Interstate 80 in Illinois

In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 80 is an Interstate Highway that runs from the Quad Cities east to south of Chicago. It is a main east–west route for traffic coming and going through Illinois, especially for cross-country truckers.

Route description

Heading eastbound, after crossing the Mississippi River near Rapids City, Illinois, I-80 runs south for about 10 miles (16 km) to a junction with I-74. There is an interchange with I-88 along this leg. At the I-74/I-80 junction, I=80 turns to the east, while I-74 continues to the west and the south. I-80 then roughly parallels US 6 near such cities as Geneseo, Princeton, Peru, LaSalle (near which it intersects I-39), Ottawa, Morris, and Joliet (west of which it has a junction with I-55). The proposed Prairie Parkway limited-access highway will terminate at its south end via an interchange with I-80 at Minooka Road approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) west of I-55. East of Joliet, at New Lenox, I-80 widens to six lanes each way at US 30, and intersects the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355), which heads north into the western suburbs of Chicago. I-80 continues east into the south suburbs of Chicago. At Tinley Park, I-80 meets I-57. Near Hazel Crest, I-80 merges into the busy eight-lane Tri-State Tollway, and remains part of the tollway for about five miles (8.0 km) until it becomes the Kingery Expressway, a freeway that connects with the Borman Expressway in Indiana. The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has announced long-term plans to widen I-80 to six lanes as far westward as the Ridge Road exit at Minooka. As of late 2011, widening to US 30 has been completed, with a long-term study ongoing to upgrade the section through Joliet.

Exit list

References