U.S. Route 20 in Illinois
Encyclopedia
In the U.S. state
of Illinois
, U.S. Route 20 (abbreviated US 20) is a major arterial highway that runs from the Iowa
state line at East Dubuque
at the northwestern tip of Illinois, to the Indiana
state line at Chicago
south of the Chicago Skyway
. A distance of 233.93 miles (376.47 km).
For its entire length, US 20 is designated as the General Ulysses S. Grant
Highway, often abbreviated the U.S. Grant Highway. However, this name is only commonly used west of Elgin
. From Elgin to Melrose Park
, US 20 is commonly called Lake Street
. It then is called Mannheim Road
, and further south La Grange Road. US 20 is then called 95th Street
as it turns east through Chicago's southwestern suburbs. It also takes on the names of several smaller streets through the southern portion of Chicago, before leaving Illinois on Indianapolis Boulevard.
, it continues southeasterly for a while, paralleling the Upper Mississippi River
before turning east into the rugged country of the Driftless Area in Jo Daviess County
, then turning flat and straight west of Stockton, Illinois
and entering Stephenson County
. The Ulysses S. Grant Home
, a national landmark, fronts near the highway at the eastern edge of Galena, Illinois
.
Approaching Freeport
, US 20 is routed onto a two-lane bypass around the city that is currently being upgraded to a four-lane freeway. Between Freeport and Rockford there are two traffic light
-controlled intersections. The Rockford
bypass routes US 20 onto a full limited-access freeway; it remains this way until it overlaps Interstate 39
southeast of downtown Rockford. Interchanges on the Rockford Bypass include West State Street (Business US 20), South Meridian Road, Montague Road, South Main Street (Illinois Route 2
), 11th Street (Illinois Route 251
), and South Alpine Road.
, with US 20 serving minor cities that are not accessible from the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. It is a four-lane divided highway from I-39 to just east of Belvidere
; for the rest of this segment, it is a winding, rural two-lane road.
US 20 travels through the downtowns of the small towns and unincorporated areas of Garden Prairie
, Marengo
, Harmony
and Starks
. At Starks, eastbound US 20 overlaps southbound Illinois Route 47
and westbound Illinois Route 72
, forming a wrong-way concurrency. All three routes pass beneath a railroad viaduct before separating south of Starks.
Continuing east, US 20 travels through Pingree Grove
before entering the Elgin
area. Before entering Elgin, US 20 widens to a four lane limited-access freeway that bypasses Elgin. This road is known as the Elgin Bypass
.
At the end of the Elgin bypass, US 20 takes on the name of Lake Street. US 20 has numerous high-volume intersections, including a grade-separated interchange with Illinois Route 59
. In Hanover Park
, an early-2000s reconstruction project widened lanes on the road and created a median for safer travel; east of Barrington Road / County Farm Road, the road briefly becomes six lanes for one mile (1.6 km) until the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway
.
US 20 continues in an east-southeast direction through the town center of Bloomingdale
and becomes six lanes at the Bloomingdale-Roselle
border. It maintains six lanes through a very high traffic corridor to Interstate 290
and onwards to Illinois Route 53
before it returns to four lanes while serving downtown Addison
, paralleling Interstate 290 to the north. Past Elmhurst
, the road overlaps Interstate 290 for a mile, technically giving US 20 ten lanes of traffic, although the rightmost two are exit-only lanes. At the interchange, westbound US 20 has only one lane, but eastbound US 20 has two.
US 20 continues through Stone Park
and Melrose Park
before turning south and joining U.S. Routes 12
/45
. At this point, US 20 becomes Mannheim Road
, and later, La Grange Road, until it turns onto 95th Street
eastbound with U.S. 12. This combination later joins with U.S. Route 41
, where the three routes follow Ewing Avenue and Indianapolis Boulevard, which are the last portions of US 20 prior to its crossing the state line into Indiana.
