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Interstate 155 (Illinois)
Encyclopedia
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 Lincoln, is located on I-55 at exit 127. The interstate is 32.13 miles (51.71 km) long.
I-155 was created to replace Illinois Route 121
(abbreviated IL 121). Prompted by safety concerns at a major intersection near Morton, state transportation officials replaced the entire route with a limited-access freeway. The interstate was built in several segments from 1970 to 1992, a period of time that included a ten-year delay due to a lawsuit over right-of-way. I-155 fully opened to traffic on October 29, 1992.
Interstate 155 runs north from Interstate 55 just northwest of Lincoln. The highway largely runs north, intersecting U.S. Route 136 east of Emden
. 5 miles (8 km) north of U.S. 136, eastbound Illinois Route 122
joins I-155 traveling north, directly east of Delavan
. The two highways run concurrent for 4 miles (6 km) before Illinois 122 runs east to Hopedale
. Further north, the highway crosses the Mackinaw River
beside a steel truss bridge serving old Illinois Route 121
.
East of Tremont
, I-155 intersects Illinois Route 9
. 4 miles (6 km) later is Main Street, the first of three northbound exits to Morton
. (There are only two southbound exits, at Queenwood Road and Illinois Route 98
- Birchwood Street). The highway passes to the west of Morton before intersecting Interstate 74
at a trumpet interchange about 8 miles (13 km) southeast of downtown Peoria
.
Surrounded mostly by prime land used for farming soybeans and corn, Interstate 155 is a four-lane freeway through rural central Illinois. I-155 also serves numerous small farm towns in addition to Morton, Peoria and Lincoln. The largest city directly served by I-155 is Tremont
; however, the highway mainly carries traffic traveling to and from Peoria and Springfield
.
, an east–west two-lane highway running west from downtown Morton to Pekin
. Within a few years, the intersection of IL 98 and IL 121 would be known as the "Killer Corner," as traffic volumes increased between Springfield and Peoria on IL 121. Between when IL 98 was opened and when the corner was closed in 1989 for construction of a full interchange, 15 people were killed as a result of automobile accidents at the corner. Led by key supporters—U.S. Representative Robert Michel, former Illinois Department of Transportation
(IDOT) transportation engineer Jack Harland, and pro-expressway organization "Route 121 by '91" chairman Jim Unland—IDOT initiated plans to widen IL 121 to a four-lane expressway. Near Hopedale
, a short portion of IL 121 was reconstructed in the early 1970s to replace a bridge over the Mackinaw River
. The interchange with I-55 was built, but barricaded to traffic.
In 1976, an injunction won by Peoria attorney Timothy Swain Sr. halted further construction on the highway for ten years. The lawsuit was filed by Swain regarding the amount of right-of-way the expressway would consume on his 440 acre (178 hectare) farm near Delavan
. A U.S. District Court judge sided with IDOT on building the road, but the U.S. Seventh District Court of Appeals overturned the decision, forcing IDOT to rewrite its environmental impact statement
regarding the Swain farm. In 1986 IDOT struck a deal with Swain, agreeing to reroute the road and take only 40 acres (16 hectares) of land, ending the lawsuit and resuming construction activities. A portion of the road from I-55 to Hartsburg opened on December 15, 1989, about 7 miles (11 km) in length. The expressway was opened in full on October 29, 1992, at a ceremony attended by Governor Jim Edgar
. The total cost of construction for I-155 was US$130 million. Of this, $10 million was provided by federal funding.
Illinois initially applied for the new freeway to be designated Interstate 37, but on December 7, 1990, the request was deferred by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
(AASHTO), pending approval by the Federal Highway Administration
to add the freeway into the Interstate System. In addition, AASHTO suggested using a 3-digit number when the application was resubmitted. Later, the state submitted another application to AASTHO for the freeway to be named Interstate 155. On June 9, 1991, the AASTHO application was approved and granted when Interstate 155 was completed.
!County
!Location
!Mile
!#
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|Logan
|
|0.00
|0
|, St. Louis
|Southbound exit and northbound entrance; signed as exits 0A (south) and 0B (north)
|-
|
|6.04
|6
|Hartsburg
|
|-
|
|10.25
|10
|
|
|-
|rowspan=10|Tazewell
|
|15.26
|15
|
|South end of IL 122 overlap
|-
|
|18.48
|19
|
|North end of IL 122 overlap
|-
|colspan=5 align=center|Bridge over the Mackinaw River
|-
|
|22.41
|22
|Townline Rd
|
|-
|Tremont
|25.52
|25
|
|
|-
|
|28.46
|28
|Broadway Road
|
|-
|rowspan=4|Morton
|29.19
|29
|Main Street
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|30.26
|30
|Queenwood Road
|Southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|30.97
|31
|
|
|-
|32.13
|
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
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...
that provides an interstate connection for the Illinois cities of Peoria
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
and Lincoln
Lincoln, Illinois
Lincoln is a city in Logan County, Illinois, United States. It is the only town in the United States that was named for Abraham Lincoln before he became president; he practiced law there from 1847 to 1859. First settled in the 1830s, Lincoln is home to three colleges and two prisons. The three...
