Interstate 57

Interstate 57 marker

Interstate 57
Route information
Maintained by MoDOT and IDOT
Length: 386.12 mi[1] (621.40 km)
Major junctions
South end: I-55 / US 60 in Sikeston, MO
 
North end: I-94 in Chicago, IL
Location
States: Missouri, Illinois
Counties:

MO: Scott, Mississippi

IL: Alexander, Pulaski, Union, Johnson, Williamson, Franklin, Jefferson, Marion, Fayette, Clay, Effingham, Shelby, Cumberland, Coles, Douglas, Champaign, Ford, Iroquois, Kankakee, Will, Cook
Highway system
US 56MORoute 58
IL 56ILIL 57

Interstate 57 (I-57) is an Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central rail line for much of its route. It goes from Sikeston, Missouri, at Interstate 55 to Chicago, Illinois, at Interstate 94. I-57 essentially serves as a shortcut route for travelers headed between the south (Memphis, New Orleans, etc.) and Chicago, bypassing St. Louis, Missouri. Between the junction of I-55 and I-57 in Sikeston, Missouri and the junction of I-55 and I-90/94 in Chicago, I-55 travels for 436 miles (702 km), while the combination of I-57 and I-94 is only 396 miles (637 km) long between the same two points. In fact, both the control cities on the overhead signs, as well as destination mileage signs, reference Memphis along southbound I-57, even as far north as its northern origin at I-94 in Chicago. Likewise, at its southern end, Chicago is the control city listed for I-57 on signs on northbound I-55 south of Sikeston, Missouri, even though I-55 also goes to Chicago.[2]

As of 2015, I-57 has no spur routes, nor are any planned in the nearby future. At a length of just over 386 miles (621 km), it is the second longest two-digit Interstate Highway without an auxiliary route, behind I-49. I-57 has one business loop in Charleston.

Route description

Missouri

Cairo I-57 bridge between Missouri and Illinois

In the state of Missouri, Interstate 57 runs northbound from Sikeston to the Cairo I-57 Bridge over the Mississippi River south of Cairo, Illinois.

After ending southbound at Interstate 55, the highway continues as U.S. Route 60, which meets U.S. Route 67 at Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and from there U.S. Route 67 goes south to Little Rock, Arkansas. The state of Missouri has proposed extending the I-57 designation down this corridor. However, this plan conflicts with Arkansas' plans to extend the Interstate 30 designation north on U.S. Route 67, a road of which a long section already meets Interstate Highway standards.

From the start of I-57 northbound, the US 60 concurrency goes about 12 miles (19 km).

Illinois

The Dan Ryan Expressway West Leg (now more commonly referred to as I-57) at 99th St in 1970.

In the state of Illinois, Interstate 57 runs from the bridge over the Mississippi River north to Chicago. I-57 is the longest Interstate Highway in Illinois. Its route follows essentially the earlier route of US 51 in southernmost Illinois (US 51 has been diverted to I-57 where I-57 has always been close to old US 51 between Future City and Dongola) before taking a northeastward diagonal to Illinois 37, which remains intact as a town-to-town through route, past its interchange with Interstate 24 (the northwestern terminus of Interstate 24) near Pulleys Mill and a short duplex with Interstate 64 near Mount Vernon north to Effingham, where it has a short concurrence with Interstate 70. It then follows US 45 bypassing cities of Champaign and Urbana (where it meets Interstates 72 and 74), and heads north to Onarga whereafter it follows the formerly duplex path of US 45 and (now decommissioned in most of Illinois) old US 54 to Kankakee. At Kankakee it heads northward largely parallel to the now decommissioned route of old US 54 (since renumbered largely as Illinois 50) into greater Chicago, meeting Interstate 80 in Hazel Crest, Interstate 294 in Blue Island, and feeding Interstate 94 on Chicago's South Side.

Although I-57 serves as a long-distance bypass of St. Louis, the section between Mount Vernon and Pulleys Mill contains the most direct Interstate route between St. Louis and cities largely to the southeast of St. Louis (including Nashville and Atlanta). It serves as the northwestern terminus of Interstate 24 that leads southeastward to those cities and as the eastern terminus of Interstate 72 near Champaign.

The route is an easy way for Chicagoans to reach Shawnee National Forest in the southern tip of the state. It also serves as a major artery for college students in the state, running near Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, John A. Logan College in Carterville, Morthland College in West Frankfort, Rend Lake College in Ina, Lake Land College in Mattoon, Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Parkland College in Champaign, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Urbana-Champaign, Kankakee Community College in Kankakee, Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, and Governors State University in University Park. Interstate 57 and Interstate 294 (Tri-State Tollway) did not have an intersection for a long time, though phase one finally opened on October 25, 2014.[3] It was one of only a few examples where Interstates cross but didn't have interchanges with each other. Vehicles were directed to use Interstate 80 to access Interstate 294 instead, though U.S. Route 6 was another option.

