Regional Boards > Great Lakes and Ohio Valley
Downstate Illinois Notes
Lyon Wonder:
IDOT's wondering what to do with the Joe Page Bridge that carries IL-16 and IL-100 across the Illinois River at Hardin since it's structurally deficient and becoming difficult to maintain.
https://wlds.com/joe-page-bridge-study-moving-forward-public-input-being-sought/
CapeCodder:
Quick history question: When was US 45's alignment changed from going west of 57 from Ashkum to Kankakee onto its current one?
Rick Powell:
--- Quote from: CapeCodder on April 29, 2023, 01:04:25 PM ---Quick history question: When was US 45's alignment changed from going west of 57 from Ashkum to Kankakee onto its current one?
--- End quote ---
Here is where to look, year by year. https://apps1.dot.illinois.gov/HistoricalMapViewer/
US 45 actually moved twice, it originally followed what is now IL 115, then where 115 breaks west, it continued south to around Chebanse. When the eastern Kankakee bypass (now I-57) was built in the 50s, US 45 was re-routed directly south to what is now the south interchange of 45/52 in Kankakee and then ran down the future alignment of I-57 just east of the IC Railroad. Then in the late 60s when I-57 was completed, it was taken off the 57 alignment and then went directly south from the interchange, sharing an alignment with US 52 and (former) US 54, where its alignment is today.
edwaleni:
--- Quote from: CapeCodder on April 29, 2023, 01:04:25 PM ---Quick history question: When was US 45's alignment changed from going west of 57 from Ashkum to Kankakee onto its current one?
--- End quote ---
Trick question. It happened in stages and parts of it never moved (technically).
The actual bypass of Chebanse and Clifton was built in 1951 and 1952 as a 2 lane highway.
The Chebanse to Clifton 4 lane section of I-57 was completed first south of Kankakee in 1969. But it was signed US-45 and US 54.
If you look south of Clifton, you can see the remains where the "new" US-45 swings east of the old US-45 going into town. When the new route came back north of Clifton, it ran on top of the old (pre-1951) at Oak Street.
Where I-57 bridges over the old US-45 and the CN railroad south of Clifton is also where reception of Chicago FM stations ends. (yes, I have driven this route a lot) At least the ones that use the former Sears Tower to broadcast from.
In 1970, when the section of I-57 from Clifton to US-54 (Onarga-Gibson City exit) was complete, US-45 was redirected at Ashkum on the former IL-116 where it meets US-52 from the east and IL-49 from the south.
IL-116 now ends at Ashkum. US-54 was demoted to IL-54 from Onarga to Springfield IL. It was removed in Kankakee completely and demoted to IL-50 from Kankakee to Chicago.
FWIW: US-54 still exists in Illinois, but only from Louisiana, MO until its intersection with I-72 south of Griggsville. There isn't even a "END" sign, just a sign that says IL-107.
If you go back even further, US-45 and US-54 used to cross the then Illinois Central tracks north of Chebanse (County 7000S) and follow County 2000W to what is now IL-115. It entered Kankakee west of the tracks on Jeffrey Street.
The remains of that crossing can be seen from I-57. When the bypass of Clifton and Chebanse was done in 1951, they didn't build a bridge over the IC tracks and left that dog leg in place.
In late 1953 and early 1954, they built a new ROW for US-45 and US-54 from Chebanse to a meet with US-52 where I-57 crosses US-52 today.
The dog leg crossing and old route to Kankakee remained as an unmarked state highway and finally delegated to the county in 1962.
The dog leg crossing was formally removed when the 4 lane was built in 1969.
edwaleni:
--- Quote from: 3467 on February 23, 2023, 12:22:49 PM ---Next Illinois 29 was not an original and it was part of the whole 180 mess. It's got a number of sections they could stripe to 3 lanes and the 4 lane stretch . You can see them near Sparland . From the 84 to 88 program . It's mostly a big shoulder a never striped passing lane.
--- End quote ---
It's for school buses. There are a number of rural stops in that stretch.
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