Illinois Route 97 (IL 97) is a north–south state highway in the central and western portions of the U.S. state of Illinois. It extends from I-55 Business (Business Loop I-55) in Springfield northwest to U.S. Highway 150 (US 150) near Galesburg. It crosses over the Illinois River on a bridge west of Havana. This is a distance of 102.23 miles (164.52 km).[1]
 Illinois Route 97 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 IL 97 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by IDOT | ||||
| Length | 104.43 mi[1] (168.06 km) | |||
| Existed | 1937[2]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |    I-55 / I-72 / US 36 in Springfield | |||
  US 136 / IL 78 in Havana US 24 / IL 78 in Lewistown | ||||
| North end |  US 150 in Knoxville | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Illinois | |||
| Counties | Sangamon, Menard, Mason, Fulton, Knox | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Route description
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IL 97 starts off in Springfield on East Clear Lake Avenue. It heads west, forming a concurrency with IL 125. IL 97 splits off and north shortly after, entering Menard County.
In Menard County, along a concurrency with IL 123 in New Salem, it passes Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site near Petersburg, the home of Abraham Lincoln in the 1830s. It afterwards passes through Mason County. The road enters Fulton County immediately after crossing a bridge concurrent with US 136 and IL 78.
It then passes both the Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge and Dickson Mounds State Memorial. Afterwards, it drops the concurrency with IL 78 and US 136 but picks up US 24. During and after it gains concurrency with IL 100, it heads north throughout hills. It enters Knox County after a brief concurrency with IL 9. It continues north through hills until its northern terminus at US 150 near Galesburg.[3]
History
editIL 97 is the site of a pioneering work of highway beautification, the planting in 1934 of what was once a line of 'red haw' hawthorns and other Illinois native trees along the tourist route from west of Springfield to New Salem. The work, done by the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Illinois Federation of Garden Clubs, is commemorated by a marker installation at Tallula Junction, the southern intersection of Illinois Route 97 and Illinois Route 123.[4]
Major junctions
edit| County | Location | mi[5] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sangamon | Springfield | 0.0 | 0.0 | I-55 / I-72 / US 36 – Chicago, Decatur | No control city for southbound I-55/westbound I-72; US 36 is not signed |
| 0.5 | 0.80 |  IL 29 | |||
| 2.2 | 3.5 |  I-55 BL | |||
| 3.6 | 5.8 | Walnut Street | Grade separation eastbound; at-grade intersection westbound | ||
| 5.8 | 9.3 |  IL 4 – Chatham, Mason City | |||
| Menard | | 20.1 | 32.3 |  IL 123 / CR 4 | South end of IL 123 overlap; called Tallula Junction; has IL-97 historical marker |
| Petersburg | 25.1 | 40.4 | IL 123 | North end of IL 123 overlap | |
| Mason | Havana | 49.3 | 79.3 | US 136 | South end of US 136 overlap |
| 49.8 | 80.1 | IL 78 | South end of IL 78 overlap | ||
| Fulton | | 50.8 | 81.8 | US 136 / IL 78 | North end of US 136 overlap |
| | 57.5 | 92.5 | US 24 / IL 78 | South end of US 24 overlap; north end of IL 78 overlap | |
| Lewistown | 61.0 | 98.2 |  US 24 / IL 100 / CR 14 | South end of IL 100 overlap; north end of US 24 overlap | |
| 62.5 | 100.6 | IL 100 | North end of IL 100 overlap | ||
| | 73.9 | 118.9 |  IL 9 / CR 16 | South end of IL 9 overlap | |
| | 75.9 | 122.1 | IL 9 | North end of IL 9 overlap | |
| Rapatee | 86.1 | 138.6 |  IL 116 | ||
| Knox | Knoxville | 101.9 | 164.0 |   US 150 to I-74 | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
edit- ^ a b Illinois Technology Transfer Center (2006). "T2 GIS Data". Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ Carlson, Rich. Illinois Highways Page: Routes 81 thru 100. Last updated March 15, 2005. Retrieved April 20, 2006.
- ^ Delorme Illinois Atlas & Gazetteer
- ^ Furry, William (May 7, 2020). "Saving historic trees on Route 97". Illinois Times. Springfield, Ill. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
- ^ "Overview of IL 97" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
External links
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Media related to Illinois Route 97 at Wikimedia Commons