I-57 remains the only Chicago expressway that does not have a commonly used name. Its Chicago-area portion was formerly known as the Dan Ryan Expressway–West Leg. I-57 was named the Ken Gray Expressway in southern Illinois after former U.S. Congressman Ken Gray (West Frankfort) for his work on getting the route planned through southern Illinois. A 20-mile (32 km) segment from Wentworth to Sauk Trail has been designated the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Trail[4] but this is not intended as a navigational name.

History

The portion between the Route 121/US 45 exit and the Watson–Mason exit was completed and opened prior to July 1965, linking I-57 to I-70, and running in tandem with I-70 for several miles, with access to Indianapolis to the east, and St. Louis to the west.

A 21.5-mile (34.6 km) section of I-57 in Jefferson County from Bonnie (using a temporary road that is still partially visible from the northbound lanes) to Route 161 opened on December 9, 1969.[5] The final section of I-57 in Illinois opened in December 1971 at Paxton.[6]

The portion of Interstate 43 from Milwaukee to Green Bay was originally numbered as Interstate 57.[7] The number was changed due to the existence of I-57 in Illinois.[8]

I-57 was widened to six lanes in Effingham from 2011 until 2015. The work is still under way on the north end at the bridge over US 45.[9]

Future

I-57 is slated to eventually be extended west along US 60 to Poplar Bluff, Missouri, and then south along the US 67 corridor to Little Rock, ending at I-40. In April 2016, a provision designating US 67 from North Little Rock to Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, as "Future I-57" was added into the federal fiscal year 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bill. The provision would also give Arkansas the ability to request any segment of the road built to Interstate Highway standards be officially added to the Interstate Highway System as I-57.[10] Missouri has already upgraded the 50 miles (80 km) of US 60 between Sikeston and Poplar Bluff, and 12 miles (19 km) of US 67 from Poplar Bluff to US 160 near Harviell (about 12 miles [19 km] north of the Arkansas state line) to four lanes with at-grade crossings, which would have to be eliminated before the Interstate designation could be applied.[11] In Arkansas, 102 miles (164 km) of Interstate-grade US 67 runs from I-40 to Arkansas Highway 226 (AR 226) west of Jonesboro. Another 16 miles (26 km), from AR 226 to US 412 at Walnut Ridge, is to open in 2016.[12]

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has proposed widening a section of I-57 to six lanes of traffic from I-24 to I-64.[13] This section of Interstate has some of the highest annual average daily traffic on I-57 outside of the Chicago metropolitan area, with truck traffic amounting up to 30% of all traffic in spots.[14] This section of I-57 has been the site of several Interstate-closing accidents in the past 10 years, including an incident involving a train derailment over the Interstate near Benton in July 2004 and several fatal accidents in various construction zones.[15] The section in Mt. Vernon is due to be widened by 2013 with construction having begun in late 2011.[16]

IDOT and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority are building an interchange at the junction of I-57 with I-294.[17] This project is part of the Move Illinois Project. On October 25, 2014, the first phase of the interchange opened, providing access from I-57 north to I-294 north & from I-294 south to I-57 south. Phase one also provided access from I-294 south to 147th Street & 147th Street to I-294 north. Phase two will open in 2023/2024.

