AARoads Forum

I am puting together a Kankakee Road Meet for Spring 2017.  The poll for dates is above.

The meet would be at 11 am Central Time, with lunch followed by a tour.  The tour would have the following:

- Various bridges across the Kankakee River in Kankakee.
- The strange routings of IL-115 and US-45/52 through south Kankakee.
- The IL-17/I-57 interchange on the east side of Kankakee, along with one of the oldest sections of freeway in the state.
- Some old road alignments, one of which is now a local street for businesses (IL-102 & US-45/52), and another which is now partially a driveway (IL-113).
- US-45/52 in a single shield, and in multiple places.
- Illinois style unisigns!

Awesome! I plan on making this my first meet. I wanted to go to Battle Creek, but it's too far for me to make it a one day trip unfortunately. Kankakee is definitely in my range though.

I will mention that Memorial Day weekend (May 27th) would not be a good time for me. I'm going to be in Indianapolis for the Indy 500 on Sunday and I'm pretty confident my work will not let me have an entire weekend off, especially around a holiday. All the other days should be fine for me though.

Quote from: Brandon on October 28, 2016, 03:21:06 PM
- The IL-71/I-57 interchange on the east side of Kankakee, along with one of the oldest

Do you mean IL-17?

Quote from: CtrlAltDel on October 29, 2016, 02:06:19 AM

Quote from: Brandon on October 28, 2016, 03:21:06 PM
- The IL-71/I-57 interchange on the east side of Kankakee, along with one of the oldest

Do you mean IL-17?

Ugh, yes.  Fixed.

Memorial Day weekend works best for those of us traveling more than a few hours. Then I'd even say, can the meet be on the Sunday?

I put my vote in for Memorial Day weekend in case I am able to come.

Anything but April 30th is fine for me.

I definitely want to attend this meet. Count me in for sure.

At this point, I am open to any of the weekends you proposed. However, Cody is considering hosting a meet in late April (sorry, Cody, if I'm talking out of turn). I voted for some of the May weekends as well as the June weekend.

Memorial Day weekend would definitely be the best for me, but I could do the weekend after as well. I'm purposely not going to schedule my meet that weekend because I don't want to be in a vacation destination that weekend.

I second the travel and Sunday thing. Means I wouldn't have to take much time out of the office.

Voted for May 6 or 13 because I will be leaving IL soon after.

Quote from: A.J. Bertin on October 31, 2016, 08:41:07 PM
I definitely want to attend this meet. Count me in for sure.

At this point, I am open to any of the weekends you proposed. However, Cody is considering hosting a meet in late April (sorry, Cody, if I'm talking out of turn). I voted for some of the May weekends as well as the June weekend.

My meet, if I have it, will most likely be in early May.

I'm good with any date proposed. It's only a five hour drive from Cbus and I've been through Kankakee just once (the day after Brandon's Joliet meet in 2012).

I voted May 6 and 20, not 100% sure but the 2 St Louis area toy shows I do may fall on the Sundays of those 2 weekends and can easily tie the 2 in like I did with Starved Rock 2 years ago.

Just got confirmation that one of the St Louis area toy shows (the bigger of the 2) is on Sunday May 7 so May 6 is my #1 pick for dates.

I'd like to make this my first meet, but a lot will depend on timing. I voted for Memorial Day weekend and the June weekend, but I might be able to make any of the others except the 20th (graduation) work.

I have an event on May 7, so the 6th is out.  Therefore, I am aiming for May 20, May 27, or June 3.

You'll probably be able to maximize attendance if it's Memorial Day weekend. I know I won't be scheduling my meet for that weekend.

Ok, no problem about the 6th, infact there maybe a toy show in Nobelsville, IN the weekend of May 20 and that was my 2nd choice anyway.

My vote would be for this meet to not happen on Memorial Day weekend, but if that's the chosen date, I'm sure I'd still attend. I would prefer either May 20 or June 3.

I'm in.  Not a long drive for me.  Any weekend in May, except the 24th is good for me.  Anniversary, doncha know.

This is one of the meets I am eyeing for this year. If I am to go, late May would be more preferable to me.

May 6, 13, 20 would be best for me. 27th I have a show in Texas. 1st Choice 13th, 2nd 6th, 3rd 20th.

Give me a chance to swing by Mattoon on my way (not that anyone would remember me).

