Downstate Illinois Notes

[Rick Powell]

Kensil Garnett told me 29 is alive at least from Chillicothe to maybe the county line . It will be 4 lanes and a new RR bridge. They are going to run it through the program .
Not clear how far they intend to run it. Minor correction Peoria Chicago really concluded that 74 and 55 did the job. There was a later study on 29 that's pretty dormant. This is separate because there was originally a 6 extension North of Chillicothe.

I call the 29 study "Peoria to Chicago"  because they looked at various freeway/expressway routes near IL 116, US 24, and a combo IL 29 to IL 71, as well as the IL 29 route, and settled on IL 29. I am not aware of any other "Peoria to Chicago"  Highway studies that preceded it other than the unsuccessful "Kerner Curve"  proposal to bend I-55 towards Peoria in the 60s.

There was an earlier "Kansas City to Chicago"  proposal for a private toll road which alignment would skirt Peoria, that was studied but could not identify a big enough market to justify it. https://www.lib.niu.edu/1989/ii891216.html

[captkirk_4]

So much for the IL 6 freeway stub ever connecting with anything else.

Route 6 should have connected to I-180 even if it is just a 4 lane parkway.

That trip seems just about as far as the existing way on 74 and 55. Plus I-80 is absolutely loaded with traffic so it wouldn't really relieve any traffic. Illinois is a dying state so I don't really see the need for a new expressway to Peoria. As they said before, if they can't build just a couple miles of a two lane bypass around the south end of Pana, they aren't going to build a new expressway to Peoria down 29 that doesn't save any millage.

[3467]

There was another Study between the 2 after that there was the 29 EIS and if not on IDOT it's on EPA . If you look at it it tries to avoid Peoria Chicago because it saves no miles over 74 55 . It's because the feasibility study was so bad.
The best savings on miles was A 3 A combo of 24 and 116. And it saves 8.7 miles.
The 29 study did a really good roadkill study though.
I wouldn't worry about Lebanon bypass they are really slow with their web page. They just added 34 and 97.
On Pana we will see if they run it through the tool again.
The only reason 29 was ever done was Ray LaHood and he is to say the least ..gone.

[3467]

It was the Heart of Illinois Highway Feasibility Study September 1995
Ch2m hill.
I found a 1976 Chicago KC Study. I have never found early 70s corridor studies for any of these segments.
Then there was the one above.
There were 2 EIS Inn the 90s for the Macomb Quincy study . The Final dated 1997 . The Peoria study above . Then Illinois 29 in 2009. Then 336 Peoria Macomb Inn The 2010s

Where we stand now. 24 will be 4 lane to 9 336 is soon to be gone losing corridor protection.
29 will be 4 lane at least a few miles north of Chillicothe. That is not what was in the 2009 . That was a 6 extension. This must get past the tool.
The Eastern Bypass is dead it was in the 1995 study too.

[ilpt4u]

It was the Heart of Illinois Highway Feasibility Study September 1995
Ch2m hill.
I found a 1976 Chicago KC Study. I have never found early 70s corridor studies for any of these segments.
Then there was the one above.
There were 2 EIS Inn the 90s for the Macomb Quincy study . The Final dated 1997 . The Peoria study above . Then Illinois 29 in 2009. Then 336 Peoria Macomb Inn The 2010s

Where we stand now. 24 will be 4 lane to 9 336 is soon to be gone losing corridor protection. 29 will be 4 lane at least a few miles north of Chillicothe. That is not what was in the 2009 . That was a 6 extension. This must get past the tool.
The Eastern Bypass is dead it was in the 1995 study too.

Hopefully 336 will be decommissioned once Macomb-Peoria is officially dead, since 336 is and will continue to be completely redundant with 110

[Rick Powell]

It was the Heart of Illinois Highway Feasibility Study September 1995
Ch2m hill.

Bob Blasius, retired of IDOT once told me, "a feasibility study is what you do when you don't want to build something." Although there were feasibility studies that did lead to something, occasionally.

[3467]

Agree. The feasibility study for 67 between Alton and Jacksonville was really a corridor study . That is happening slowly but still going.

US 20 recommended an expressway the EIS freeway and the current plan is building a passing lane to Stockton. That finishes the Jo Davies 3lane begun Inn the 90s.
BTW Anyone know anything else about 20.

I agree totally Inn the 336 redundancy.

[edwaleni]

Agree. The feasibility study for 67 between Alton and Jacksonville was really a corridor study . That is happening slowly but still going.

US 20 recommended an expressway the EIS freeway and the current plan is building a passing lane to Stockton. That finishes the Jo Davies 3lane begun Inn the 90s.
BTW Anyone know anything else about 20.

