The Lincoln business loop for Interstate 55 follows portions of Historic U.S. 66 through and around the city. Beginning at Exit 123, Business Loop I-55 lines Lincoln Parkway, a four-lane divided highway, northeast from I-55 to parallel a Union Pacific Railroad line to the city line. Lincoln Parkway is an at-grade bypass built for U.S. 66 around the west and north sides of Lincoln. Business Loop I-55 follows the highway north to 5th Street east to Downtown.
Turning northeast on Logan Street, the loop leaves the city center for a brief overlap with Illinois 10 & 121 along Keokuk Street before resuming a northeastern course along Kickapoo Street back to Lincoln Parkway beyond the city line. Business Loop I-55 ends at Exit 133, east of the I-55 exit with Interstate 155.
| Business Loop I-55 commences at the Lincoln Parkway parclo interchange west of Edward R. Madigan State Park. Interstate 55 leads north from the split to bypass the west side of Lincoln before turning east at the south end of Interstate 155. 05/06/10 |
| Historic U.S. 66 remains in use alongside Interstate 55 south from Lincoln to the village of Broadwell as a Frontage Road. Business Loop I-55 and Lincoln Parkway overtake the two lane roadway just east of Exit 123. 05/06/10 |
| The first reassurance marker for Business Loop I-55 north appears after the Historic U.S. 66 Frontage Road intersection. The parallel UP Railroad comes into view along the east side of the parkway. 05/06/10 |
| Historic U.S. 66 trailblazers accompany portions of the Business Loop for I-55 through Lincoln as well. 05/06/10 |
| Business Loop I-55 north travels between agricultural land to the west and Edward R. Madigan State Park and a prison to the east. 05/06/10 |
| Lincoln Parkway gains a barrier median on the approach to the Salt Creek bridge.
The forthcoming bridge was demolished and replaced during 2014. The new span no longer curves and includes ten foot shoulders.2 05/06/10 |
| Waters of the Salt Creek flow west from Lake Clinton to Lincoln and underneath Business Loop I-55 along a channelized course to overtake Kickapoo Creek west of I-55. The 110 mile waterway is a tributary of the Sangamon River. 05/06/10 |
| Stringer Avenue branches northeast from Business Loop I-55 (Lincoln Parkway) as the 1930-40 route of Historic U.S. 66 to Washington Street north and 5th Street east. 05/06/10 |
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| Business Loop I-55 turns east from Lincoln Parkway for 5th Street toward Downtown. Historic U.S. 66 continues north along the last signed alignment of U.S. 66 to encircle Lincoln by Logan County Fairgrounds and Kickapoo Creek. 05/06/10 |
| 5th Street enters the Lincoln street grid east ahead of the Postville Courthouse. The forthcoming State Historic Site includes a 1953-reproduction of Logan County's first seat of government. The original courthouse, in which Abraham Lincoln once argued a case, was constructed in 1840 and moved in 1929 by Henry Ford to Dearborn, Michigan.1 05/06/10 |
| Business Loop I-55 (5th Street) narrows after State Street. 05/06/10 |
| 5th Street ends at a five-way intersection with Clinton and Logan Streets. Business Loop I-55 north turns onto Logan Street. 05/06/10 |
| A Historic U.S. 66 trailblazer resides between Clinton and Pulaski Streets as Business Loop I-55 skims northern reaches of the Lincoln business district. 05/06/10 |
| Broadway leads southeast from 8th and Union Streets across Business Loop I-55 (Logan Street) to the Logan County Courthouse through Downtown. 05/06/10 |
| Leaving Broadway, Business Loop I-55 continues one block to reenter residential areas to IL 10 & 121 (Keokuk Street). 05/06/10 |
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| IL 121 bypasses the east side of Lincoln along Limit Street to combine with IL 10 (Keokuk Street) west, one half mile east of Logan Street. The tandem continue 3.1 miles west along Woodlawn Road to meet Interstate 55, where IL 121 ends. 05/06/10 |
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| Historic U.S. 66 and Business Loop I-55 turn southeast along IL 10 & 121 (Keokuk Street) for three blocks to Kickapoo Street north. 05/06/10 |
| 5th Street west from Logan Street to Washington Street represents the 1930-40 alignment of Historic U.S. 66. 05/06/10 |
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2 photos
| A small wooden cutout lies along Business Loop I-55 (5th Street) south between Maple and Walnut Streets. This sign appears to be custom made and not an official Historic U.S. 66 marker. 05/06/10 |
Page Updated 12-05-2014.