OK, I've made my decision, after a lot of thought between two dates.  The meet will be on May 27 at 11:00 am.

I'm probably in. I do not want to be here in Albany Memorial Day weekend because of the tourists. Can't confirm until I get a research schedule for the spring.

I highly doubt I will make it up. I'm going to have too much time and money ($105 just for the ticket) invested in the Indianapolis 500 that weekend. :bigass:

Consider me a "maybe" on this for 5/27, I would like to go, maybe even tie it in with a Wisconsin county clinching road trip, we will see.

Probably not doing this one. I've been there before, and Mississippi a couple of weeks earlier offers a chance to get a bunch of new counties (I already have Illinois clinched).

Unlikely but possible. See if I can convince the lady to see Chicago that weekend.

I'm going to make an attempt, but I'm also very interested in Mississippi so I might have to pick between them.

no picks in between here and there for me - I stay regional so I'm likely.

I'm going to try to make it. It'll depend on where I end up over the summer, but it should work for me.

As more details get finalized, will they be posted here or somewhere else?

Quote from: pianocello on January 07, 2017, 12:06:44 AM
I'm going to try to make it. It'll depend on where I end up over the summer, but it should work for me.

As more details get finalized, will they be posted here or somewhere else?

Both here and Facebook.

As long as the date isn't April 30th I am in.

Quote from: dvferyance on January 16, 2017, 06:14:12 PM
As long as the date isn't April 30th I am in.

Well, it's your lucky day

Quote from: Brandon on January 05, 2017, 12:54:48 PM
OK, I've made my decision, after a lot of thought between two dates.  The meet will be on May 27 at 11:00 am.

And we have a Facebook page (public event, invite your friends!): https://www.facebook.com/events/1884571958478740/

Out of curiosity, any updates on location, etc.?

Quote from: cl94 on March 19, 2017, 03:17:59 PM
Out of curiosity, any updates on location, etc.?

Yes, the lunch will be at Monical's Pizza at the northwest corner of Wall St (IL-113) and Court St (IL-17).  I will have an itinerary up later this week.

Excellent. Thanks. Chicago-style thin crust?

Quote from: cl94 on March 19, 2017, 07:56:52 PM
Excellent. Thanks. Chicago-style thin crust?

Yes, it's a cracker-like thin crust.

Quote from: Brandon on March 19, 2017, 07:36:51 PM

Quote from: cl94 on March 19, 2017, 03:17:59 PM
Out of curiosity, any updates on location, etc.?

Yes, the lunch will be at Monical's Pizza at the northwest corner of Wall St (IL-113) and Court St (IL-17).  I will have an itinerary up later this week.

I had no idea Monical's was still in business.

Quote from: inkyatari on March 20, 2017, 09:15:48 AM

Quote from: Brandon on March 19, 2017, 07:36:51 PM

Quote from: cl94 on March 19, 2017, 03:17:59 PM
Out of curiosity, any updates on location, etc.?

Yes, the lunch will be at Monical's Pizza at the northwest corner of Wall St (IL-113) and Court St (IL-17).  I will have an itinerary up later this week.

I had no idea Monical's was still in business.

They're all over eastern Illinois from Mattoon to Monee, based in Bradley.

Quote from:  Brandon on March 20, 2017, 09:15:48 AM

Quote from:  inkyatari on March 19, 2017, 07:36:51 PM


I had no idea Monical's was still in business.

They're all over eastern Illinois from Mattoon to Monee, based in Bradley.

I remember they closed up the one in the plaza by Dollar Tree on rt. 50 just before we moved from Bradley.

IMHO, the pizza isn't anything special, but it's also certainly not bad.

Quote from: inkyatari on March 20, 2017, 02:14:52 PM

Quote from:  Brandon on March 20, 2017, 09:15:48 AM

Quote from:  inkyatari on March 19, 2017, 07:36:51 PM


I had no idea Monical's was still in business.

They're all over eastern Illinois from Mattoon to Monee, based in Bradley.

I remember they closed up the one in the plaza by Dollar Tree on rt. 50 just before we moved from Bradley.

IMHO, the pizza isn't anything special, but it's also certainly not bad.

For a good portion of the attendees, it's something different. Which is precisely what I like to see at a meet - something distinctive to the region.

