Why doesn't Illinois put exit numbers on their freeways?

[I-39]

That has always driven me nuts. With the exception of Interstate highways, Illinois does not put exit numbers on any other route that is a freeway, unlike Wisconsin for example, where they put exit numbers on virtually every freeway.

The only exception I can think to this is IL-255 between I-270 and Godfrey, not quite sure why, but maybe it's because that corridor will eventually become an Interstate (perhaps if U.S 67 is converted to freeway north to I-72).

Why is this? Does anyone know of any other non-interstate freeway's in Illinois where the exits are numbered?

[pianocello]

First of all, there aren't too many freeways in Illinois that IDOT hasn't slapped an red and blue shield on.

IL-6 in Peoria does have numbered exits, but it was built with a future extension to I-80 in mind, IIRC.

I would guess that the reason Illinois never bothered to put exit numbers on some of its freeways is that they're too short to necessitate it. I-180, US-34 in Galesburg, IL-92 in Rock Island, US-20 in Rockford, etc. all don't have more than three or four different interchanges apiece.

[Revive 755]

I was under the impression having exit numbers on non-interstate freeways was more of the exception than the rule.

[NE2]

I was under the impression having exit numbers on non-interstate freeways was more of the exception than the rule.

It recently became a MUTCD rule. As for which states do it (possible errors):
Alabama: only on future I-22 (there are very few other non-Interstate freeways)
Alaska: fuck you (actually, the only exit numbers in Alaska are on an unnumbered not even full freeway in Fairbanks)
Arizona: yes, even on expressways e.g. US 93
Arkansas: yes, including the isolated Hot Springs bypass
California: yes
Colorado: only 470
Connecticut: yes
Delaware: yes
District of Columbia: no (but this may change; DC 295 now has a few)
Florida: yes on toll freeways outside Miami, no otherwise
Georgia: yes, including the isolated Albany bypass
Hawaii: what non-Interstate freeways?
Idaho: yes
Illinois: durr, I have no idea
Indiana: only on some (US 31, SR 912, perhaps others)
Iowa: yes, even on expressways
Kansas: no
Kentucky: yes, even at some isolated interchanges such as on KY 9
Louisiana: sometimes (LA 3132, US 90 Biz, US 90)
Maine: no (the only significant non-Interstate freeway is US 1 near Brunswick)
Maryland: usually
Massachusetts: usually
Michigan: yes
Minnesota: no, except a new interchange on US 52 (any others?)
Mississippi: only future I-22
Missouri: not usually (364 has them)
Montana: what non-Interstate freeways?
Nebraska: no
Nevada: yes
New Hampshire: yes except a few short ones
New Jersey: usually
New Mexico: only on US 84-285 north of Santa Fe
New York: usually, including the first known exit numbers (Belt Parkway)
North Carolina: yes, even on expressways
North Dakota: what non-Interstate freeways?
Ohio: sometimes (e.g. SR 11)
Oklahoma: most toll roads but not elsewhere?
Oregon: yes, even on expressways
Pennsylvania: sometimes on state route freeways
Rhode Island: sometimes
South Carolina: no
South Dakota: what non-Interstate freeways?
Tennessee: sometimes
Texas: not usually (US 75, SH 130, Loop 375, Spur 601, formerly US 59 Eastex Freeway, a few isolated bypasses)
Utah: yes, except isolated bypasses
Vermont: yes
Virginia: sometimes (some isolated bypasses in southwest Virginia, SR 168, SR 267, perhaps others)
Washington: sometimes
West Virginia: only WV 43?
Wisconsin: usually, even on expressways
Wyoming: no (the single interchange on the Casper bypass)
That's about half with yes or usually.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I was under the impression having exit numbers on non-interstate freeways was more of the exception than the rule.

It recently became a MUTCD rule. As for which states do it (possible errors):

Minnesota: no, except a new interchange on US 52 (any others?)

US 52's stretch through Rochester has had exit numbers for quite a few years. Apparently MNDot is in no rush to comply as they replaced a bunch of signs on US 169 and MN 100 in the metro area in fall 2014 while adding no exit numbers.

[I-39]

First of all, there aren't too many freeways in Illinois that IDOT hasn't slapped an red and blue shield on.

IL-6 in Peoria does have numbered exits, but it was built with a future extension to I-80 in mind, IIRC.

I would guess that the reason Illinois never bothered to put exit numbers on some of its freeways is that they're too short to necessitate it. I-180, US-34 in Galesburg, IL-92 in Rock Island, US-20 in Rockford, etc. all don't have more than three or four different interchanges apiece.