US 20 has been rerouted around the cities of Freeport
, Rockford
, Elgin
and Chicago
. The bypass north of Freeport is four lanes wide until it passes Illinois Route 26
, after which it reduces to two lanes; future construction will widen the remainder of the bypass to four lanes. A bypass is currently planned for Galena; see Future.
The longest Business U.S. Route 20 in Illinois runs 21 miles (33.8 km) from just west of Rockford to just east of Belvidere. The route begins just west of Weldon Road and runs as State Street into downtown Rockford, where it is split into two one-way streets (Chestnut Street and Walnut Street for eastbound traffic, Jefferson Street for westbound traffic). The route continues east along State Street all the way through Rockford and becomes a two-lane highway between Rockford and Belvidere. Business 20 is then routed in an outer loop around the city of Belvidere before merging back with US 20 near Genoa Road and Interstate 90 (Northwest Tollway).
Business U.S. Route 20 in Elgin was removed in 1984. This ran along Larkin Avenue, Highland Avenue, Chicago Street and Villa Avenue. The current routing of US 20 south of Elgin is called the Elgin Bypass
.
Business U.S. Route 20 in Chicago was removed in 1968. This existed from 1960 through 1968; before then, it was City U.S. Route 20 from 1938 to 1960.
designated the entire length of US 20 in Illinois the "U.S. Grant Memorial Highway". New signs were produced in late 2007 to reflect this designation along its entire length.
and Freeport
. Long-range plans call for a full four-lane highway from Galena to Freeport. Although the bypass has been discussed for decades, the project only began to receive funding in the early 2000s. As the only major corridor between Interstates 88
and 90
, the Freeport to Galena project is part of a larger project to improve the viability of U.S. Route 20 between Waterloo, Iowa
and Rockford
. Eventually, very long-range plans call for U.S Route 20 to be upgraded to a full four-lane interstate-standard freeway from Rockford to East Dubuque.
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,...
, U.S. Route 20 (abbreviated US 20) is a major arterial highway that runs from the 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...
state line at East Dubuque
East Dubuque, Illinois
East Dubuque is a city in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,704 at the 2010 census, down from 1,995 at the 2000 census. East Dubuque is located alongside the Mississippi River. Across the river is the city of Dubuque, Iowa. About three miles north of the city is the...
at the northwestern tip of Illinois, to 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...
state line at Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
south of the Chicago Skyway
Chicago Skyway
The Chicago Skyway, also known as Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge System, is a toll road in Chicago, Illinois, United States, carrying Interstate 90 from the Indiana Toll Road to the Dan Ryan Expressway on Chicago's South Side leading into the Chicago Loop....
. A distance of 233.93 miles (376.47 km).
For its entire length, US 20 is designated as the General Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
Highway, often abbreviated the U.S. Grant Highway. However, this name is only commonly used west of Elgin
Elgin, Illinois
Elgin is a city in northern Illinois located roughly northwest of Chicago on the Fox River. Most of Elgin lies within Kane County, Illinois, with a portion in Cook County, Illinois...
. From Elgin to Melrose Park
Melrose Park, Illinois
Melrose Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a "near-in" suburb of Chicago. The population was 23,171 at the 2000 census. Melrose Park has long been home to a large Italian-American population, though now it is majority Mexican-American. It was the home of Kiddieland...
, US 20 is commonly called Lake Street
Lake Street (Chicago)
Lake Street is an east-west arterial road in Chicago and its suburbs. Part of Lake Street is designated as U.S. Route 20. Lake Street begins in the city of Chicago and travels west and slightly north to the Chicago suburbs. It ends at the eastern terminus of the Elgin Bypass around Elgin, where...
. It then is called Mannheim Road
Mannheim Road
Mannheim Road is a north–south major thoroughfare in the near-western suburbs of Chicago. It carries U.S. Routes 12 and 45 between Des Plaines and La Grange and carries U.S. Route 20 between Lake Street and LaGrange. In LaGrange and points to the south, it is known as LaGrange Road...
