Illinois Route 9
Encyclopedia
Illinois Route 9 is a cross-state, east–west rural state highway in central Illinois
. It runs from the Fort Madison Toll Bridge over the Mississippi River
to Iowa
in Niota
east to State Road 26 at the Indiana
border. This is a distance of 218.31 miles (351.34 km).
to the north and U.S. Route 136
to its south.
The road starts at the Indiana border near Cheneyville
at Indiana 26 and Indiana 352 and runs as the main highway west, intersecting with Interstate 57
at Paxton; Interstate 55
and Interstate 74
at Bloomington; Interstate 155
at Tremont; and crossing the Illinois River
on the John T. McNaughton Bridge between Bartonville and Pekin, where it becomes known as Court Street in the city. It is a two lane highway for most of its length.
The routing of Illinois 9 has had 2 major changes since its establishment.
The original western terminus was in Hamilton, IL at the old Keokuk Rail Bridge
completed in 1916 and then preceded East through Carthage and Macomb (county seats of Hancock and McDonough counties), 9 miles (14.5 km) east of Macomb, southwest of New Philadelphia, the route turned north to Bushnell and then proceeded east along the current Illinois 9 alignment to Canton, Peoria County, and Pekin.
This current route moved north to terminate in Niota
at the Fort Madison Toll Bridge (longest double-deck swing-span bridge in the world) after its completion in July 1928. The route parallels the Santa Fe railroad and Mississippi River to Dallas City then turns slightly southeast to LaHarpe Illinois. From LaHarpe the route parallels the TP&W right-of way to Bushnell.
From 1935 to 1937, Illinois 9 ran a different route from Pekin to Bloomington, that original route is now posted as:
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Junction
!Notes
|-
|Lee
|Fort Madison
|—
|
|Continuation into Iowa
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|Mississippi River
|colspan=3 align=center|Fort Madison Toll Bridge
|-
|rowspan=4|Hancock
|Niota
|0.9
|
|Western end of IL 96 concurrency
|-
|Dallas City
|7.3
|
|Eastern end of IL 96 concurrency
|-
|
|14.0
|
|Western end of IL 94 concurrency
|-
|La Harpe
|20.0
|
|Eastern end of IL 94 concurrency
|-
|rowspan=3|McDonough
|Good Hope
|40.0
|
|
|-
|Bushnell
|49.7
|
|SouthWest end of IL 41 concurrency
|-
|
|54.0
|
|NorthEast end of IL 41 concurrency
|-
|rowspan=3|Fulton
|Canton
|72.6
|
|
|-
|Banner
|80.8
|
|Western end of US 24 concurrency
|-
|Orchard Mines
|94.6
|
|Eastern end of US 24 concurrency
|-
|Tazewell
|Tremont
|107
|
|
|-
|rowspan=4|McLean
|rowspan=2|Bloomington Heights
|131
|
|Western end of US 150 concurrency
|-
|133
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Bloomington
|135
|
|
|-
|135
|
|Eastern end of US 150 concurrency
|-
|Ford
|Paxton
|183
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Vermilion
|Hoopeston
|206
|
|
|-
|
|215
|
|Continuation into Indiana
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,...
. It runs from the Fort Madison Toll Bridge over the 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...
to Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
in Niota
Niota, Illinois
Niota is an unincorporated community in Appanoose Township, Hancock County, Illinois. The community is located on the bank of the Mississippi River and is at the eastern end of the Fort Madison Toll Bridge, which connects Niota to Fort Madison, Iowa. Niota is the western terminus of Illinois Route...
east to State Road 26 at the Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
border. This is a distance of 218.31 miles (351.34 km).
Route description
Illinois 9 is a major arterial route in rural central Illinois. It is a parallel highway to Illinois 116Illinois Route 116
Illinois Route 116 is a cross-state rural state highway that runs from U.S. Route 34 by Gladstone east to the intersection of U.S. Route 45 and Old U.S. Route 45, on the north side of Ashkum...
to the north and U.S. Route 136
U.S. Route 136
U.S. Highway 136 is a spur of U.S. Highway 36. It runs from Edison, Nebraska, at U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 34 to the Interstate 74/Interstate 465 interchange in Speedway, Indiana. This is a distance of 804 miles .-Nebraska:...
to its south.
The road starts at the Indiana border near Cheneyville
Cheneyville, Illinois
Cheneyville is an unincorporated community in Grant Township, Vermilion County, Illinois.-History:Cheneyville was founded in 1871 and platted in 1880. It was named for J. H. Cheney, the vice-president of the Lake Erie and Western Railroad...
at Indiana 26 and Indiana 352 and runs as the main highway west, intersecting with Interstate 57
Interstate 57
Interstate 57 is an Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central rail line for much of its route. It goes from Miner, Missouri, at Interstate 55 to Chicago, Illinois, at Interstate 94. I-57 essentially serves as a shortcut route for travelers headed between...
at Paxton; Interstate 55
Interstate 55
Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
and Interstate 74
Interstate 74
Interstate 74 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an intersection with Interstate 80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an intersection with Interstate 75 in Cincinnati, Ohio...
at Bloomington; Interstate 155
Interstate 155 (Illinois)
Interstate 155 is a north–south spur of Interstate 55 that provides an interstate connection for the Illinois cities of Peoria and Lincoln. The northern terminus for the interstate is just east of Peoria, at Interstate 74 exit 101 in Morton. The southern terminus, which is northwest of...
at Tremont; and crossing the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
on the John T. McNaughton Bridge between Bartonville and Pekin, where it becomes known as Court Street in the city. It is a two lane highway for most of its length.
History
Illinois 9 was established in 1918 as one of the original 46 SBI routes.The routing of Illinois 9 has had 2 major changes since its establishment.
The original western terminus was in Hamilton, IL at the old Keokuk Rail Bridge
Keokuk Rail Bridge
The Keokuk Bridge, also known as the Keokuk & Hamilton Bridge, carries a double deck single track railway and highway bridge across the Mississippi River in the USA between Keokuk, Iowa and Hamilton, Illinois, just downstream of Mississippi Lock and Dam number 19...
completed in 1916 and then preceded East through Carthage and Macomb (county seats of Hancock and McDonough counties), 9 miles (14.5 km) east of Macomb, southwest of New Philadelphia, the route turned north to Bushnell and then proceeded east along the current Illinois 9 alignment to Canton, Peoria County, and Pekin.
- US-136, Hamilton to New Philadelphia,
- IL-41, New Philadelphia to Bushnell and
- IL-9, Bushnell to IN Line.
This current route moved north to terminate in Niota
Niota, Illinois
Niota is an unincorporated community in Appanoose Township, Hancock County, Illinois. The community is located on the bank of the Mississippi River and is at the eastern end of the Fort Madison Toll Bridge, which connects Niota to Fort Madison, Iowa. Niota is the western terminus of Illinois Route...
at the Fort Madison Toll Bridge (longest double-deck swing-span bridge in the world) after its completion in July 1928. The route parallels the Santa Fe railroad and Mississippi River to Dallas City then turns slightly southeast to LaHarpe Illinois. From LaHarpe the route parallels the TP&W right-of way to Bushnell.
From 1935 to 1937, Illinois 9 ran a different route from Pekin to Bloomington, that original route is now posted as:
- IL-29, Pekin to N. Pekin,
- IL-98, N. Pekin to Morton,
- US-150, Morton to Bloomington.
Major Junctions
{| class=wikitable!County
!Location
!Mile
!Junction
!Notes
|-
|Lee
Lee County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 35,862 in the county, with a population density of . There were 16,205 housing units, of which 14,610 were occupied.-2000 census:...
|Fort Madison
Fort Madison, Iowa
Fort Madison, situated on the Mississippi River, is a city in and one of the county seats of Lee County, Iowa, United States. The other county seat is Keokuk. The population was 10,715 at the 2000 census...
|—
|
|Continuation into Iowa
|-
|colspan=2 align=center|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...
|colspan=3 align=center|Fort Madison Toll Bridge
|-
|rowspan=4|Hancock
Hancock County, Illinois
Hancock County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 19,104, which is a decrease of 5.1% from 20,121 in 2000. Its county seat is Carthage. Hamilton is the largest city in Hancock County, with Carthage being the second largest...
