Illinois Route 64

Illinois Route 64 (IL 64) is an east–west state highway in Northern Illinois. Its western terminus is at the Iowa state line, connecting with U.S. Route 52 (US 52) and Iowa Highway 64 via the Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge at the Mississippi River west of Savanna. IL 64 then travels east through Mount Carroll, Lanark, Mount Morris, Oregon, Sycamore, Lily Lake, Saint Charles and the western suburbs of Chicago before terminating at U.S. Route 41 (US 41, Lake Shore Drive) on the city's north side. IL 64 is 138.61 miles (223.07 km) long.[1]

Illinois Route 64
North Avenue
Illinois Route 64 highlighted in red
IL 64 Truck highlighted in blue
Route information
Maintained by IDOT and CDOT
Length138.61 mi[1] (223.07 km)
Existed1924[2]–present
Major junctions
West end US 52 / Iowa 64 in Savanna
 
East end US 41 in Chicago
Location
CountiesCarroll, Ogle, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, Cook
Highway system
I-64 US 66

Route description

Eastbound endpoint of IL 64 at US 41
North Avenue Bridge over the Chicago River, looking east
Looking east down North Ave. from CTA Damen Blue Line station
The Savanna-Sabula Bridge near Savanna was the western terminus of IL 64 until 2017, when it was replaced by the Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge.

IL 64 overlaps US 52 between the Iowa state line and Brookville—a distance of over 20 miles (32 km)—so that the IL 64 designation can carry over to Iowa. East of the Mississippi River, IL 64 is largely a rural, undivided surface road from Savanna to the Fox River in Saint Charles.

At St. Charles, IL 64 enters the Chicago metro area and becomes a four-lane road, taking on the name of Main Street. Just east of St. Charles, IL 64 becomes North Avenue and retains this designation until just before its terminus in Chicago at US 41 (Lake Shore Drive). At IL 59, the road widens further from four to six lanes and becomes a divided highway until its intersection with IL 83 in Elmhurst. From Elmhurst to Interstate 294 (I-294) it remains a four-lane surface street, but it widens to a six-lane divided highway once again through the towns of Stone Park and Northlake. At the Des Plaines River and IL 43, North Avenue becomes four lanes until it reaches North Western Avenue. At this point, it becomes at times a two-lane road, for the rest of its route through Chicago. One-half mile (0.8 km) west of US 41, IL 64 turns north onto LaSalle Boulevard, and then east, before terminating at Lake Shore Drive.

North Avenue is a main east–west artery in Chicago itself, and one of only seven state routes to enter the city. It is located at the 1600 North parallel of Chicago. Just east of the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/I-94), the North Avenue Bridge carries IL 64 over the North Branch of the Chicago River. The hybrid suspension/cable-stayed bridge was built in 2006, replacing a bascule bridge dating back to 1907.

Between Halsted Street and Sheffield Avenue, North Avenue has become a shopping destination, known as the Clybourn Corridor.

History

Illinois Route 64 in downtown St. Charles

State Bond Initiative Route 64 was IL 64 from Sycamore to Chicago. The portion of the road in DuPage County was put through in 1928, the first 40-foot (12 m) highway through the county.[3] In 1937, the road was extended west from Sycamore to what was then US 51 (and is now IL 251). Afterwards, it was extended further west to US 52, and then following it to the state line. Much like IL 92, there is no particular reason for extending IL 64 through Iowa and Nebraska, as existing U.S. Routes served any major cities on the State Route 64s better.[2]