Quote from: Brandon on March 19, 2017, 07:36:51 PM

Quote from: cl94 on March 19, 2017, 03:17:59 PM
Out of curiosity, any updates on location, etc.?

Yes, the lunch will be at Monical's Pizza at the northwest corner of Wall St (IL-113) and Court St (IL-17).  I will have an itinerary up later this week.

A friend of mine used to manage that Monical's..  Wish I remember his name though. :(

Here's the basic itinerary of the tour route:

-   Exit Monical's onto Wall St (IL-113), and turn right.  Go past the intersection with Court St (IL-17), and turn left into Bird Park (first left).
-   Park at Bird Park for the first stop — the IL-17 bridge and where it meets US-45/52, with a short walk down to the Station St Bridge.
-   Exit Bird Park onto Station St and turn left.
-   Turn right at Washington St (US-45/52).  Turn right at River St and enter the parking lot at the corner for the second stop — the railroad viaduct over the Kankakee River.
-   Exit the lot and turn right onto the bridge.  Then turn left onto Water St, following the US-45/52 signs.
-   Turn left onto Jeffery St, then right onto IL-50.  Then turn right again back onto US-45/52.
-   Then turn left at Jeffery St and cross the tracks.  Turn right onto Washington Av (IL-115).  Follow IL-115 to Charles St for the third stop — IL-115 end and US-45/52 bends.
-   Then follow US-45/52 back north to Court St (IL-17) and turn right.  Follow Court St through town to St Joseph St and turn left.  Turn right and go through the back side of the shopping center.  Park at the east end of the lot for the fourth stop — Exit 312 Death Ramp.
-   Go back through the center to St Joseph St and Court St.  Turn left onto Court St and then left on I-57 South to use the Death Ramp.
-   Follow I-57 south to Exit 308 (US-45/52).  This is one of the oldest Illinois Department of Public Works (IDOT predecessor) freeways in the state.
-   Exit at Exit 308 and turn left onto US-45/52 north.  Keep right onto IL-50.  We will follow IL-50 through town to McKnight Rd.  Along the way, we will go through the rebuilt interchange at I-57 (Exit 315).  Formerly 6 ramps, IDOT rebuilt it to be a diamond.
-   Turn left at McKnight Rd to the fifth stop — the site of the Amtrak crash in 1999.  This is the former crossing.
-   Then we will turn right on IL-50 back to Larry Power Rd and turn right again.  Then turn left onto US-45/52 into Bourbonnais.
-   Turn right onto IL-102 with a quick right into the business area for the sixth stop — central Bourbonnais.  Both US-45/52 and IL-102 were realigned here years ago.
-   Then go west on IL-102 to Kankakee River State Park.  Turn left at the main entrance, then bear right to the parking lot.  This is the seventh stop — the bridges and canyon for Rock Creek.
-   Turn left back onto IL-102 to Warner Bridge Rd.  Then turn left onto Warner Bridge Rd.  Turn right into the parking lot just north of the bridge for the eighth stop — the old bridge piers.
-   Then turn right onto Warner Bridge Rd to IL-113 and turn left, back toward Kankakee.  We'll stop at a bend in the river and road just east of Indian Trail.  This will be the ninth and last stop — Dead Man's Curve.
-   Then head back to Bird Park for the vehicles.

Sadly, I'll be unable to attend.  Just too busy, what with a lot of school activities, and my 20th anniversary this weekend.

Looks like a nice mix of stuff. Literally all of it will be new for me, as the closest I have ever been is Champaign. Looking forward to seeing the area for the first time (may do some pre-meet clinching, though, depending on how early I can get out of my hotel near Chicago).

I mentioned on FB but don't think I did here, I am now road tripping up from middle TN for this meet, even though I have clinched all IL counties and the surrounding area and clinched all of I-57 but since I have nothing going on this weekend and I am cleaning up the mini van and have all seats in this time this will help with car pooling. Also I have only driven through Kankakee on I-57 and have not explored the rest of the city so this technically would be new area for me. I am staying in Champaign both Friday and Saturday night which is a little over an hour south but open for anything, I do plan on clinching all of US 51 in IL (south of I-39) on my drive back on Sunday and checking out the new east end bridge on 265 near Louisville on the drive up, looking forward to seeing everyone! :biggrin:

I'm pre-committed to a show in Texas or I'd be there. Maybe this Summer I can sneak up there for a self-guided tour. :)