed (in 1957) on former IL-1 after IL-1 was relocated to a freeway built north from Goodenow to meet up with the Tri-State Tollway (I-294/I-80) where the Tri-State meets what was then the Calumet Expressway (Now the Bishop Ford Freeway), I-94. 1964: The above mentioned freeway was renumbered, and IL-1 reverted to the old route. Alt-IL-1 was then retired. Alt-IL-1 ran in Cook and Will Counties. It was one of only 2 "Alternate IL-x" routes in IL, the other was Alternate-IL-13 |
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SBI Route 2 was on the current IL-2 from Rockford to Dixon, then US-52 Dixon to Mendota, and US-51 to Cairo.
The portion from Rockford to Grand Detour follows the Rock River, and is very scenic. |
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SBI
Route 3 ran from Morrison to Chester on the following current routes:
IL-3 currently runs from Grafton at the junction with IL-100 to Future City (near Cairo) at US-51. It runs in Jersey, Madison, St. Clair, Monroe, Randolph, Jackson, Union and Alexander Counties. |
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There is a "Truck Bypass IL-3" in the Chester area to reroute traffic around a construction project. From SB IL-3 it heads SW on IL-150 to just before the Mississippi River, and follows the river bank and UP Railroad southfor about 2 miles and rejoins IL-3 south of town. The Mississippi River Road also follows this route. (122103) |
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SBI Route 4 was Chicago-St. Louis, via Bloomington-Normal and Springfield. North of Springfield this became US-66. South of Springfield to Litchfield I-55 was built on the old road, and south from Litchfield the old road is pretty much intact to Hamel with no official number, then is IL-157 from Hamel into the St. Louis Area. In Chicago this was Archer and Garfield Av. In the 1930's IL-4 ran from Jackson and Michigan in Chicago to Ogden Av., then SW to HArlem where it joined with US-66 to Joliet. In 1926 IL-4 was dropped north of Springfield after US-66 was applied (Both numbers coexisted for several years.) From Springfield to Staunton it was remained on the old route, when US-66 was put on a new highway further east. In 1964 what was then IL-43 was changed to IL-4 from Staunton to Murphysboro (Actually to IL-13/IL-127 north of Murphysboro, IL-4 was not posted into town). IL-4 now runs from Springfield, from old US-66, (now BL-55) to near Murphysboro (at IL-13/127 north of town) thru Sangamon, Macoupin, Madison, St. Clair, Randolph, Perry and Jackson Counties. |
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IL-4A was on the current IL-171 from Joliet to downtown Chicago, via Archer Ave. 1967: IL-4A was replaced by IL-171 Joliet to Summit, and removed into Chicago. |
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SBI Route 5 was Chicago to East Dubuque, pretty much along what is now US-20. From Belvidere to and thru Rockford, SBI-5 was on the current Business-US-20.
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SBI Route 6 was Chicago to Fulton, via Roosevelt Road to Hillside, IL-38 to Sterling, and US-30 to Fulton. Once US-30 was placed on this route IL-6 was removed. The route east of Sterling was eventually changed to Alternate-US-30 when a new highway became US-30. Alternate-US-30 became IL-38 west of Hillside in 1971. IL-6 is now used on a short extension of the I-474 freeway loop north from I-74 at Peoria entirely in Peoria County. |
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US-6 runs from the IN line at Lansing west to Iowa at Rock Island. This route has remained essentially unchanged over the years. It is paralleled by I-80 throughout most of IL. Contrary to popular belief US-6 has never entered the City of Chicago, skirting to the south. US-6 first appeared in IL in 1932. It originally followed the current route of US-6 from the IN line to Spring Valley. West of Spring Valley, to DePue it was on the current IL-29, then various roads to Princeton. It rejoined the current US-6 route west of Princeton into Iowa. In 1934 the road was rerouted onto it's current alignment from Spring Valley to Princeton. In 1966 it was routed onto I-80/I-94 in Indiana. |
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SBI Route 7 was Chicago to East Moline on the current IL-7, Chicago to US-6, and US-6 to the Rock Island area. IL-7 was pulled after US-6 replaced it west of what is now Orland Park, and remained east of there. This had been Western, Columbus and then 159th in Chicago.