|Niota
Niota, Illinois
Niota is an unincorporated community in Appanoose Township, Hancock County, Illinois. The community is located on the bank of the Mississippi River and is at the eastern end of the Fort Madison Toll Bridge, which connects Niota to Fort Madison, Iowa. Niota is the western terminus of Illinois Route...
|0.9
|
|Western end of IL 96 concurrency
|-
|Dallas City
Dallas City, Illinois
Dallas City is a city in Hancock and Henderson counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 1,055 at the 2000 census.The Henderson County portion of Dallas City is part of the Burlington, IA–IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
|7.3
|
|Eastern end of IL 96 concurrency
|-
|
|14.0
|
|Western end of IL 94 concurrency
|-
|La Harpe
La Harpe, Illinois
La Harpe is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,385 at the 2000 census.-Geography:La Harpe is located at , along the South Branch La Moine River....
|20.0
|
|Eastern end of IL 94 concurrency
|-
|rowspan=3|McDonough
|Good Hope
Good Hope, Illinois
Good Hope is a village in McDonough County, Illinois, United States. The population was 415 according to the 2000 census.-Geography:Good Hope is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
|40.0
|
|
|-
|Bushnell
Bushnell, Illinois
Bushnell is a city in McDonough County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,221 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bushnell is located at ....
|49.7
|
|SouthWest end of IL 41 concurrency
|-
|
|54.0
|
|NorthEast end of IL 41 concurrency
|-
|rowspan=3|Fulton
Fulton County, Illinois
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 37,069, which is a decrease of 3.1% from 38,250 in 2000. Its county seat is Lewistown. Canton is the largest city. Both cities are southwest of Peoria, and the county is considered...
|Canton
Canton, Illinois
Canton is the largest city in Fulton County, Illinois in the United States. The population was 18,288 as of the 2000 Census. The Canton Micropolitan Statistical Area covers all of Fulton County; it is in turn part of the wider Peoria-Canton, IL Combined Statistical Area .-Geography:Canton is...
|72.6
|
|
|-
|Banner
Banner, Illinois
Banner is a village in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 149 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Banner is located at ....
|80.8
|
|Western end of US 24 concurrency
|-
|Orchard Mines
|94.6
|
|Eastern end of US 24 concurrency
|-
|Tazewell
Tazewell County, Illinois
Tazewell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 135,394, which is an increase of 5.4% from 128,485 in 2000. Its county seat and largest city is Pekin. The majority of the population live in the suburbs and bedroom communities...
|Tremont
Tremont, Illinois
Tremont is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,500 at the 2010 census. Tremont is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. Tremont is located 19 minutes from Peoria...
|107
|
|
|-
|rowspan=4|McLean
McLean County, Illinois
McLean County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. McLean County is included in the Bloomington–Normal, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 169,572, which is an increase of 12.7% from 150,433 in 2000. Its county seat is...
|rowspan=2|Bloomington Heights
Bloomington Heights, Illinois
Bloomington Heights is an unincorporated community in McLean County, Illinois....
|131
|
|Western end of US 150 concurrency
|-
|133
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Bloomington
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
|135
|
|
|-
|135
|
|Eastern end of US 150 concurrency
|-
|Ford
|Paxton
Paxton, Illinois
Paxton is a city in Ford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,473 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Ford County.-History:...
|183
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Vermilion
Vermilion County, Illinois
Vermilion County is a county located in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Illinois, between the Indiana border and Champaign County. It was established in 1826 and was the 45th of Illinois' 102 counties...
|Hoopeston
Hoopeston, Illinois
Hoopeston is a city in Grant Township, Vermilion County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Danville, Illinois, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 5,965 at the 2000 census, and 5,602 in 2009.-History:Hoopeston was laid out in 1871...
|206
|
|
|-
|
|215
|
|Continuation into Indiana
Future
- Portions of Illinois 9 are being considered for the Illinois 336Illinois Route 336Illinois Route 336 is a four-lane freeway/expressway combination that serves western Illinois. It is also used to refer to the name of a future project to connect the cities of Quincy and Peoria via underserved Macomb....
project