Proposed beltway for Decatur, Illinois

Started by Revive 755, June 01, 2016, 06:23:58 PM

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Revive 755

http://co.macon.il.us/downloads/Highway/Macon_County_Beltway_EA-130419.pdf

The proposed alignment is shown on Page 90/382.  It is described as limited access in the report's text, but the map does not show enough interchanges for it to be a full freeway.


The Ghostbuster

Seems ambitious. I would have given it a direct connection with Interstate 72, and not required traffic to use IL 48 to make the connection.

aboges26



For those who do not want to wait for a 382 page document to load just to scroll to page 90, here is the routing.

inkyatari

Does anybody know why they don't want it connecting to 72? That's just.. weird.
I'm never wrong, just wildly inaccurate.

The Ghostbuster

Somehow, I doubt this beltway will ever be constructed. I mean, does Decatur really need such a bypass?

alecscradle

Yeah this project lifting off seems like a huge reach.  Decatur and Macon County have had a declining population for around 30 years now, so no new developments.  Unless the city is doing massive revitalization, I don't see this happening.

Brandon

Somehow this seems like overkill for Decatur.  I could see a better connection from the southern end of the US-51 bypass to US-36 on the east side of town, but that's it.
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Henry

Without a direct connection to I-72, this is an engineering fail.
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silverback1065

isn't there also a proposed beltway for Springfield too?

adt1982

Quote from: silverback1065 on July 02, 2016, 05:13:31 PM
isn't there also a proposed beltway for Springfield too?

What Springfield needs is 3 lanes in each direction for 55/72. 

alecscradle

Wow, that's really odd that that stretch of I-55/72 isn't 3 lanes, considering all the other cities in Illinois have 3 lanes where the highways merge.  (Effingham, Bloomington, Champaign and Peoria on I-74)

adt1982

It's especially ironic since I-55 north and south of the overlap with 72 is 3 lanes in each direction.

Brandon

Quote from: adt1982 on July 03, 2016, 05:40:28 PM
It's especially ironic since I-55 north and south of the overlap with 72 is 3 lanes in each direction.

Hey, we have to get our legislators to/from Springfield.  Bypassing Springfield?  Not so much.
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Rick Powell

Quote from: alecscradle on July 03, 2016, 03:00:37 PM
Wow, that's really odd that that stretch of I-55/72 isn't 3 lanes, considering all the other cities in Illinois have 3 lanes where the highways merge.  (Effingham, Bloomington, Champaign and Peoria on I-74)

These were all add-ons after the original construction...and the C-U one is really not 3 continuous lanes, but just an auxiliary lane between the interchanges and a "captive" off-ramp at each one.

I think the original reasoning for having 3-NB and SB lanes north and south of Springfield but only 2-lanes on the east side of town was the thought that some of the traffic would divert off to the more westerly "Business 55" and IL 4 at the north and south ends of town. Those are now fairly busy roads, but I-55 didn't let up.

Revive 755

Quote from: silverback1065 on July 02, 2016, 05:13:31 PM
isn't there also a proposed beltway for Springfield too?

There is a partial one proposed for Bloomington-Normal on the east side from I-55 to I-74 that is getting the corridor protected, but I certainly cannot recall hearing of any being proposed for Springfield.

silverback1065

Maybe that was it, I remember talking to someone involved in the study about a beltway around one of those cities in Illinois.

The Ghostbuster

Is there any city or town in Illinois that needs a beltway?

silverback1065

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on July 06, 2016, 08:15:11 PM
Is there any city or town in Illinois that needs a beltway?

Doesn't seem like it

Avalanchez71


Brandon

Quote from: Avalanchez71 on July 07, 2016, 11:02:19 AM
Chicago could use one.

Chicago has one (I-294), and a part of another (I-355/I-290/IL-53).
"If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention." - Ramsay Bolton

"Symbolic of his struggle against reality." - Reg

Avalanchez71

Yeah but you still get locked up in traffic.

Revive 755

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on July 06, 2016, 08:15:11 PM
Is there any city or town in Illinois that needs a beltway?

Maybe not full in the traditional sense, but in combination with the existing bypassing interstates:

* Bloomington - Normal:  Could use the eastern half to complete the 3/4 loop made by I-55 and I-74

* Champaign - Urbana:  Could use the southern and eastern halves added

* Springfield:  Would be nice to have the northern and western halves to compliment I-55 and I-72, or at least have the IL 4 western bypass more directly tied into I-55

* Joliet:  Something to bypass I-80 and perhaps provide another route to I-55 that does not requiring using the Des Plaines bridges on the latter

inkyatari

Quote from: Revive 755 on July 07, 2016, 09:44:13 PM

* Joliet:  Something to bypass I-80 and perhaps provide another route to I-55 that does not requiring using the Des Plaines bridges on the latter

That's why I believe a southern Chicago bypass should have been built 30 years ago on the Laraway Road corridor.
I'm never wrong, just wildly inaccurate.

Rick Powell

Quote from: Revive 755 on July 07, 2016, 09:44:13 PM

That's why I believe a southern Chicago bypass should have been built 30 years ago on the Laraway Road corridor.

Not on the scale it could have been, but Will County is planning to 4-lane Laraway Road from IL 53 to the Cook County line over the next several years.

paulthemapguy

Quote from: Rick Powell on July 10, 2016, 09:25:33 PM
Quote from: Revive 755 on July 07, 2016, 09:44:13 PM

That's why I believe a southern Chicago bypass should have been built 30 years ago on the Laraway Road corridor.

Not on the scale it could have been, but Will County is planning to 4-lane Laraway Road from IL 53 to the Cook County line over the next several years.

At least the section from US52 east.
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