IL-7 runs from US-6 in Rockdale to IL-43 in Worth in Will and Cook Counties |
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SBI Route 8 ran on the following routes:
IL-8 now runs from US-24 in Washington to IL-97 near Maquon thru Knox, Peoria and Tazewell Counties. West of Peoria there was once a "Spur-IL-8" that connected IL-8 with IL-116, this is now known as Farmington Road and is not numbered. This lasted into the 1960's. |
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SBI Route 9 was Hamilton (across the river from Keokuk IA) to the IN line near Cheneyville. Current route numbers on the way are:
IL-9 runs from the Mississippi River Bridge/IL-96 east of Fort Madison IA to the Indiana state line at IN-352/IN-26 in Hancock, McDonough, Fulton, Peoria, Tazewell, McLean, Ford, and Vermilion Counties. |
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SBI Route 10 was Jacksonville to Danville over the following routes:
Currently IL-10 goes from US-136, 11 miles east of Havana, to US-150 in Champaign thru Mason, Logan, DeWitt, Piatt, and Champaign Counties. IDOT had a hard time figuring out what to do with the roads in and around Champaign-Urbana when the Interstates came thru. IL-10 had been dropped, reapplied, extended, dropped again, extended again, and finally dropped a third time from 1953 to 1980. The small access road to I-74's exit # 185 was finally given a number of IL-130 as an extension of that route. This had been IL-10, as well as US-150 at some point. |
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SBI Route 11 was the current US-40 across IL, from the IN line near Terre Haute IN to the St. Louis Area. IL-11 was removed after US-40 was applied. From 1945 thru 1948 IL-11 was on the current IL-140 from Greenville to Vandalia. 11 is the lowest number not currently used in IL. |
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SBI Route 12 was the current US-50, from the IN line near Vincennes IN to the St. Louis area. IL-12 has not been used since. |
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US-12 runs from the IN line at the Chicago Skyway to WI near Richmond. In 1928 US-12 was from the WI line at Richmond on the current US-12 south to just south of town, where US-12 continued south on the current IL-31. It followed the current IL-31 to Crystal Lake (although the stretch between McHenry and Crystal Lake was not yet complete). From Crystal Lake it followed the current US-14 into Chicago (On Northwest Highway). It was not shown east from the NW side of Chicago until 1932. Also in 1928 there was a "Temporary US-12" on the current US-14, from the WI line to Crystal Lake, due to the portion not yet completed north of Crystal Lake. In 1929 this section was completed, and the "Temporary US-12" was removed. In 1932 US-12 was first shown east from Chicago, on Lake Shore Drive into Indiana. In 1938 US-12 was massively rerouted. From Richmond into Des Plaines it was rerouted onto the current route of US-12, and the old route thru Chicago was changed to City US-12. US-12 was then routed along US-45 (Mannheim/LaGrange Road) south from Des Plaines to Hickory Hills, where US-12 followed 95th Street east (along with US-20) to Indiana. In 1939 US-12 was rerouted onto a new bypass around Lake Zurich. |
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In 1928 there was a "Temporary US-12" on the current US-14, from the WI line to Crystal Lake, due to the portion not yet completed north of Crystal Lake. In 1929 this section was completed, and the "Temporary US-12" was removed. |
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In 1960 City US-12 became Business US-12. |
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In 1963 Business US-12 was rerouted onto the Chicago Skyway east of Stoney Island. This was shown as "Toll Business US-12" In 1968 Business US-12 was removed from Chicago altogether. |
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In 1938 US-12 was massively rerouted. From Richmond into Des Plaines it was rerouted onto the current route of US-12, and the old route thru Chicago was changed to City US-12. US-12 was then routed along US-45 (Mannheim/LaGrange Road) south from Des Plaines to Hickory Hills, where US-12 followed 95th Street east (along with US-20) to Indiana. City US-12 was then Northwest Highway, east of Des Plaines, to Foster, Foster east to lake Shore Drive, and then to South Parkway, and Stoney Island to 95th Street. In 1960 City US-12 became Business US-12. |
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SBI Route 13 was East St. Louis to Old Shawneetown, mostly on the current IL-13.
IL-13 currently runs from IL-15 in Allerton to the Ohio River (and IN-56) at Old Shawneetown thru St. Clair, Randolph, Perry, Jackson, Williamson, Saline and Gallatin Counties. |
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Alt-IL-13 replaced IL-13 1944 and IL-13 was relocated to what is now IL-15, also called Missouri Av. IL-13 was restored to its old route in 1947 and was placed on Missouri Av. From 1944 to 1947 IL-13 was moved from Bond Av. (E. St. Louis) to current IL-15 (was US-460 1947 to 1974). The old route became Alt.-IL-13. 1947 IL-13 was relocated to old alignment on Bond Av., and Alt-IL-13 was removed. |
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Business IL-13 in Belleville was on currently unnumbered Main St. Applied in 1960 on what was then City-IL-13. This was Main Street and North Belt in Belleville. It was removed in 1966. Business IL-13 in Murphysboro was on the old route thru town when a new bypass was built during 1950's, it was removed in 1974. |
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City IL-13 was in Belleville, on currently unnumbered Main St. Applied in 1946 on what was then IL-13. This was Main Street and North Belt in Belleville. It was changed to Business-IL-13 in 1960. |
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SBI
Route 14 was DuQuoin to Carmi along the current IL-14.
