Interstate 39 and 490 in Illinois

Interstate 490 in Illinois

Interstate 39 in Illinois

I-39
Begin Normal
End South Beloit
Length 141 mi
Length 227 km
Route
BloomingtonPeru

Rochelle

Rockford

Interstate 39 or I -39 is an Interstate Highway in the US state of Illinois. The highway forms a north-south connection in the north of the state, running from Normal on Interstate 55 to South Beloit on the Wisconsin border. The portion from Rockford is double-numbered with Interstate 90. The highway is 227 kilometers long.

Travel directions

I-39 at Rockford.

The highway starts at the town of Normal, a twin city of Bloomington. Here, I-39 begins at Interstate 55, the highway from St. Louis to Chicago. The highway passes through a flat barren agricultural area. Near the village of El Paso you cross the US 24, which runs from Peoria to Watseka. The underlying road network is built in a grid pattern of 1 by 1 mile. At La Salle one crosses the Illinois River, the largest river in the state that is not a border river, like the Ohio and Mississippi. After this, a cloverleaf crosses Interstate 80, which runs from Moline to Chicago.

It then continues north, and I-39 also functions as a major westbound Chicago bypass, allowing north-south traffic to Milwaukee to bypass the city. At Troy Grove you cross the US 52, which leads to Joliet. Not far afterwards, at Mendota, one crosses US 34, which runs from Princeton to Aurora. Several “wind farms” can be seen from the road, wind farms. One then crosses US 30, which runs from Sterling to Aurora. Not far afterwards, at the town of Rochelle, one crosses Interstate 88, the highway from Moline to Chicago. This is a toll road. One then passes further north, through barren meadows.

  • ANSWERMBA: Provides information about Illinois geography.

Then you reach Rockford, a larger city of 155,000 inhabitants in northern Illinois. Here it intersects with US 20, a highway that forms Rockford’s southern bypass, and runs west to Dubuque. On the east side of Rockford, I-39 merges with Interstate 90, the highway to Chicago. This road is a toll road, and so is I-39. This route then continues to South Beloit, on the Wisconsin border. Here, Interstate 39 in Wisconsin continues to Madison, along with I-90.

History

The oldest section of what is now I-39 is the Jane Addams Tollway, the double-numbered section of Interstate 90 between Rockford and the Wisconsin border. This section opened to traffic on 20 August 1958. The oldest section after that is Rockford’s South Bypass, which dates back to the 1970s. The rest of I-39 is considerably newer. The section between I-88 and Rockford opened to traffic in 1984. In 1986, a southbound extension to I-80 opened at La Salle. In December 1987, the La Salle bypass opened, including a bridge over the Illinois River. In the fall of 1991, a southward extension to State Highway 18 opened at Magnolia. During 1992, the remainder of I-39 opened up to Normal, with the last section opening to traffic in the fall of 1992. The highway was not built directly as I-39, this number was used by AASHTO. in 1993approved, but only between Normal and Rockford. It wasn’t until 1998 that the number was extended north to Wisconsin.

Lane Configuration

Van Unpleasant Lanes
Exit 0 Wisconsin state line 2×2

Congestion

I-39 is generally a very quiet highway, with mostly light traffic. Only the part along Rockford is a bit busier. Congestion is rare and usually the result of accidents or road works.

Connections & traffic intensities

I-39 north of Bloomington.

# destination AADT
0 Decatur, Chicago, Peoria, Indianapolis, St. Louis 12.200
2 Bloomington, Normal 19.900
5 Hudson 18.800
8 Lake Bloomington Road 16.000
14 El Paso, Peoria 14.100
22 Peoria, Pontiac 14.500
27 Minon 14.300
35 Lacon, Wenona 15.000
41 Henry, Streator 17.100
48 Toned 18.400
51 Hennepin, Oglesby 18.400
52 Peru, La Salle 18.400
54 Oglesby 18.400
57 La Salle, Peru, Ottawa 18.400
59 Chicago, Des Moines 18.200
66 Troy Grove 17.900
72 Mendota, Earlville 16.000
82 Paw Paw 17.800
87 Sterling, Rock Falls, Aurora 16.700
93 Steward 17.700
97 Moline, Rock Island, Chicago 31.100
99 DeKalb, Rochelle 28.500
104 Sycamore, Oregon 28.300
111 Genoa, Byron 31.400
115 Baxter Road 33.100
122A Dubuque, Belvidere 48.200
122B Cherry Valley, Harrison Avenue 48.200
17 Chicago 52.800
15 Rockford, State Street 52.800
12 Rockford, Riverside Boulevard 49.000
9 Machesney Park 39.700
3 South Beloit, Rockton Road 39.700
1 South Beloit 39.700

Interstate 490 in Illinois

I-490
Begin Franklin Park
End Elk Grove Village
Length 6 mi
Length 10 km
Route
Franklin Avenue

Irving Park Road

Higgins Road

Interstate 490, also known as the Elgin O’Hare Western Access (EOWA), is a planned Interstate Highway and toll road in the U.S. state of Illinois. The highway is to form a western bypass of Chicago ‘s O’Hare International Airport. The highway will be 10 kilometers long.

Travel directions

The highway begins at an interchange with Interstate 294 at Franklin Park and then continues west of O’Hare International Airport. Halfway through is an interchange with State Route 390, also known as the Elgin-O’Hare Expressway. The highway then continues north and ends at an interchange with Interstate 90 in Elk Grove Village.

Future

The highway is being constructed to improve accessibility around the Chicago airport. O’Hare International airport will then be surrounded on all sides by motorways. It is not yet known when the construction will start exactly, in 2013 people spoke of ‘after 2018’. On November 20, 2014, the number I-490 was approved by the AASHTO. On December 14, 2018, the Des Plaines Oasis of I-90 was permanently closed to make way for the interchange with I-490. Work on I-490 started in June 2019. The project should be completed by mid-2025.

Tol

The highway will become a toll road, with electronic toll collection.

Interstate 490 in Illinois