Major junctions

CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
JacksonUnion Township US 52 north / Iowa 64 westContinuation in Iowa
Mississippi River0.000.00Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge
CarrollSavanna0.130.21 IL 84 north (Main Street) / Great River Road north (National Route) GalenaWest ends of IL 84 and Great River Road overlaps
2.193.52 IL 84 south (Valduct Road) / Great River Road south (National Route) East MolineEast ends of IL 84 and Great River Road overlaps
Mount Carroll11.0917.85 IL 78 (Clay Street) to IL 40 Morrison
Lanark18.6930.08 IL 73 north (Broad Street) Pearl City, Lena
Rock Creek–Lima Township28.6246.06 US 52 east DixonEastern end of US 52 overlap
OgleLincoln Township33.7054.23 IL 26 north FreeportNorthern end of IL 26 overlap
34.2155.06 IL 26 southSouthern end of IL 26 overlap
Oregon48.3177.75 IL 2 (4th Street) Rockford, Dixon
White Rock Township62.26100.20 IL 251 Rockford, Rochelle
Lynnville Township64.57103.92 I-39 / US 51 Rockford, LaSallePeruI-39 exit 104
DeKalbSycamore81.61131.34 IL 23 south (Cross Street) DeKalbWestern end of IL 23 overlap
82.13132.18 IL 23 north (Main Street) GenoaEastern end of IL 23 overlap
KaneLily Lake90.90146.29 IL 47 Elburn
St. Charles100.07161.05 IL 31 (Second Street) Elgin, Geneva
100.36161.51 IL 25 (5th Avenue)
DuPageWest Chicago105.66170.04 IL 59 (Neltnor Boulevard)
Lombard114.56184.37
I-355 (Veterans Memorial Tollway) Joliet, Northwest Suburbs
Toll barriers on southbound entrance and northbound exit ramps; I-355 exit 27
114.85184.83 IL 53 (Rohlwing Road)
Elmhurst118.33190.43 IL 83 (Kingery Highway)
DuPageCook
county line
120.31–
120.66
193.62–
194.18

I-290 east to I-294 south Chicago
I-290 exit 13B
I-290 west / US 20 west RockfordI-290 exit 13A; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
US 20 east (Lake Street)

I-294 north (Tri-State Tollway) Milwaukee
I-294 exit 33; westbound access to I-294 north via Railroad Avenue
CookNorthlake122.33–
122.77
196.87–
197.58
US 12 / US 45 (Mannheim Road)Interchange
Melrose Park125.03201.22 IL 171 (1st Avenue)
Chicago126.54203.65 IL 43 (Harlem Avenue)
129.62208.60 IL 50 (Cicero Avenue)
133.80215.33 I-90 / I-94 (Kennedy Expressway)I-94 exit 48B
135.94218.77 US 41 / LMCT (Lake Shore Drive)Interchange
135.99218.85Roundabout on shore of Lake Michigan
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Truck route


Illinois Route 64 Truck
LocationElmhurst

IL 64 has one alternate route; Illinois Route 64 Truck (IL 64 Truck), a bypass around a truck-prohibited, residential section of Elmhurst. Eastbound truck traffic is rerouted north along IL 83, east along US 20 (Lake Street) and then onto I-290 before being allowed to return to IL 64. Westbound truck traffic follows the same route in reverse.

As early as 1989, the City of Elmhurst had sought to block trucks from traveling on North Avenue through its city limits. For a time, Illinois House of Representatives minority leader Lee Daniels supported a plan to reduce North Avenue from four lanes to two, prohibiting trucks from traveling through the residential neighborhood.[4] By 1994, the village had agreed to reconstruct North Avenue and add a single set of left-turn lanes at Myrtle Avenue.[5] Reconstruction of North Avenue in Elmhurst took place in 1997.[6]

References

  1. Illinois Technology Transfer Center (2011). "T2 GIS Data". Illinois Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on June 26, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  2. Carlson, Rick (March 15, 2006). "Routes 61 through 80". Illinois State Highways Page. Retrieved March 24, 2006.
  3. Crisler, Amy E. "Glendale Heights". History of DuPage County. Archived from the original on December 21, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  4. Mehler, Neil H. (July 14, 1989). "Elmhurst seeks truck ban on North Avenue". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 17, 2008.
  5. Mannion, Annemarie (January 13, 1994). "North Ave. plan now ready". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 17, 2008.
  6. "North Avenue, other streets to open after re-pavement". Chicago Tribune. November 18, 1997. Retrieved July 17, 2008.
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