The east end of this route is the bridge over the Wabash River. This toll bridge (50 cents for cars) is owned and operated by the White County (IL) Bridge Commission. |
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US-14 runs from the North Side of Chicago to the WI line at Bigfoot. In the Suburban Chicago area this is called Northwest Highway due to its beeline northwest from Chicago, and due to the parallel Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad (Now Union Pacific). US-14 appeared in IL in 1933. At this time it was on the current US-14 from the WI line to Crystal Lake, then followed IL-31 south to the current IL-72. It followed the current IL-72 east into Chicago, eventually ending at Broadway and Foster. In 1938 US-14 was routed to it's current route all the way into Chicago. In 1951 US-14 was extended south along Lake Shore Drive to the Loop. This was pulled back to the current end in 1979. |
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In 1963 US-14 was rerouted around Woodstock. The old road became Business US-14. Business US-14 was removed in 1971. |
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SBI Route 15 was East St. Louis to Albion, mostly over what is now still IL-15.
IL-15 now runs from I-55/70/US-40 in East St. Louis to the Wabash River near Mt. Carmel thru St. Clair, Washington, Jefferson, Wayne, Edwards, and Wabash Counties. |
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SBI Route 16 was Paris to Litchfield. In 1936 US-150 was applied from Paris to the IN State Line and IL-16 removed there. In 1942 it was extended from Litchfield to Hardin, partially on the former IL-38. In 1962 it was relocated to a new highway Mattoon to Charleston. The old IL-16 became IL-316. IL-316 was deleted in the 1970's. While EB signs at the Joe Page Bridge at Hardin show IL-16 starting at the west side of the bridge, the westbound signage seems to show it starting east of the bridge... IL-16 runs from IL-100 in Hardin to IL-133 in Paris thru Calhoun, Greene, Jersey, Macoupin, Montgomery, Christian, Shelby, Moultrie, Coles, and Edgar Counties. (122103) |
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SBI Route 17 was Lacon to Grant Park
There was a ferry crossing to IA from New Boston that was dropped in 1973. |
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SBI Route 18 was Princeton to Chicago, via the current US-34 to Berwyn, and Ogden Av. to Chicago.
IL-18 currently runs from IL-29 in Henry to IL-17 at Blackstone, in Marshall, Putnam, LaSalle, and Livingston Counties. |
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SBI Route 19 was Chicago to Harvard, on the current US-14.
IL-19 runs thru Kane, DuPage and Cook Counties |
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SBI Route 20 was Woodstock to Waukegan. IL-20 was changed to IL-120 in 1941, since US-20 was nearby. IL-20 has not been used since. |
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US-20 runs from the IN Line at the Chicago Skyway to Iowa at East Dubuque. Before 1938 it had run thru downtown Chicago, and out west on Lake St. In 1938 it was rerouted along with US-12 to bypass Chicago and went along 95th St. to Mannheim/LaGrange Road (US-45). The old route became City-US-20 until 1960, then Business-US-20 until 1968 when it was removed. US-20 in IL is known as the General U.S. Grant Highway and in 2007 new signage replaced old signs displaying this fact. |
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In 1965 a bypass around the south end of Rockford was completed, and the old road thru town which had been US-20 became Business-US-20 while the new road became US-20. When what was then IL-5 was upgraded around Belvidere in 1967, Business-US-20 was extended east to east of Belvidere, and US-20 was moved to the newer road. Freeport also has a Business-US-20 on the original route thru town while US-20 takes the new road around town. This has been signed since 1987.Business US-20 in Chicago had been US-20 until 1938 when US-20 was moved to Mannheim Rd. and 95th Street. There was also a Business-US-20 at Elgin after US-20 was applied to the Bypass south of town. Business-US-20 was removed from Elgin in 1984 although some leftover signs were reported as late as 1991. |
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City US-20 was the old route of US-20 which ran east on Lake Street in Chicago, then south to Indiana along Torrance Av. (among other roads) until 1938. US-20 was rerouted around Chicago, and the old route became City US-20. It became Business US-20 in 1960, and lost the number altogether in 1968. |
Send updates to n9jig@n9jig.com |
Updated 3-29-2014 |
