Illinois
Western IL trip
In the summer of 2003, I
decided to grab a bunch of counties while also exploring parts of Illinois that
I had never been to. This trip was the result. My roadtrip compadre
Margot took some of these, so if you see any bad ones, just tell her about it.
The top picture is of IL 103 looking east in the middle of nowhere. Have
fun in the corn as you look at these pics!
 A
very funky IL 82 construction shield on I-80 WB near Geneseo. Couldn't
they find an old IDOT shield anywhere? This thing is hideous. |
 In
case you can't read a map, you can get to Des Moines via... either road!
You choose! |
 Using
Davenport as a control city, I-80 exits itself here in a mile or so. |
 IDOT
even shows you how I-80 exits itself here. |
 This
is where I-74 and I-280 intersect with I-80. Going straight here means
bypassing the Quad Cities to the south. Exiting on I-80 will bypass
the cities to the north. Exiting on I-74 takes you to Galesburg, and
then to Peoria. |
 *Sniff*
I just needed to be close to something. This IL 81 shield did just
fine. |
 The
end of IL 81 is at US 150 near Lynn Center. Wherever that is... |
 Approaching
US 34, which in Chicagoland is known as Ogden Ave, on US 150 East.
Here in Galesburg, it is a rural freeway. |
 At
the US 34 interchange. |
 The
US 34 freeway, which bypasses the city of Galesburg. |
 More
US 34 freeway. |
 Still
more US 34 freeway. |
 IL
164 joins the road and the freeway is demoted to an expressway. |
 The
two roads hit US 67 just north of Monmouth. |
 Is
it sad when I miss the good old days of $1.61 gas? Yes, yes it is. |
 After
going down US 34 West a bit to see Henderson County, it was back to US 67.
This is nearing the interchange of the two US Routes. |
 The
US 67 expressway Southbound goes through a whole lot of green soybeans. |
 But
the expressway portion ends north of Macomb, home of Western Illinois
University. |
 Two-lane
US 67 starts here. |
 South
of Carthage, IL 94 is being widened to accommodate the IL 336 expressway,
which starts at Quincy and is being extended northwards. |
 The
northbound lanes were being asphalted when I drove by. |
 IL
336 begins somewhere on this stretch of IL 94 SB. |
 Ahhh...
the smell of fresh asphalt in the morning. |
 Of
course, over a year later, this should be all done. |
 IL
94 leaves IL 336 here. |
 Just
25 miles to Quincy, where I-172 will pick up. |
 These
darn bugs get in the way of my shields! This IL 61 BGS has an outline
around the IL 61 shield. |
 Here
at US 24, I-172 begins its journey southward to I-72 near Hannibal, MO.
There is no fanfare announcing the end of IL 336 and the start of I-172,
though. |
 You
can get to IL 96 from here. |
 This
is what part of Quincy looks like. US 24 and then IL 57 are one-way
divided streets in town. This is IL 57's northern terminus.
|