, and further south La Grange Road. US 20 is then called 95th Street
95th Street (Chicago)
95th Street is a major east–west street on Chicago's South Side and in the southwest suburbs, designated as 9500 South in Chicago's address system. 95th Street is south of Madison Street.-Route:...
as it turns east through Chicago's southwestern suburbs. It also takes on the names of several smaller streets through the southern portion of Chicago, before leaving Illinois on Indianapolis Boulevard.
Northwest Illinois
As the highway enters Illinois across the Julien Dubuque BridgeJulien Dubuque Bridge
The Julien Dubuque Bridge traverses the Mississippi River. It joins the cities of Dubuque, Iowa, and East Dubuque, Illinois. The bridge is part of the U.S. Highway 20 route...
, it continues southeasterly for a while, paralleling the Upper Mississippi River
Upper Mississippi River
The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River upstream of Cairo, Illinois, United States. From the headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, the river flows approximately 2000 kilometers to Cairo, where it is joined by the Ohio River to form the Lower Mississippi...
before turning east into the rugged country of the Driftless Area in Jo Daviess County
Jo Daviess County, Illinois
Jo Daviess County is a county located in the northwest corner of U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 22,678, which is an increase of 1.7% from 22,289 in 2000. Its county seat is Galena....
, then turning flat and straight west of Stockton, Illinois
Stockton, Illinois
Stockton is a village in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,862 at the 2010 census, down from 1,926 at the 2000 census.-History:The village of Stockton is the youngest village in Jo Daviess County...
and entering Stephenson County
Stephenson County, Illinois
As of the census of 2000, there were 48,979 people, 19,785 households, and 13,473 families residing in the county. The population density was 87 people per square mile . There were 21,713 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
. The Ulysses S. Grant Home
Ulysses S. Grant Home
The Ulysses S. Grant Home in Galena, Illinois is the former home of Ulysses S. Grant, the Civil War General and later 18th President of the United States. The home was given to Grant by residents of Galena as thanks for his war service in 1865, and has been maintained as a memorial to Grant since...
, a national landmark, fronts near the highway at the eastern edge of Galena, Illinois
Galena, Illinois
Galena is the county seat of, and largest city in, Jo Daviess County, Illinois in the United States, with a population of 3,429 in 2010. The city is a popular tourist destination known for its history, historical architecture, and ski and golf resorts. Galena was the residence of Ulysses S...
.
Approaching Freeport
Freeport, Illinois
Freeport is a city in and the county seat of Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 26,443 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Freeport is George W...
, US 20 is routed onto a two-lane bypass around the city that is currently being upgraded to a four-lane freeway. Between Freeport and Rockford there are two traffic light
Traffic light
Traffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
-controlled intersections. The Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
bypass routes US 20 onto a full limited-access freeway; it remains this way until it overlaps Interstate 39
Interstate 39
Interstate 39 is a highway in the midwestern United States. I-39 runs from Normal, Illinois at Interstate 55 to Highway 29 in Rothschild, Wisconsin, approximately six miles south of Wausau. I-39 was designed to replace US Highway 51, which in the early 1980s was one of the busiest two-lane...
southeast of downtown Rockford. Interchanges on the Rockford Bypass include West State Street (Business US 20), South Meridian Road, Montague Road, South Main Street (Illinois Route 2
Illinois Route 2
Illinois Route 2 is a north–south state road in northern Illinois. It currently starts at Illinois Route 40 in Sterling and ends at the Wisconsin state line north of South Beloit, very near the intersection with U.S. Route 51, Illinois Route 75 and Illinois Route 251. Illinois 2 is long.-...
), 11th Street (Illinois Route 251
Illinois Route 251
Illinois Route 251 is a north–south state road that runs on the former alignment of U.S. Route 51 before Interstate 39 was built in central Illinois. It runs from U.S. 51 at the border with Wisconsin to I-39 and U.S. 51 south of Kappa. Illinois 251 is long.- Route description :Illinois 251...
