In the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of 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,...

, Interstate 24

Interstate 24

Interstate 24 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from Interstate 57 to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Interstate 75....

 is a remote, four-lane freeway that travels through hilly rural southern Illinois and the Shawnee National Forest

Shawnee National Forest

The Shawnee National Forest, located in the Ozark and Shawnee Hills of Southern Illinois, consists of approximately 280,000 acres of federally managed lands. In descending order of land area it is located in parts of Pope, Jackson, Union, Hardin, Alexander, Saline, Gallatin, Johnson, and Massac...

. I-24 is 38.73 miles (62.33 km) in length in Illinois. There are only five mainline exits; of those five, four have services. Interstate 24 crosses into Kentucky via the Interstate 24 Bridge

Interstate 24 Bridge

- Illinois-Kentucky :The Interstate 24 Bridge is a two-span tied arch bridge that carries I-24 across the Ohio River. Built in 1973, it is in length. The bridge is one of two that connects the Metropolis, Illinois area with Paducah, Kentucky.- Tennessee :...

 over the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

 from Metropolis, Illinois

Metropolis, Illinois

Metropolis is a city located along the Ohio River in Massac County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,482...

 to Paducah, Kentucky

Paducah, Kentucky

Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...

.

Route description

Interstate 24 begins at Exit 44A of 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...

 in southern Williamson County

Williamson County, Illinois

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*92.7% White*3.8% Black*0.4% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.7% Two or more races*0.4% Other races*2.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

, near the community of Pulleys Mill

Pulleys Mill, Illinois

Pulley's Mill is an unincorporated community in southern Williamson County, Illinois. It is generally located north of Goreville, near the intersection of Interstate 24 and Interstate 57....

. The highway heads southeast into rural Johnson County, bypassing Goreville

Goreville, Illinois

Goreville is a village in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 938 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Goreville is located at ....

 to the east. It reaches an exit at Tunnel Hill Road, which serves Goreville and Tunnel Hill

Tunnel Hill, Illinois

Tunnel Hill is an unincorporated community in northwestern Johnson County, Illinois. It's best known in the 21st Century for its namesake railroad tunnel that gives the name to the Tunnel Hill State Trail, a rails-to-trails project developed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources....

. The highway continues south to its next exit at U.S. Route 45

U.S. Route 45

U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....

 north of Vienna

Vienna, Illinois

Vienna is a city in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Johnson County, and the site of two well-known state penitentiaries. Heron Pond - Little Black Slough Nature Preserve, a National Natural Landmark, is nearby. The...

. It reaches its next exit at Illinois Route 146

Illinois Route 146

Illinois Route 146 is an east–west state highway in the U.S. state of Illinois. It serves the extreme southern region of the state, commonly called Little Egypt or the Illinois Ozarks. IL-146 is long. An east–west highway, it serves Hardin County, Pope County, Johnson County, and...

 in eastern Vienna. I-24 heads southeast from Vienna into Massac County. Its first exit in Massac County is at Big Bay Road, which serves the communities of Big Bay

Big Bay, Illinois

Big Bay is an unincorporated community in Massac County, Illinois, United States. Big Bay is north of Metropolis....

 and New Columbia

New Columbia, Illinois

New Columbia is an unincorporated community in Massac County, Illinois, United States. New Columbia is southeast of Vienna....

. I-24 continues southward, bypassing the community of Round Knob

Round Knob, Illinois

Round Knob is an unincorporated community in Massac County, Illinois, United States. Round Knob is north of Metropolis....

 before entering Metropolis

Metropolis, Illinois

Metropolis is a city located along the Ohio River in Massac County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,482...

. The highway meets U.S. Route 45

U.S. Route 45

U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....

 again in Metropolis and passes west of Fort Massac State Park. It leaves Metropolis to the south by crossing the Interstate 24 Bridge

Interstate 24 Bridge

- Illinois-Kentucky :The Interstate 24 Bridge is a two-span tied arch bridge that carries I-24 across the Ohio River. Built in 1973, it is in length. The bridge is one of two that connects the Metropolis, Illinois area with Paducah, Kentucky.- Tennessee :...

 over the Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

, continuing into Kentucky.

History

Interstate 24 was part of the original Interstate Highway System plan enacted in 1956. The section of Interstate 24 in Illinois was authorized for engineering by 1966 and authorized for construction by 1968. The highway opened to traffic by 1977.

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
|-
|Williamson

Williamson County, Illinois

-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*92.7% White*3.8% Black*0.4% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*1.7% Two or more races*0.4% Other races*2.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...

|
|0.0
|0
| – Memphis

Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....

, Chicago
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; signed as exits 44A (south) and 44B (north)
|-
|rowspan=3|Johnson
|
|7.1
|7
|Tunnel Hill

Tunnel Hill, Illinois

Tunnel Hill is an unincorporated community in northwestern Johnson County, Illinois. It's best known in the 21st Century for its namesake railroad tunnel that gives the name to the Tunnel Hill State Trail, a rails-to-trails project developed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources....

, Goreville
|
|-
|
|13.6
|14
|
|
|-
|Vienna

Vienna, Illinois

Vienna is a city in Johnson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Johnson County, and the site of two well-known state penitentiaries. Heron Pond - Little Black Slough Nature Preserve, a National Natural Landmark, is nearby. The...

|15.9
|16
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Massac
|
|26.5
|27
|New Columbia

New Columbia, Illinois

New Columbia is an unincorporated community in Massac County, Illinois, United States. New Columbia is southeast of Vienna....

, Big Bay

Big Bay, Illinois

Big Bay is an unincorporated community in Massac County, Illinois, United States. Big Bay is north of Metropolis....

|No services
|-
|Metropolis

Metropolis, Illinois

Metropolis is a city located along the Ohio River in Massac County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 6,482...

|37.1
|37
|
|
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|Ohio River

Ohio River

The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...

|38.7
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|Interstate 24 Bridge

Interstate 24 Bridge

- Illinois-Kentucky :The Interstate 24 Bridge is a two-span tied arch bridge that carries I-24 across the Ohio River. Built in 1973, it is in length. The bridge is one of two that connects the Metropolis, Illinois area with Paducah, Kentucky.- Tennessee :...

|-