I-57 South / I-70 West - Effingham

The first of three exits for city of Effingham along I-57/70 west is with U.S. 45 in 0.75 miles. The city of 12,252 (2020 census) is named for the Effingham County, which derives its name from Thomas Howard, a British general and 3rd Earl of Effingham, who sided with the American colonies in 1775.¹

10/16/04

U.S. 45 enters Effingham from Sigel to the north, parallel to a Canadian National Railroad line that doubles with AMTRAK service from Effingham between Carbondale and New Orleans to the south and Chicago to the north.

12/27/09

I-57/70 west reach the folded diamond interchange (Exit 162) with U.S. 45 (3rd Street). U.S. 45 joins U.S. 40 along Fayette Avenue briefly through Downtown Effingham to the south. Leaving the I-57 corridor, the route resumes a southern course to Heartville and Flora.

12/27/09

Confirming markers for I-57 south and I-70 west posted along the rural stretch between U.S. 45 and the commercial center at Keller Drive (IL 32/33) and Ford Avenue / Outer Belt West.

12/27/09

N 1400th Street passes over I-57/70 one mile from Exit 160 to IL 32/33 (Keller Drive). The overpass was replaced between 2004 and 2009.

12/27/09

Avenue of Mid America lines the northern quadrant of the modified diamond interchange between I-57/70 and IL 32/33 (Keller Drive). Several big box stores line the frontage of Keller Drive as the arterial leads southeast to become Henrietta Street. Henrietta Street continues to the U.S. 40 turn at Fayette Avenue and National Avenue. Lake Shelbyville lies north via IL 32 beyond the split with IL 33 west to Beecher City.

12/27/09

Exit 160 ties into the intersection of Keller Drive and Evergreen Avenue west. Evergreen Avenue connects with Outer Belt West, an arterial completed on December 21, 2011 stretching south from IL 32/33 at Ford Avenue to U.S. 40, southwest of Exit 159. Beginning in Effingham IL 132 travels 66 miles north to IL 48 by Cisco and I-72. IL 33 goes for 92 miles from Beecher City east to U.S. 50 near Vincennes.

12/27/09

Fayette Avenue extends west from U.S. 40/IL 33 at Henrietta Street to a parclo interchange (Exit 159) with I-57/70 in one quarter mile.

12/27/09

Interstate 70 west partitions from I-57 south in two miles as Exit 159 departs for Fayette Avenue in Effingham. Fayette Avenue meets Outer Belt West nearby and continues east 1.4 miles to U.S. 45 (Banker Street) in Downtown.

10/16/04

The final set of shields for I-57 south and I-70 west stand ahead of the U.S. 40 (National Avenue) and Conrail under crossing. Visible to the east is a 198 foot cross located off Pike Avenue.

10/16/04

One mile northeast of the three-wye interchange (Exit 157) where I-57 and I-70 part ways for Mt. Vernon and St. Louis respectively. Work commenced on October 5, 2010 to rebuild I-57/70 at Effingham. Construction included replacing the I-70 bridges over the Little Wabash River and repaving the 2.1 mile stretch between U.S. 40 and Exit 157.

12/27/09

Two lanes continue for both I- 57 south and I-70 west at Exit 157.

12/27/09

Interstate 70 resumes a westward course to St. Louis while Interstate 57 angles southwest to Salem and Mt. Vernon. I-70 converges with I-55 south in 72 miles en route to East St. Louis.

12/27/09

Curving southward from the Interstate 70 westbound mainline along I-57. I-70 continues ten miles to its next interchange and 92 miles to St. Louis.

12/27/09