), and South Alpine Road.
Rockford to Elgin
East of Rockford, the routing of US 20 runs parallel with Interstate 90Interstate 90 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 90 runs roughly northwest through the northern end of the state, from the Indiana border to Wisconsin. I-90 traverses a variety of settings, from farmland west of the Fox River Valley to medium-density suburban west of O'Hare International Airport, to the...
, with US 20 serving minor cities that are not accessible from the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway. It is a four-lane divided highway from I-39 to just east of Belvidere
Belvidere, Illinois
Belvidere is a city in Boone County, Illinois, United States. The population was 25,585 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Boone County. Belvidere is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
; for the rest of this segment, it is a winding, rural two-lane road.
US 20 travels through the downtowns of the small towns and unincorporated areas of Garden Prairie
Garden Prairie, Illinois
Garden Prairie is an unincorporated former village located in Boone County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Marengo
Marengo, Illinois
Marengo is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,355 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Marengo is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Major Streets:...
, Harmony
Harmony, McHenry County, Illinois
Harmony is an unincorporated community in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. Harmony is located on U.S. Route 20 west-southwest of Huntley....
and Starks
Starks, Illinois
Starks, Illinois, is an unincorporated community in Kane County in the U.S. state of Illinois, located just south of the McHenry County border. Hampshire lies to its northwest, and Pingree Grove lies to its southeast....
. At Starks, eastbound US 20 overlaps southbound Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 47 is a largely rural north–south state highway that runs from the Wisconsin state border at Highway 120 near Hebron, to Illinois Route 10, just south of Interstate 72 near Seymour. This is a distance of . Even though Route 47 is primarily rural, in several suburbs of Chicago,...
and westbound Illinois Route 72
Illinois Route 72
Illinois Route 72 is an east–west state road in northeastern Illinois. It runs from the intersection with Illinois Route 73 north of Lanark east to Illinois Route 43 in Chicago...
, forming a wrong-way concurrency. All three routes pass beneath a railroad viaduct before separating south of Starks.
Continuing east, US 20 travels through Pingree Grove
Pingree Grove, Illinois
Pingree Grove is a village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. The population was 124 at the 2000 census. However, rapid development in recent years has resulted in explosive growth, and a special census conducted in 2008 indicated 3,855 residents. In the next decade, the population is...
before entering the Elgin
Elgin, Illinois
Elgin is a city in northern Illinois located roughly northwest of Chicago on the Fox River. Most of Elgin lies within Kane County, Illinois, with a portion in Cook County, Illinois...
area. Before entering Elgin, US 20 widens to a four lane limited-access freeway that bypasses Elgin. This road is known as the Elgin Bypass
Elgin Bypass
The Elgin Bypass is the common name for a four-lane freeway that carries U.S. Highway 20 around the city of Elgin in northeast Illinois. The highway forms a southern border to the Elgin street grid. The state-ownership of the land on the south edge of town for hospital and highway maintenance...
.
Elgin to Indiana
Illinois Route 59
Illinois Route 59 is a north–south state highway in northeastern Illinois. It runs south from Illinois Route 83 in Antioch to Interstate Highway 55 in Shorewood, spanning the north–south width of Chicago's western suburbs...
. In Hanover Park
Hanover Park, Illinois
Hanover Park is a village in Cook and DuPage counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. The population was 38,278 at the 2000 census...
, an early-2000s reconstruction project widened lanes on the road and created a median for safer travel; east of Barrington Road / County Farm Road, the road briefly becomes six lanes for one mile (1.6 km) until the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway
Elgin-O'Hare Expressway
The Elgin-O'Hare Expressway is an Interstate-standard freeway in northeast Illinois, United States. Contrary to its given name, the expressway does not enter either Elgin or O'Hare International Airport, giving it a somewhat infamous reputation as a "road to nowhere"...
