Illinois Route 26 marker

Illinois Route 26

Map
IL 26 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by IDOT
Length139.35 mi[1] (224.26 km)
ExistedNovember 5, 1918[2]–present
Major junctions
South end IL 116 in East Peoria
Major intersections I-180 / IL 71 in Hennepin
I-180 in Princeton
I-180 in Princeton
US 6 / US 34 in Princeton
I-80 in Princeton
US 30 near Dixon


 I-88 Toll / IL 110 (CKC) in Dixon
US 52 in Dixon
US 52 near Polo
US 20 in Freeport
North end WIS 69 in Orangeville
Location
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountiesTazewell, Woodford, Marshall, Putnam, Bureau, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson
Highway system
← IL 25→ IL 29

Illinois Route 26 (IL 26, Illinois 26) is a north–south state highway 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 139.35 miles (224.26 km).[1]

Route description

Illinois 26 is a two to four lane surface highway for the majority of its length. Its southern terminus is just one mile (1.6 km) north of the McClugage Bridge carrying U.S. Route 150 into Peoria.

Illinois 26 mostly follows the east bank of the Illinois River until it crosses the river at Hennepin. It runs concurrent with Illinois Route 29, its Illinois River west bank counterpart, at Bureau and with U.S. Route 52 near Freeport.

History

SBI Route 26 originally ran from Freeport to Polo, on part of current IL-26. In 1937, IL-26 was extended from Freeport to the WI state line,[3] in place of IL-74, and extended from Polo to Bureau along US-52 to Dixon, and replacing IL-89 from Dixon to Bureau. In 1969, it was extended south to East Peoria replacing IL-87.

In northern Stephenson County, IL 26 originally ran through downtown Orangeville and the unincorporated community of Oneco. In 1990, it was rerouted onto a new at-grade bypass around the village, decreasing travel time.

IL-26 was rerouted onto the nearby I-180 bridge over the Illinois River near Hennepin during the 1990s. The older IL-26 bridge, half a mile south of I-180, was removed after 1999.[citation needed] the old approaches are now local roads, used mainly as access to riverside industries on both banks.

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[4]kmDestinationsNotes
Tazewell​0.00.0 IL 116 / Illinois River Road southSouth end of Illinois River Road overlap
MarshallLacon24.739.8 IL 17 (Fifth Street) – Wyoming, Wenona, Business District
​31.150.1
 IL 18 west – Henry		South end of IL 18 overlap
Putnam​31.751.0
 IL 18 east – Streator		North end of IL 18 overlap
Hennepin43.069.2
 IL 71 east / Illinois River Road north – Granville		Interchange; north end of Illinois River Road overlap; south end of I-180 overlap
Bureau​45.573.2
 I-180 north – Princeton		Interchange; north end of I-180 overlap; northbound exit and southbound entrance
Leepertown Township46.574.8
 IL 29 south / Illinois River Road / Ronald Reagan Trail – Peoria		South end of IL 29 / Illinois River Road / Ronald Reagan Trail overlap
Bureau Junction47.676.6
 IL 29 north / Illinois River Road – Spring Valley, Depue		North end of IL 29 overlap; south end of Illinois River Road Princeton Spur
Leepertown Township49.980.3
 I-180 to I-80 – Hennepin		Interchange
Princeton55.188.7
 US 6 east (Peru Street) – Peru		South end of US 6 overlap
55.889.8

 US 6 west / US 34 west (Peru Street) / Main Street – Wyanet, Kewanee, Tiskilwa		North end of US 6 overlap; south end of US 34 overlap
56.791.2
 US 34 east (Elm Place)		North end of US 34 overlap
57.893.0 I-80 – Moline, Rock Island, JolietI-80 exit 56
Ohio68.5110.2 IL 92 (Green River Road) / Ronald Reagan Trail Tampico Spur – Walnut, Mendota
LeeEast Grove Township73.7118.6 CR 12 (Maytown Road)
South Dixon Township82.7133.1 US 30 – Morrison, Aurora
83.7134.7
 CR 31 east (Haldena Road)
Dixon87.2140.3

 I-88 Toll / IL 110 (CKC) (Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway) – Chicago, Moline		I-88 exit 54
88.4142.3


 US 52 east / Lincoln Highway east (7th Street) to IL 38 – Rochelle, Mendota, Airport		South end of US 52 / Lincoln Highway overlap
88.8142.9
 IL 2 north (2nd Street) / Rock River Trail north – Rockford		South end of IL 2 / Rock River Trail overlap
89.2143.6

 IL 2 south / Lincoln Highway west / Rock River Trail south (Everett Street) – Sterling		North end of IL 2 / Lincoln Highway / Rock River Trail overlap
90.3145.3
 CR 38 north (4th Avenue / Lowell Park Road) / Ronald Reagan Trail north – Lowell Park, White Pines Forest State Park		North end of Ronald Reagan Trail overlap
Ogle​103.0165.8
 US 52 west – Savanna		North end of US 52 overlap
​106.1170.8
 IL 64 east – Mount Morris, Oregon		South end of IL 64 overlap
​106.5171.4
 IL 64 west – Savanna		North end of IL 64 overlap
Forreston111.7179.8
 IL 72 east (Walnut Avenue) – Byron		South end of IL 72 overlap
​115.8186.4
 IL 72 west – Shannon		North end of IL 72 overlap
StephensonFreeport125.5202.0
 IL 75 east (West Douglas Street) – Rockton
125.7202.3
 US 20 Bus. (Galena Avenue)
127.2204.7 US 20 (Freeport Bypass) – Galena, RockfordInterchange
​139.35224.26
 WIS 69 north – Monroe		Wisconsin state line
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b Illinois Technology Transfer Center (2007). "T2 GIS Data". Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  2. ^ Carlson, Rick. Illinois State Highways Page: Routes 21 thru 40. Last updated March 15, 2006. Retrieved March 22, 2006.
  3. ^ Foust, Hal (March 28, 1937). "24 Highways Renumbered as Tourist Aid". The Chicago Tribune. p. 54. Retrieved December 18, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Google Maps, [1] Archived 2008-02-20 at the Wayback Machine

External links

Template:Attached KML/Illinois Route 26
KML is from Wikidata
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Illinois Route 26.
More
KML file (edit • help)
Categories