Wisconsin puts exit numbers on it's bypasses, even on expressway's with interchanges.

I forgot about IL-6, good catch! That freeway was suppose to be extended to I-180, but they won't continue it north of Chillicothe, so that is dead. I certainly could see IDOT adding exit numbers to the U.S 20 corridor if they ever finish the freeway between Freeport and Galena (they'll likely convert the expressway section between Rockford and Freeport to freeway when/if they ever build the Freeport to Galena section).

[dave069]

The Illinois Tollway doesn't put exit numbers on a lot of their interstates and it's dumb. I have seen exit numbers on the tolled section of I-88 though.

[Revive 755]

^ The Tollway is slowly adding them though.  There are now a few starting to pop up on the Tri-State, and I believe I-90 will have them after the rebuild is complete.

[dave069]

^ The Tollway is slowly adding them though.  There are now a few starting to pop up on the Tri-State, and I believe I-90 will have them after the rebuild is complete.

Which exits have them on the Tri-State? I was on it today.

[jwags]

^ The Tollway is slowly adding them though.  There are now a few starting to pop up on the Tri-State, and I believe I-90 will have them after the rebuild is complete.

Which exits have them on the Tri-State? I was on it today.

So far only the I-94 section of the Tri-State has them.

[vdeane]

With respect to NY, downstate does it, but it is most definitely NOT the norm upstate.  Every non-interstate freeway with exit numbers outside of the NYC metro area and Long Island is either a future interstate or an extension of one.

[Brandon]

^ The Tollway is slowly adding them though.  There are now a few starting to pop up on the Tri-State, and I believe I-90 will have them after the rebuild is complete.

Which exits have them on the Tri-State? I was on it today.

A few up on the I-94 section, the entire section from Rosemont down to Hinsdale has gore signs, the I-57 exit.

[DaBigE]

Wisconsin puts exit numbers on it's bypasses, even on expressway's with interchanges.

Not all of them. Most of US 151 around Fond du Lac is numberless, however, the exit signs were clearly designed for the addition of numbers in the future.

[froggie]

Minnesota: no, except a new interchange on US 52 (any others?)

HighwayMan hinted at this, but only US 52 has exit numbers.

Vermont: yes

Mostly yes.  VT 279 lacks them.

[dave069]

^ The Tollway is slowly adding them though.  There are now a few starting to pop up on the Tri-State, and I believe I-90 will have them after the rebuild is complete.

Which exits have them on the Tri-State? I was on it today.

A few up on the I-94 section, the entire section from Rosemont down to Hinsdale has gore signs, the I-57 exit.

I was going from Rosemont to Chicago Ridge and don't think I saw any. I haven't been on the I-94 section in a while. I sure hope I-90 will get them.

[StogieGuy7]

^ The Tollway is slowly adding them though.  There are now a few starting to pop up on the Tri-State, and I believe I-90 will have them after the rebuild is complete.

Which exits have them on the Tri-State? I was on it today.

A few up on the I-94 section, the entire section from Rosemont down to Hinsdale has gore signs, the I-57 exit.

I was going from Rosemont to Chicago Ridge and don't think I saw any. I haven't been on the I-94 section in a while. I sure hope I-90 will get them.

Exits 1 (Russell Road), 2 (IL-173), 10 (IL-22) have had them for a couple of months now.  They've just popped up at IL-120, IL-176 and IL-60 as well.  There's an exit 8C gore sign on SB I-94 at the Grand Avenue exit in Gurnee, and I would imagine that the rest will be installed this summer.  So, yes, they're showing up with increasing rapidity. 

The question I have is: how will they number the exits south of Lake-Cook, where I-94 follows the "Edens Spur" and the Tri State continues at I-294?  Will they continue the numbering from the WI state line or start over?  There's an argument to be made for either, though continuing the numbering from the state line would make the most sense to me. 

[pianocello]

The question I have is: how will they number the exits south of Lake-Cook, where I-94 follows the "Edens Spur" and the Tri State continues at I-294?  Will they continue the numbering from the WI state line or start over?  There's an argument to be made for either, though continuing the numbering from the state line would make the most sense to me. 

They'll use I-294's mile markers. The new 147th St and I-57 exits southbound are already signed as Exits 9 and 8, respectively. (Alas, too recent for street view)

[roadman65]

What about the NW Tollway?  Are they going to go W to E like they are supposed to or from E to W like their mile markers were going?

[SSOWorld]

W to E - they re-numbered based on I-90 when the Rockford portion was rebuilt (about the same time the Tri-State got its renumbering.)