. The northern terminus for the interstate is just east of Peoria, at 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...
exit 101 in Morton
Morton, Illinois
Morton is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, USA, known for its pumpkins and annual Pumpkin Festival. The population was 15,198 at the 2000 census. Morton, the home of a Caterpillar distribution facility and a Libby's pumpkin plant, is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical...
. The southern terminus, which is northwest of Lincoln, is located on I-55 at exit 127. The interstate is 32.13 miles (51.71 km) long.
I-155 was created to replace Illinois Route 121
Illinois Route 121
Illinois Route 121 is a major state road in central Illinois. Although it runs from northwest to southeast, it is marked as a north–south road. It runs from Illinois Route 130 in Greenup to Interstate 55 in Lincoln at the intersection of I-55 and Illinois Route 10...
(abbreviated IL 121). Prompted by safety concerns at a major intersection near Morton, state transportation officials replaced the entire route with a limited-access freeway. The interstate was built in several segments from 1970 to 1992, a period of time that included a ten-year delay due to a lawsuit over right-of-way. I-155 fully opened to traffic on October 29, 1992.
Route description
Emden, Illinois
Emden is a village in Logan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 515 at the 2000 census. The village was named after Emden, Germany due to the large number of residents who immigrated to the area from villages along the River Ems-Geography:...
. 5 miles (8 km) north of U.S. 136, eastbound Illinois Route 122
Illinois Route 122
Illinois Route 122 is an east–west highway in the U.S. state of Illinois. Its western terminus is at a junction with Illinois Route 29 west of Delavan. It runs east to a junction with Illinois Route 9 in McLean County west of Bloomington. Illinois 122 is long.-Route Description:Illinois...
joins I-155 traveling north, directly east of Delavan
Delavan, Illinois
Delavan is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,825 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Government:...
. The two highways run concurrent for 4 miles (6 km) before Illinois 122 runs east to Hopedale
Hopedale, Illinois
Hopedale is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 929 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Hopedale is located at ....
. Further north, the highway crosses the Mackinaw River
Mackinaw River
The Mackinaw River, also called Mackinac River, is a river in the U.S. state of Illinois. It flows through what was once the Grande Prairie region of central Illinois...
beside a steel truss bridge serving old Illinois Route 121
Illinois Route 121
Illinois Route 121 is a major state road in central Illinois. Although it runs from northwest to southeast, it is marked as a north–south road. It runs from Illinois Route 130 in Greenup to Interstate 55 in Lincoln at the intersection of I-55 and Illinois Route 10...
.
East of 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...
, I-155 intersects Illinois Route 9
Illinois Route 9
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 ....
. 4 miles (6 km) later is Main Street, the first of three northbound exits to Morton
Morton, Illinois
Morton is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, USA, known for its pumpkins and annual Pumpkin Festival. The population was 15,198 at the 2000 census. Morton, the home of a Caterpillar distribution facility and a Libby's pumpkin plant, is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical...
. (There are only two southbound exits, at Queenwood Road and Illinois Route 98
Illinois Route 98
Illinois Route 98 is a east–west state highway located entirely within Tazewell County in central Illinois. The route runs from Routhe 29 on the border of Pekin and North Pekin east to Interstate 155 in Morton...
- Birchwood Street). The highway passes to the west of Morton before intersecting Interstate 74
Interstate 74 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 74 is a major northwest-southeast Interstate Highway that runs across the northern portion of the state. It runs from the Iowa state line at the Mississippi River southeast to the Indiana state line east of Danville, Illinois. This is a distance of 220.34...
at a trumpet interchange about 8 miles (13 km) southeast of downtown Peoria
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
.
Surrounded mostly by prime land used for farming soybeans and corn, Interstate 155 is a four-lane freeway through rural central Illinois. I-155 also serves numerous small farm towns in addition to Morton, Peoria and Lincoln. The largest city directly served by I-155 is 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...
; however, the highway mainly carries traffic traveling to and from Peoria and Springfield
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
.
History
I-155 was built on the right-of-way of former IL 121. In the early 1960s, the department of transportation opened IL 98Illinois Route 98
Illinois Route 98 is a east–west state highway located entirely within Tazewell County in central Illinois. The route runs from Routhe 29 on the border of Pekin and North Pekin east to Interstate 155 in Morton...