I agree totally Inn the 336 redundancy.

While US 20 from Freeport to Dubuque is dubious in safe travels, I would rather that IDOT and ISTHA finish the US 20 portion of the EOH between Lake Street to IL-59. IDOT owns 85% of the needed ROW and its been studied up and down and all around for many years. Put the toll start just east of IL-59. Let IDOT finish the parts between IL-59 and the US 20 Bypass.

I checked on the US 50 Lebanon Bypass, the MYP for IDOT shows it won't start until 2024 and is funded at around $43 million. It will be a 2 lane from Summerfield to IL-4 with a bridge over the CSX tracks. I thought the funding window started in 2023 hence my concern., Seems we have another year to go.

[3467]

The Tollway is just going to add long ramps to County Farm Road . That's it.

I think I will bring up my recent discovery of the secret multilane roads of the seventies.

[edwaleni]

The Tollway is just going to add long ramps to County Farm Road . That's it.

I think I will bring up my recent discovery of the secret multilane roads of the seventies.

Somewhere on AARoads, may years ago I posted a 4 lane plan by Illinois from around 1962. Most of the unbuilt ones from that report are the US-51 "Spine Line" south of Decatur to Cairo, the IL-1 from Crete to Cairo and the Quad Cities to East St Louis route (now US-67). It also showed a 4 lane from Carbondale to the Metro East, today known as a SW Connector.  Boy weren't they ambitious back then on road building? 60 years later we are still working on it.

[3467]

1962 That's Interesting. The first Supplemental Freeway system came out in 1965.
I would argue the route 1Freeway was built...I'm Indiana. Parts of 41 are literally within a 5 mile corridor of 1

I know there was an early 1950s toll way plan too. It was posted here once and would love to find it. It sounded a lot like the 1962 plan. Could it have been a 1952 one?

[edwaleni]

1962 That's Interesting. The first Supplemental Freeway system came out in 1965.
I would argue the route 1Freeway was built...I'm Indiana. Parts of 41 are literally within a 5 mile corridor of 1

I know there was an early 1950s toll way plan too. It was posted here once and would love to find it. It sounded a lot like the 1962 plan. Could it have been a 1952 one?

Yes, I agree IL-1 would nearly duplicate US-41 in Indiana. I think it was mostly thought of as a way to get Danville connected to the north. Danville used to have a large steel industry at one time.

But that hasn't stopped states with "competing" for highway usage over state line.

Kansas and Missouri still compete for traffic south of KCMO. Missouri got I-49 built. Kansas is still upgrading their side due to the influx of traffic from Texas.

[3467]

Right again. That doesn't apply here neither are busy. And of only 2 documents . One mentioned the corridor as connecting Indiana cities. The EPA pointed out well Indiana is making 41 4 lanes. There was never another Study outside Chicago where it was airport related
Well a correction It is 4 lane to Texas city from 57 which serves Southern Illinois cities . That study said North of there traffic was low.
However much of the route has had through town in improvements and is 3 r standard. That means 3 ft. Paved shoulders and good curves and visibility.
There are about 200 miles of 2 lane left on the road but I will go with Ed and say corridor was done.
I will go over the other corridors
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.

[Rick Powell]

This is what I found in a file at IDOT years ago, from the 70s. Posted courtesy of Midwest Roads site. The US 51 corridor from Rockford to Decatur, the Fox Valley Freeway, and the I-180 to Peoria and Peoria-Quincy corridors were the priorities at that time; with only the US 51 substantially built, and the 336 corridor completed from Macomb to Quincy. Other non-priority corridors (I-72, US 34, US 67) did get some attention later on.
http://www.midwestroads.com/illinois/il%20supp%20fwy.pdf

[edwaleni]

This is what I found in a file at IDOT years ago, from the 70s. Posted courtesy of Midwest Roads site. The US 51 corridor from Rockford to Decatur, the Fox Valley Freeway, and the I-180 to Peoria and Peoria-Quincy corridors were the priorities at that time; with only the US 51 substantially built, and the 336 corridor completed from Macomb to Quincy. Other non-priority corridors (I-72, US 34, US 67) did get some attention later on.
http://www.midwestroads.com/illinois/il%20supp%20fwy.pdf

Interesting on the Fox Valley Freeway,

I actually attended a public hearing on it in West Chicago, Illinois. This was back when real IDOT employees attended public hearings and not the PR consultants they stick out there now.

I didn't doubt its utility, but it was just too late to the game and had no northern route past I-90. It would have become the I-170 of the Chicago western suburbs. I was of the mindset at the time that any IL-59 relief was going to have to come west of the Fox River because of local opposition to expand IL-59 any further. IDOT just waited too long and when you have school districts using IL-59 as a primary route for school bus stops, then you have literally "missed the bus" (ha ha).

[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]

Quick history question: When was US 45's alignment changed from going west of 57 from Ashkum to Kankakee onto its current one?

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]

Quick history question: When was US 45's alignment changed from going west of 57 from Ashkum to Kankakee onto its current one?

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]

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.

It's for school buses. There are a number of rural stops in that stretch.

[Rick Powell]

Quick history question: When was US 45's alignment changed from going west of 57 from Ashkum to Kankakee onto its current one?

Trick question.  It happened in stages and parts of it never moved (technically).

Wow, that's a lot more detail than the short explanation I provided! I remember going through Kankakee before I-57 as a kid (on the pre-57 eastern bypass) and taking a few detours later on during the I-57 construction on our family trips down south. The one detail I remember was a barricade with a "your tax dollars at work" sign promoting the construction of the interstate.

[CapeCodder]

Quick history question: When was US 45's alignment changed from going west of 57 from Ashkum to Kankakee onto its current one?

Trick question.  It happened in stages and parts of it never moved (technically).

Wow, that's a lot more detail than the short explanation I provided! I remember going through Kankakee before I-57 as a kid (on the pre-57 eastern bypass) and taking a few detours later on during the I-57 construction on our family trips down south. The one detail I remember was a barricade with a "your tax dollars at work" sign promoting the construction of the interstate.

Thanks for both posts. One of these days I'd like to clinch a few US Routes, US 45 is one of them.

[edwaleni]

Quick history question: When was US 45's alignment changed from going west of 57 from Ashkum to Kankakee onto its current one?

Trick question.  It happened in stages and parts of it never moved (technically).

Wow, that's a lot more detail than the short explanation I provided! I remember going through Kankakee before I-57 as a kid (on the pre-57 eastern bypass) and taking a few detours later on during the I-57 construction on our family trips down south. The one detail I remember was a barricade with a "your tax dollars at work" sign promoting the construction of the interstate.

Yes, I remember I-57 for the Kankakee Bypass as an oddity.  The ramps were weird and it was built with an urban design. My dad said that the bypass was proposed by Illinois in 1948 before the interstate system came along, but the actual construction didnt happen until 1953. If you look at the date marks on the KBS railroad bridge it is stamped "1953". Anyway, the way IDOT designed the bypass originally, the "new route" was to send all of US-45 traffic through that bypass by starting it between Ashkum and Clifton. That is why you can see the remnants of the bypass starting that far south.  Most people don't know but that bypass used to start/end at IL-50 north of Kankakee. Then when I-57 came along, they simply ran right on top of it.

The ramps at IL-50 have been completely redone and modernized.

The ramps at Court Street (IL-17) are still in their original 1953 style (including the support structure for the bridge) and I remember the last time IDOT tried to do something with them, the neighborhood howled. One study tried to close the exit completely for safety reasons, but people on the eastside complained. Kankakee tried to develop East Court after the bypass opened and there was for years a KMart, McDonalds, apartments, gas stations, but only the McDonalds remains. The apartments were converted to Section 8 housing.

IDOT has their hands tied becuase they didn't buy enough land back in the late 40's - early 50's and a cemetery constrains them on the west side of the highway. To make a new exit pass muster they would have to shift I-57 east, buy out the former KMart property, build sound walls (due to 2 schools nearby) and convert it to a standard trumpet.

[CtrlAltDel]

To make a new exit pass muster they would have to shift I-57 east, buy out the former KMart property, build sound walls (due to 2 schools nearby) and convert it to a standard trumpet.

On a side note, that K-Mart property is being redeveloped into a Ricky Rockets.

[edwaleni]

To make a new exit pass muster they would have to shift I-57 east, buy out the former KMart property, build sound walls (due to 2 schools nearby) and convert it to a standard trumpet.

On a side note, that K-Mart property is being redeveloped into a Ricky Rockets.

Too funny....a Bucees clone next to a 6000sq ft pot dispensary.

The last thing East Court needs is a pot dispensary.

The last time I stopped at the Mickey D's on East Court it was just a little subpar.

Looks like that exit will be around a lot longer, but the merge lanes for those circle ramps are much too short. The trucks will go up to the IL-50 exit instead I am afraid.

The Illinois Notes thread shows that IDOT is going to spend $95 million into a total redesign and construction at East Court.

Should be an interesting design.