Illinois Route 158
Encyclopedia
Illinois Route 158 is an east–west state road in southwestern Illinois
. Its western terminus is at Illinois Route 3
in Columbia
and its eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 50
, in O'Fallon
. This is a distance of 25.81 miles (41.54 km).
area. It runs from Columbia through Millstadt
, Belleville, and near the Scott Air Force Base
. Portions of the route run north–south geographically.
IL 158 has a wrong-way concurrency with IL 161 near Scott Air Force Base, where you are going east on 158 and west on 161 at the same time. IDOT has used "North" and "South" cardinal direction banners for IL 158 for that concurrency in an attempt to remove confusion in that area. For the rest of the route, it is signed "East" and "West".
The eastern terminus is actually the intersection with US 50 just north of I-64. The road extends past the point as "Scott-Troy Road".
; in 1958, Illinois 158 replaced Illinois Route 157
on the bridge approached. In 1960, the western end was brought back to Columbia.
.
Illinois 158 will be a proposed 4-laned expressway
all throughout its proposed route, however, some interchanges will have ramps and some may have traffic lights. This project has drawn much criticism from local residents of these areas. This is a likely sign of an urban sprawl coming further east into the Metro-East
, Illinois
area. At least one organization, the Stop 158 group, has formed to block construction of the road and refocus use of taxpayer's dollars on a new Mississippi River
bridge south of St. Louis.
The Gateway Connector remains unfunded for construction through 2010.
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Its western terminus is at Illinois Route 3
Illinois Route 3
Illinois Route 3 is a major north–south arterial state highway in southwestern Illinois. It has its southern terminus at Cairo Junction at the intersection of Interstate 57 and U.S. Route 51, and its northern terminus in Grafton at Illinois Route 100...
in Columbia
Columbia, Illinois
Columbia is a city in Monroe and St. Clair County in the U.S. state of Illinois, about south of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 7,922 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and its eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
, in O'Fallon
O'Fallon, Illinois
O'Fallon is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States, and one of the fastest-growing communities in the Metropolitan St. Louis area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 28,281. The city is the third largest city in the Metro-East and Southern Illinois...
. This is a distance of 25.81 miles (41.54 km).
Route description
Illinois 158 is an important east–west highway in the southeastern portions of the metropolitan St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
area. It runs from Columbia through Millstadt
Millstadt, Illinois
Millstadt is a suburb of St. Louis and a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, at the crossing of Illinois Route 163 and Illinois Route 158 . The village is known for its German heritage, with more than half its people of German descent...
, Belleville, and near the Scott Air Force Base
Scott Air Force Base
Scott Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force in St. Clair County, Illinois, near Belleville.-Overview:The base is named after Corporal Frank S. Scott, the first enlisted person to be killed in an aviation crash...
. Portions of the route run north–south geographically.
IL 158 has a wrong-way concurrency with IL 161 near Scott Air Force Base, where you are going east on 158 and west on 161 at the same time. IDOT has used "North" and "South" cardinal direction banners for IL 158 for that concurrency in an attempt to remove confusion in that area. For the rest of the route, it is signed "East" and "West".
The eastern terminus is actually the intersection with US 50 just north of I-64. The road extends past the point as "Scott-Troy Road".
History
SBI Route 158 ran from Columbia to Belleville on the current Illinois 158 routing. In 1957, it was extended north to O'Fallon, and west to the Jefferson Barracks BridgeJefferson Barracks Bridge
The Jefferson Barracks Bridge, often called the J.B. Bridge, is a pair of bridges that span the Mississippi River on the south side of St. Louis, Missouri. Both bridges are long steel arch bridges. The first bridge was built in 1983, the south bridge opened in 1992...
; in 1958, Illinois 158 replaced Illinois Route 157
Illinois Route 157
Illinois Route 157 is a north–south highway in southwestern Illinois. Its southern terminus is at Illinois Route 3 at Cahokia, Illinois and its northern terminus at Illinois Route 140 in Hamel. This is a distance of .- Route description :...
on the bridge approached. In 1960, the western end was brought back to Columbia.
Future
The Illinois Department of Transportation has included a large portion of Illinois 158 in their Gateway Connector project; a southeastern beltway that would run from Columbia east to Scott Air Force Base, and north to TroyTroy, Illinois
Troy is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,524 at the 2000 census.Troy is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Illinois 158 will be a proposed 4-laned expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
all throughout its proposed route, however, some interchanges will have ramps and some may have traffic lights. This project has drawn much criticism from local residents of these areas. This is a likely sign of an urban sprawl coming further east into the Metro-East
Metro-East
Metro East is a region in Illinois that comprises the eastern suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri, United States. It encompasses five Southern Illinois counties in the St. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area. The region's most populated city is Belleville at 45,000 residents...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
area. At least one organization, the Stop 158 group, has formed to block construction of the road and refocus use of taxpayer's dollars on a new Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
bridge south of St. Louis.
The Gateway Connector remains unfunded for construction through 2010.