.
US 20 continues in an east-southeast direction through the town center of Bloomingdale
Bloomingdale, Illinois
Bloomingdale is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States, approximately 25 miles west of Chicago. The population was 21,675 at the 2000 census.-History:...
and becomes six lanes at the Bloomingdale-Roselle
Roselle, Illinois
Roselle is a city located in DuPage County and a small portion in Cook County Illinois in northeastern Illinois. It was first incorporated in 1922 and can correctly be relegated to a bedroom community — that is, a community that largely consists of residential zoning in both income streams...
border. It maintains six lanes through a very high traffic corridor to Interstate 290
Interstate 290 (Illinois)
Interstate 290 is a main Interstate freeway that runs westwards from the Chicago Loop. A portion of I-290 is officially called the Dwight D. Eisenhower Expressway. In short form, it is known as "the Ike" or the Eisenhower...
and onwards to Illinois Route 53
Illinois Route 53
Illinois Route 53 is an arterial north–south state highway in northeast Illinois. Route 53 runs south from Long Grove at Illinois Route 83 to Gardner at Interstate 55 west of old U.S. Highway 66, a distance of...
before it returns to four lanes while serving downtown Addison
Addison, Illinois
Addison is a village located west of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 35,914 at the 2000 census. The estimated population was 36,378 as of 2002.The Village of Addison lies on Salt Creek...
, paralleling Interstate 290 to the north. Past Elmhurst
Elmhurst, Illinois
Elmhurst is a suburb of Chicago in DuPage and Cook Counties, Illinois. The population is 46,013 as of the 2008 US Census population estimate.-History:...
, the road overlaps Interstate 290 for a mile, technically giving US 20 ten lanes of traffic, although the rightmost two are exit-only lanes. At the interchange, westbound US 20 has only one lane, but eastbound US 20 has two.
US 20 continues through Stone Park
Stone Park, Illinois
Stone Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,127 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Stone Park is located at ....
and Melrose Park
Melrose Park, Illinois
Melrose Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a "near-in" suburb of Chicago. The population was 23,171 at the 2000 census. Melrose Park has long been home to a large Italian-American population, though now it is majority Mexican-American. It was the home of Kiddieland...
before turning south and joining U.S. Routes 12
U.S. Route 12 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, U.S. Route 12 is an arterial highway that runs northwest to southeast through the Chicago metropolitan area. It runs from the Wisconsin border north of Richmond to the Indiana border at Chicago with U.S. Routes 12 and 41, also at the foot of an onramp to the Indiana...
/45
U.S. Route 45 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, U.S. Route 45 is a major north–south highway that runs from the Irvin S. Cobb Bridge over the Ohio River at Brookport north through rural sections of eastern Illinois and then through the suburbs of Chicago to the Wisconsin border east of Antioch. This is a...
. At this point, US 20 becomes Mannheim Road
Mannheim Road
Mannheim Road is a north–south major thoroughfare in the near-western suburbs of Chicago. It carries U.S. Routes 12 and 45 between Des Plaines and La Grange and carries U.S. Route 20 between Lake Street and LaGrange. In LaGrange and points to the south, it is known as LaGrange Road...
, and later, La Grange Road, until it turns onto 95th Street
95th Street (Chicago)
95th Street is a major east–west street on Chicago's South Side and in the southwest suburbs, designated as 9500 South in Chicago's address system. 95th Street is south of Madison Street.-Route:...
eastbound with U.S. 12. This combination later joins with U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, U.S. Route 41 runs north from the Indiana border beneath the Chicago Skyway on Indianapolis Boulevard to the Wisconsin border north of the northern terminus of the Tri-State Tollway with Interstate 94. It is the only north–south U.S...
, where the three routes follow Ewing Avenue and Indianapolis Boulevard, which are the last portions of US 20 prior to its crossing the state line into Indiana.
