Illinois Route 78

Illinois Route 78 is a major north–south highway in western Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 104 northwest of Jacksonville north to Highway 78 at the Wisconsin state line north of Warren. This is a distance of 215.51 miles (346.83 km).[2]

Illinois Route 78 marker

Illinois Route 78
IL 78 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by IDOT
Length215.51 mi[2] (346.83 km)
Existed1924[1]–present
Major junctions
South end
US 67 Bus. / IL 104 in Jacksonville[3]
 
North end WIS 78 in Warren
Location
CountiesMorgan, Cass, Mason, Fulton, Knox, Peoria, Stark, Henry, Whiteside, Carroll, Jo Daviess
Highway system
Illinois State Highway System
← IL 76I-80 →

Route descriptionEdit

Jacksonville to ElmwoodEdit

Starting from IL 104 in Jacksonville, IL 78 briefly travels east, then south, and then east again. Then, it turns north via Main Street, passing the Jacksonville Municipal Airport. As it continues north, it then reaches IL 125 in Virginia. In Havana, US 136, as well as IL 97, begins to run concurrently with IL 78. US 136 then leaves the concurrency just west of the Scott W. Lucas Bridge. At the US 24 junction, IL 97 branches off west via US 24 while IL 78 travels east via US 24. In Little America, IL 78 branches off north from US 24. Then, IL 9 runs concurrently with IL 78 in Canton. In Farmington, IL 78 turns east via IL 116 and then back north again; branching off north from IL 116. In Elmwood, it follows IL 8 east and then north before branching off north.[4]

Elmwood to Wisconsin state lineEdit

 
IL 78 north of Laura in Peoria County

Further north, IL 78 then crosses under I-74 without a direct interchange. It then turns east and then north again. As it turns back north, it then follows US 150 for 3 miles (4.8 km). After that, it then intersects IL 90 north of Laura, then briefly runs concurrently with IL 17, then with US 34, and then intersects with IL 91. In Kewanee, US 34 then branches off northeast. North of the junction, IL 81 ends at the intersection with IL 78. In Annawan, it crosses US 6 and then I-80 at a diamond interchange. Further north, IL 78 then runs concurrently with IL 92, then meets I-88/IL 110 (CKC) at a diamond interchange, and then runs concurrently with US 30 in Morrison. IL 40 ends at an intersection south of Mount Carroll. In Mount Carroll, it intersects US 52/IL 64. Further north, in Stockton, IL 78 then runs concurrently with US 20. In Warren, it then turns northwest before reaching the Wisconsin state line. At that point, IL 78 becomes WIS 78.[4]

HistoryEdit

Starting in 1929, IL 78 first appeared as segments while the rest were under construction.[5] Within a few years, most of IL 78 from Jacksonville to Warren was finished.[6] In 1935, IL 78 superseded portions of IL 82, IL 3, and IL 40. However, a section between Jacksonville and Virginia became part of US 67.[7] By the late 1930s, a portion of IL 78 was moved onto a more direct route between Maples Mill and West Havana.[8] It remained like that until 1968 when US 67 rerouted away from Virginia. This resulted in the extension of IL 78 from Virginia to Jacksonville.[9]

Points of interestEdit

The following historic and geographic sites can be enjoyed on Illinois Route 78, traveling from south to north:

Major intersectionsEdit

CountyLocationmi[4]kmDestinationsNotes
MorganJacksonville0.000.00  
   US 67 Bus. / IL 104 – Meredosia, Alton		Southern terminus of IL 78
CassVirginia17.728.5  IL 125 – Beardstown, Ashland
MasonHavana44.271.1   US 136 east / IL 97 south (West Dearborn Street) – Duncan Mills, KilbourneBegin/end concurrency with US 136 and IL 97
Illinois River44.571.6Scott W. Lucas Bridge
FultonIsabel Township45.372.9  US 136 west – Duncan Mills, IpavaBegin/end concurrency with US 136
Waterford Township52.083.7   US 24 west / IL 97 north – LewistownBegin/end concurrency with US 24 / IL 97
Little America55.188.7  US 24 east – Banner, PeoriaBegin/end concurrency with US 24
Buckheart Township61.599.0  IL 100 south – St. David, LewistownEastern terminus of IL 100
Canton64.7104.1  IL 9 east (East Linn Street) – Banner, PekinBegin/end concurrency with IL 9
65.9106.1  IL 9 west (West Locust Street) – BushnellBegin/end concurrency with IL 9
Farmington76.2122.6  IL 116 west (North Main Street) – RosevilleBegin/end concurrency with IL 116
Fulton–Peoria
county line		Farmington Township77.2124.2  IL 116 east – PeoriaBegin/end concurrency with IL 116
KnoxSalem Township82.8133.3  IL 8 west – Yates CityBegin/end concurrency with IL 8
PeoriaElmwood85.0136.8  IL 8 east (West Southport Road) – PeoriaBegin/end concurrency with IL 8
Brimfield Township91.5147.3   US 150 east to I-74 – BrimfieldBegin/end concurrency with US 150; connection to exit 71 (I-74)
Millbrook Township94.5152.1  US 150 west – GalesburgBegin/end concurrency with US 150
96.5155.3  IL 90 east – PrincevilleWestern terminus of IL 90
StarkGoshen Township108.2174.1  IL 17 east – ToulonBegin/end concurrency with IL 17
108.6174.8  IL 17 west – La FayetteBegin/end concurrency with IL 17
HenryWethersfield Township113.1182.0  US 34 west – GalvaBegin/end concurrency with US 34
113.7183.0  IL 91 east – ElmiraNorthern terminus of IL 91
Kewanee118.3190.4  US 34 east (East Second Street) – Neponset, PrincetonBegin/end concurrency with US 34
118.6190.9  IL 81 west (West Sixth Street) – CambridgeEastern terminus of IL 81
Annawan129.3208.1  US 6 (Front Street) – Atkinson, Mineral
129.8208.9  I-80 – Moline, Rock Island, JolietExit 33 (I-80)
Yorktown Township140.8226.6  IL 92 west – East MolineBegin/end concurrency with IL 92
141.7228.0  IL 92 east – YorktownBegin/end concurrency with IL 92
WhitesideLyndon Township154.6248.8  
   I-88 / IL 110 (CKC) (Ronald Reagan Memorial Highway) – Dixon, Moline, Rock Island		Exit 26 (I-88)
Morrison160.8258.8  US 30 east (Lincoln Highway) – Sterling, Rock FallsBegin/end concurrency with US 30
162.3261.2  US 30 west (Lincoln Highway) – FultonBegin/end concurrency with US 30
CarrollMount Carroll180.4290.3  IL 40 east – SterlingNorthern terminus of IL 40
180.8291.0   US 52 / IL 64 – Savanna, Lanark
Jo DaviessStockton201.5324.3  US 20 west (West North Avenue) – GalenaBegin/end concurrency with US 20
Stockton Township202.8326.4  US 20 east – FreeportBegin/end concurrency with US 20
Warren Township215.51346.83  WIS 78Wisconsin state line; northern terminus of IL 78
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

ReferencesEdit

  1. ^ Carlson, Rich. Illinois Highways Page: Routes 61 thru 80. Last updated April 15, 2005. Retrieved April 14, 2006.
  2. ^ a b Illinois Technology Transfer Center (2006). "T2 GIS Data". Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  3. ^ Unknown. New U.S. 67 Gallery Archived 2006-05-05 at the Wayback Machine. Last updated June 14, 2001. Retrieved April 14, 2006.
  4. ^ a b c Google (February 22, 2017). "Overview Map of IL 78" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  5. ^ Illinois Secretary of State; H.M. Gousha (1929). Illinois Official Auto Road Map (Map). [c. 1:950,000 and c. 1:1,110,000]. Springfield: Illinois Secretary of State. Retrieved September 20, 2020 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  6. ^ Illinois Secretary of State; Rand McNally (1934). Official Road Map Illinois (Map). [c. 1:950,000 and c. 1:1,110,000]. Springfield: Illinois Secretary of State. OCLC 183709045. Retrieved September 20, 2020 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  7. ^ Illinois Secretary of State; H.M. Gousha (1935). Official Road Map Illinois (Map). [c. 1:950,000 and c. 1:1,110,000]. Springfield: Illinois Secretary of State. Retrieved September 20, 2020 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  8. ^ Illinois Secretary of State; Rand McNally (1939). Illinois Road Map (Map) (1939–1940 ed.). c. 1:918,720. Springfield: Illinois Secretary of State. Retrieved September 20, 2020 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  9. ^ Illinois Division of Highways (1968). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:772,500]. Springfield: Illinois Division of Highways. Retrieved September 20, 2020 – via Illinois Digital Archives.

External linksEdit

Route map:

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