[roadman65]

Oh good.  Now all we have to do is wait now for the NYSTA to redo the Thruway and I-90 will be completely normal.  Which should be happening as soon as New York goes mile based.  However I-87 will suffer as a result, but then again has it not already with 3 schemes in one state, especially if the NYSDOT decides to give the Northway exit numbers to its miles starting from US 20 in Albany.

[ajlynch91]

^ The Tollway is slowly adding them though.  There are now a few starting to pop up on the Tri-State, and I believe I-90 will have them after the rebuild is complete.

Which exits have them on the Tri-State? I was on it today.

A few up on the I-94 section, the entire section from Rosemont down to Hinsdale has gore signs, the I-57 exit.

I was going from Rosemont to Chicago Ridge and don't think I saw any. I haven't been on the I-94 section in a while. I sure hope I-90 will get them.

Exits 1 (Russell Road), 2 (IL-173), 10 (IL-22) have had them for a couple of months now.  They've just popped up at IL-120, IL-176 and IL-60 as well.  There's an exit 8C gore sign on SB I-94 at the Grand Avenue exit in Gurnee, and I would imagine that the rest will be installed this summer.  So, yes, they're showing up with increasing rapidity. 

The question I have is: how will they number the exits south of Lake-Cook, where I-94 follows the "Edens Spur" and the Tri State continues at I-294?  Will they continue the numbering from the WI state line or start over?  There's an argument to be made for either, though continuing the numbering from the state line would make the most sense to me.

This is somewhat trivial, but the Russell Road exit, 1, is under IDOT's authority and thus has been signed for what I would assume to be a long time, more recently the other two exits have been signed. I-88, I-355, and IL-390 all have exit numbers now, with them being added in pieces along I-90 and I-294.

[Brandon]

^ The Tollway is slowly adding them though.  There are now a few starting to pop up on the Tri-State, and I believe I-90 will have them after the rebuild is complete.

Which exits have them on the Tri-State? I was on it today.

A few up on the I-94 section, the entire section from Rosemont down to Hinsdale has gore signs, the I-57 exit.

I was going from Rosemont to Chicago Ridge and don't think I saw any. I haven't been on the I-94 section in a while. I sure hope I-90 will get them.

Exits 1 (Russell Road), 2 (IL-173), 10 (IL-22) have had them for a couple of months now.  They've just popped up at IL-120, IL-176 and IL-60 as well.  There's an exit 8C gore sign on SB I-94 at the Grand Avenue exit in Gurnee, and I would imagine that the rest will be installed this summer.  So, yes, they're showing up with increasing rapidity. 

The question I have is: how will they number the exits south of Lake-Cook, where I-94 follows the "Edens Spur" and the Tri State continues at I-294?  Will they continue the numbering from the WI state line or start over?  There's an argument to be made for either, though continuing the numbering from the state line would make the most sense to me. 

IL-22 (Half Day Road) is Exit 21, not 10 (It's a near miss for same exit number as route number).  The Edens Spur will get I-94 exit numbers while everything south of Lake-Cook will get (and has gotten) I-294 exit numbers (which start in South Holland).  The only question I have is how ISTHA will sign Lake-Cook Road.  Northbound makes sense as Exit 52 (I-294).  Southbound could be either Exit 52 (I-294) while I-294 is Exit 25, or Exit 25B (I-94) while I-294 is Exit 25A.  Either way, Deerfield Road will be Exit 24 (I-94).

[vdeane]

Oh good.  Now all we have to do is wait now for the NYSTA to redo the Thruway and I-90 will be completely normal.  Which should be happening as soon as New York goes mile based.  However I-87 will suffer as a result, but then again has it not already with 3 schemes in one state, especially if the NYSDOT decides to give the Northway exit numbers to its miles starting from US 20 in Albany.

Given that the Northway's current mileage starts at I-90 and not US 20, I think we can rule that one out.

[roadman65]

However whether its at I-90 or at US 20, only a difference of about a mile, its all the same.  It will still  be unorthodox to still have two different schemes.

I do not understand in the first place why NYSDOT did not do what PennDOT did (and still does ) where I-76 leaves the Penn Turnpike and continue with the rest of the numbering scheme already started on the Turnpike there.  They could have made the numbers start on the Northway from 25 up.

[Milepost61]

I was under the impression having exit numbers on non-interstate freeways was more of the exception than the rule.

It recently became a MUTCD rule. As for which states do it (possible errors):

Colorado: only 470

E-470 to be more precise, but that's a separate toll authority, not CDOT. CDOT only puts exit numbers on Interstates. The other state freeways don't have them.