Business Routes
Freeport, Illinois
Freeport is a city in and the county seat of Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 26,443 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Freeport is George W...
, Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, Elgin
Elgin, Illinois
Elgin is a city in northern Illinois located roughly northwest of Chicago on the Fox River. Most of Elgin lies within Kane County, Illinois, with a portion in Cook County, Illinois...
and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. The bypass north of Freeport is four lanes wide until it passes Illinois Route 26
Illinois Route 26
Illinois Route 26 is a north–south state road in central and north-central Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 116 just north of East Peoria to Highway 69 at the Wisconsin border near Orangeville. This is a distance of .- Route description :...
, after which it reduces to two lanes; future construction will widen the remainder of the bypass to four lanes. A bypass is currently planned for Galena; see Future.
The longest Business U.S. Route 20 in Illinois runs 21 miles (33.8 km) from just west of Rockford to just east of Belvidere. The route begins just west of Weldon Road and runs as State Street into downtown Rockford, where it is split into two one-way streets (Chestnut Street and Walnut Street for eastbound traffic, Jefferson Street for westbound traffic). The route continues east along State Street all the way through Rockford and becomes a two-lane highway between Rockford and Belvidere. Business 20 is then routed in an outer loop around the city of Belvidere before merging back with US 20 near Genoa Road and Interstate 90 (Northwest Tollway).
Business U.S. Route 20 in Elgin was removed in 1984. This ran along Larkin Avenue, Highland Avenue, Chicago Street and Villa Avenue. The current routing of US 20 south of Elgin is called the Elgin Bypass
Elgin Bypass
The Elgin Bypass is the common name for a four-lane freeway that carries U.S. Highway 20 around the city of Elgin in northeast Illinois. The highway forms a southern border to the Elgin street grid. The state-ownership of the land on the south edge of town for hospital and highway maintenance...
.
Business U.S. Route 20 in Chicago was removed in 1968. This existed from 1960 through 1968; before then, it was City U.S. Route 20 from 1938 to 1960.
History
The routing of US 20 has not changed since 1938. Prior to 1938, US 20 continued east on Lake Street east of Mannheim Road (U.S. Routes 12/45). It ran through downtown Chicago and exited Chicago south on what is now Torrence Avenue. In 1955, the Illinois General AssemblyIllinois General Assembly
The Illinois General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois and comprises the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois Senate. The General Assembly was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Illinois has 59 legislative districts, with two...
designated the entire length of US 20 in Illinois the "U.S. Grant Memorial Highway". New signs were produced in late 2007 to reflect this designation along its entire length.
Future
The Illinois Department of Transportation is in the middle of a multiyear project for construction of a bypass for the cities of GalenaGalena, Illinois
Galena is the county seat of, and largest city in, Jo Daviess County, Illinois in the United States, with a population of 3,429 in 2010. The city is a popular tourist destination known for its history, historical architecture, and ski and golf resorts. Galena was the residence of Ulysses S...
and Freeport
Freeport, Illinois
Freeport is a city in and the county seat of Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 26,443 at the 2000 census. The mayor of Freeport is George W...
. Long-range plans call for a full four-lane highway from Galena to Freeport. Although the bypass has been discussed for decades, the project only began to receive funding in the early 2000s. As the only major corridor between Interstates 88
Interstate 88 (west)
Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway in the state of Illinois. It runs from an interchange with Interstate 80 near Silvis and Moline to an interchange with Interstates 290 and 294 in Hillside, near Chicago...
and 90
Interstate 90 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 90 runs roughly northwest through the northern end of the state, from the Indiana border to Wisconsin. I-90 traverses a variety of settings, from farmland west of the Fox River Valley to medium-density suburban west of O'Hare International Airport, to the...
, the Freeport to Galena project is part of a larger project to improve the viability of U.S. Route 20 between Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
and Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
. Eventually, very long-range plans call for U.S Route 20 to be upgraded to a full four-lane interstate-standard freeway from Rockford to East Dubuque.