| Illinois Route 72 | ||||
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| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by IDOT | ||||
| Length: | 110.71 mi[2] (178.17 km) | |||
| Existed: | 1924[1] – present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end: | IL 73 north of Lanark | |||
| IL 59 in South Barrington IL 58 in Schaumburg I-290 / IL 53 in Schaumburg IL 83 in Elk Grove Village I-90 in Rosemont US 12 / US 45 in Rosemont IL 171 in Chicago |
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| East end: | IL 43 in Chicago | |||
| Location | ||||
| Counties: | Carroll, Ogle, DeKalb, Kane, Cook | |||
| Highway system | ||||
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Illinois state highway system
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Illinois Route 72 is an east–west state road in northeastern Illinois. It runs from the intersection with Illinois Route 73 north of Lanark east to Illinois Route 43 (Harlem Avenue) in Chicago. This is a distance of 110.71 miles (178.2 km).[2]
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Illinois 72 is called Higgins Road for most of its length in the Chicago area, and has been redirected in parts of the area to accommodate for new features. Near Rosemont, the road has been shifted to make way for O'Hare International Airport — further east, parts of the road have been moved to make room for the Northwest Tollway (Interstate 90). The road serves as a major six-lane thoroughfare for several western suburbs, including Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, and Hoffman Estates.
Illinois 72 runs concurrently for one block with Illinois Route 83 in Elk Grove Township, and Illinois Route 47 and U.S. Highway 20 by Starks, an unincorporated village approximately 60 miles (97 km) from Chicago. The latter is a Wrong-way concurrency, where one can be driving both west on Illinois 72 and east on U.S. 20 at the same time. West from Chicago, Illinois 72 largely parallels Interstate 90 until Starks, crossing over and under the highway six times without an intersection. On a larger scale, it is the main east–west artery to Chicago between Interstate 90 and Illinois Route 64.
Route 72 is one of seven state roads to enter the city of Chicago.
SBI Route 72 originally ran from Lanark to Starks. It was extended east in 1937 and 1938 to East Dundee, and then to Chicago. In 1973 and 1982, Illinois 72 was shortened to its current length, first west to Illinois Route 43, and north to Illinois Route 73.[1]
The site of American Airlines Flight 191 is located along the road as Higgins Road, just south of the road and north of O'Hare International Airport.