, an east–west two-lane highway running west from downtown Morton to Pekin
Pekin, Illinois
Pekin is a the county seat of Tazewell County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located on the Illinois River, Pekin is also the largest city of Tazewell County, and a key part of the Peoria metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, its population is 34,094. A small portion of the city limits extends...
. Within a few years, the intersection of IL 98 and IL 121 would be known as the "Killer Corner," as traffic volumes increased between Springfield and Peoria on IL 121. Between when IL 98 was opened and when the corner was closed in 1989 for construction of a full interchange, 15 people were killed as a result of automobile accidents at the corner. Led by key supporters—U.S. Representative Robert Michel, former Illinois Department of Transportation
Illinois Department of Transportation
The Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
(IDOT) transportation engineer Jack Harland, and pro-expressway organization "Route 121 by '91" chairman Jim Unland—IDOT initiated plans to widen IL 121 to a four-lane expressway. Near Hopedale
Hopedale, Illinois
Hopedale is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 929 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Hopedale is located at ....
, a short portion of IL 121 was reconstructed in the early 1970s to replace a bridge over the Mackinaw River
Mackinaw River
The Mackinaw River, also called Mackinac River, is a river in the U.S. state of Illinois. It flows through what was once the Grande Prairie region of central Illinois...
. The interchange with I-55 was built, but barricaded to traffic.
In 1976, an injunction won by Peoria attorney Timothy Swain Sr. halted further construction on the highway for ten years. The lawsuit was filed by Swain regarding the amount of right-of-way the expressway would consume on his 440 acre (178 hectare) farm near Delavan
Delavan, Illinois
Delavan is a city in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,825 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Government:...
. A U.S. District Court judge sided with IDOT on building the road, but the U.S. Seventh District Court of Appeals overturned the decision, forcing IDOT to rewrite its environmental impact statement
Environmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement , under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making...
regarding the Swain farm. In 1986 IDOT struck a deal with Swain, agreeing to reroute the road and take only 40 acres (16 hectares) of land, ending the lawsuit and resuming construction activities. A portion of the road from I-55 to Hartsburg opened on December 15, 1989, about 7 miles (11 km) in length. The expressway was opened in full on October 29, 1992, at a ceremony attended by Governor Jim Edgar
Jim Edgar
James Edgar is an American politician who was the 38th Governor of Illinois from 1991 to 1999 and Illinois Secretary of State from 1981 to 1991. As a moderate Republican in a largely blue-leaning state, Edgar was a popular and successful governor, leaving office with high approval ratings...
. The total cost of construction for I-155 was US$130 million. Of this, $10 million was provided by federal funding.
Illinois initially applied for the new freeway to be designated Interstate 37, but on December 7, 1990, the request was deferred by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
AASHTO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols and guidelines which are used in highway design and construction throughout the United States...
(AASHTO), pending approval by the Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
to add the freeway into the Interstate System. In addition, AASHTO suggested using a 3-digit number when the application was resubmitted. Later, the state submitted another application to AASTHO for the freeway to be named Interstate 155. On June 9, 1991, the AASTHO application was approved and granted when Interstate 155 was completed.
Exit list
{| class=wikitable!County
!Location
!Mile
!#
Exit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
!Destinations
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|Logan
Logan County, Illinois
Logan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 30,305, which is a decrease of 2.8% from 31,183 in 2000...
|
|0.00
|0
|, St. Louis
|Southbound exit and northbound entrance; signed as exits 0A (south) and 0B (north)
|-
|
|6.04
|6
|Hartsburg
Hartsburg, Illinois
Hartsburg is a village in Logan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 358 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hartsburg is located at ....
|
|-
|
|10.25
|10
|
|
|-
|rowspan=10|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...
|
|15.26
|15
|
|South end of IL 122 overlap
|-
|
|18.48
|19
|
|North end of IL 122 overlap
|-
|colspan=5 align=center|Bridge over the Mackinaw River
Mackinaw River
The Mackinaw River, also called Mackinac River, is a river in the U.S. state of Illinois. It flows through what was once the Grande Prairie region of central Illinois...
|-
|
|22.41
|22
|Townline Rd
|
|-
|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...
|25.52
|25
|
|
|-
|
|28.46
|28
|Broadway Road
|
|-
|rowspan=4|Morton
Morton, Illinois
Morton is a village in Tazewell County, Illinois, USA, known for its pumpkins and annual Pumpkin Festival. The population was 15,198 at the 2000 census. Morton, the home of a Caterpillar distribution facility and a Libby's pumpkin plant, is part of the Peoria, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical...
|29.19
|29
|Main Street
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|30.26
|30
|Queenwood Road
|Southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|30.97
|31
|
|
|-
|32.13
|
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance