Interstate 57

Representing the longest Interstate highway in Illinois at 364 miles, I-57 travels nearly the height of the state from the Mississippi River near Cairo to Champaign and the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-94) in south Chicago. Throughout most of Illinois, the freeway traverses rural and agricultural areas, including a swath through Shawnee National Forest. The route also connects smaller regional cities, including Marion, Mattoon and Kankakee among others. Two overlaps add cross country traffic to I-57 as well, with a 5.59 mile shared alignment with I-70 through Effingham and a 4.14 mile overlap with I-64 at Mount Vernon.

Interstate 57 Illinois Highway Guides

• Interstate 57 North - Marion to Mount Vernon
• Interstate 57 North - Mount Vernon to Effingham
• Interstate 57 South - Effingham to Mount Vernon
• Interstate 57 South - Mount Vernon to Marion

Estimated to cost $74.3 million in 2016,¹ the Interstate 57 & Interstate 74 Interchange Reconstruction project will upgrade the exchange joining I-57 and I-74 northwest of Champaign. Designed in 1958 and built in 1965, the cloverleaf interchange between the two freeways will be replaced by a high-speed cloverstack interchange. Phase III construction will commence following completion of Phase II. Currently underway, Phase II involves land acquisition, utility relocation and environmental mitigation.

Interstate 57 scenes

Ashland Avenue comprises a northbound side frontage street from Calumet Park north to West 112th Street at the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago. A diamond interchange with West 119th Street utilizes Ashland to make the connections with Interstate 57 below. Pictured here is the northbound on-ramp ahead of Exit 355. Photo taken 09/04/05.

Trombone style mast-arm signal assemblies at Hamlet Avenue north and 112th Place, just beyond the off-ramp from Interstate 57 north at Exit 355. Photo taken 09/04/05.

Signs for northbound on-ramps to Interstate 57 in Far Southeast Side Chicago direct traffic toward the Chicago Loop. Photo taken 09/04/05.

Original trailblazers for Interstate 57 were posted along 112th Place west ahead of the Hamlet and Marshfield Avenue on-ramps in the Morgan Park neighborhood of Far Southeast Side Chicago. Photo taken 09/04/05.

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Hamlet Avenue provides northbound access from 112th Place to the final three miles of Interstate 57. Photos taken 09/04/05.

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112th Place becomes Monterey Avenue west of Interstate 57 to West 111th Street within Morgan Park. Marshfield Avenue comprises the southbound side frontage street for I-57. Photos taken 09/04/05.

An on-ramp drops onto Interstate 57 south from Marshfield Avenue near 112th Place and Monterey Avenue for Calumet Park, Markham and Kankakee. Photo taken 09/04/05.

Sources:

1. "IDOT planning upgrade for I-57/I-74 interchange." The News-Gazette (Champaign, IL), May 30, 2016.

Photo Credits:

09/04/05 by AARoads

Connect with:
Interstate 64
Interstate 70

Page Updated 05-08-2018.