Exit list

StateCountyLocationmi[18][19]kmExitDestinationsNotes
MissouriScottSikeston0.0000.000 US 60 west Dexter, Poplar BluffContinuation past I-55; southern end of US 60 concurrency
0.169–
0.538
0.272–
0.866
1 I-55 Memphis, St. LouisSouthern terminus and signed as exits 1A (south) and 1B (north); I-55 exits 66A-B
MississippiLong Prairie Township4.9167.9124 Route B Bertrand
Charleston10.74517.29210 Business Loop I-57 north / Route 105 Charleston, East Prairie
13.02720.96512 Business Loop I-57 south / US 60 east / US 62 / Route 77 Charleston, WyattNorthern end of US 60 concurrency
Mississippi River22.328
0.00
35.933
0.00
Interstate 57 Bridge
Missouri–Illinois state line
IllinoisAlexander 1.42.31 US 51 south / IL 3 north Cairo, Olive BranchSouthern end of US 51 concurrency; southern terminus of IL 3
Pulaski 7.612.28Mounds Road
 17.728.518Ullin Road
Union 24.439.324Dongola Road
 25.040.225 US 51 north CarbondaleNorthern end of US 51 concurrency; northbound exit and southbound entrance
 30.048.330 IL 146 Anna, Vienna
 36.358.436Lick Creek Road
Johnson 39.763.940Goreville Road
WilliamsonGoreville43.970.744 I-24 east Nashville
 45.272.745 IL 148
Marion52.985.153Main Street -MarionFormer IL 13
53.686.354 IL 13 Harrisburg, Carbondale
The Hill Avenue
IL 13 exit converted from cloverleaf interchange to single point urban interchange in 2013; northbound exit and southbound entrance for The Hill Avenue also opened 2013;[20] signed as 54A (IL 13) and 54B (The Hill Avenue) northbound, exits combined southbound
Johnston City58.994.859Johnston City, Herrin
FranklinWest Frankfort64.6104.065 IL 149 West Frankfort, Zeigler
Benton71.6115.271 IL 14 Christopher, Benton
 77.5124.777 IL 154 Sesser
Jefferson 82.6132.983Ina
 91.5147.392 I-64 east LouisvilleSouthern end of I-64 concurrency; exit 78 on westbound I-64
Mt. Vernon93.7150.894Veterans Memorial Drive
 94.7152.495 IL 15 Ashley, Mt. Vernon
 96.2154.896 I-64 west St. LouisNorthern end of I-64 concurrency; exit 73 on eastbound I-64
 103.5166.6103Dix
Marion 109.2175.7109 IL 161 Centralia
Salem116.4187.3116 US 50 Salem, Sandoval
 127.2204.7127Kinmundy, Patoka
Fayette 135.4217.9135 IL 185 Vandalia, Farina
Clay
No major junctions
Effingham 144.7232.9145Edgewood
 150.7242.5151Mason, Watson
 157.3253.1157 I-70 west St. LouisSouthern end of I-70 concurrency; exit 92 on eastbound I-70
Effingham159.4256.5159Fayette Avenue
160.5258.3160 IL 32 / IL 33
 162.2261.0162 US 45 Sigel, Effingham
 163.4263.0163 I-70 east IndianapolisNorthern end of I-70 concurrency; exit 98 on westbound I-70
Shelby
No major junctions
Cumberland 177.0284.9177 US 45 Neoga
ColesMattoon184.4296.8184 US 45 / IL 121 Toledo, Mattoon
189.6305.1190 IL 16 Charleston, MattoonSigned as exits 190A (east) and 190B (west)
192.4309.6192CR 1000 north
DouglasArcola203.6327.7203 IL 133 Arcola, Paris
 211.7340.7212 US 36 Newman, Tuscola
Champaign 219.9353.9220 US 45 Tolono, Pesotum, Tuscola
 228.6367.9229Monticello, Savoy, Tolono
 231.7372.9232Curtis Road
 235.2378.5235 I-72 west Springfield, Decatur
University Avenue (via I-72 east)
Signed as 235A (University Avenue) and 235B (I-72 west); I-72 exits 182A-B
 237.4382.1237 I-74 Indianapolis, PeoriaSigned as exits 237A (east) and 237B (west); I-74 exits 179A-B.
 238.4383.7238Olympian Drive
 240.5387.0240Market Street
 250.2402.7250 US 136 Fisher, Rantoul
FordPaxton260.9419.9261 IL 9 Paxton, Gibson City
Iroquois 271.9437.6272Buckley, RobertsRoberts signed northbound only
 279.9450.5280 IL 54 Onarga, RobertsRoberts signed southbound only
 282.9455.3283 US 24 Gilman, Chatsworth
 292.7471.1293 IL 116 Ashkum, Pontiac
 296.5477.2297Clifton
 301.6485.4302Chebanse
Kankakee 307.5494.9308 US 45 / US 52 Kankakee
Kankakee311.6501.5312 IL 17 Kankakee, Momence
315.3507.4315 IL 50 Bradley, Bourbonnais
Manteno321.6517.6322Manteno
WillPeotone327.1526.4327Wilmington, Peotone
 335.1539.3335Manhattan, Monee
 337Stuenkel Road, University ParkwayAccess to Governors State University; interchange opened on October 30, 2015
CookRichton Park339.0545.6339Sauk Trail
Matteson340.69548.29340 US 30 / Lincoln Highway (21100 South)Signed as exits 340A (east) and 340B (west) southbound
342.21550.73342Vollmer RoadSigned as exits 342A (east) and 342B (west) southbound
Oak Forest344.67–
344.86
554.69–
555.00
345 I-80 to I-294 south Indiana, IowaSigned as exits 345A (east) & 345B (west); I-80 exits 151A-B.
346.62557.83346167th StreetCloverleaf with collector–distributor lanes
Markham347.90559.89348 US 6 (159th Street)Cloverleaf with collector–distributor lanes
Blue Island349 I-294 north (Tri-State Tollway) WisconsinNorthbound exit to northbound I-294 and southbound entrance from southbound I-294 only, opened 10-25-2014; complete interchange opening 2023–24; I-294 south exit 7.
Posen350.15563.51350 IL 83 (147th Street, Sibley Boulevard)
Calumet Park353.25568.50353127th Street, Burr Oak Avenue (12700 South)
Calumet Park
Chicago
354.25570.11354119th Street
Chicago355.27571.75355111th Street, Monterey Avenue (11200 South)
357.32575.05357 IL 1 (Halsted Street (800 West))
358.47576.90Wentworth Avenue (200 W)No exit number; southbound exit only for traffic from EB I-94
363.57–
364.12
585.11–
585.99
I-94 east (Bishop Ford Freeway) Indiana
I-94 west (Dan Ryan Expressway) Chicago Loop
Northbound exit & southbound entrance; northern terminus; I-94 exit 63.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

In popular culture

See also

References

  1. Staff (October 31, 2002). "Table 1: Main Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways as of October 31, 2002". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 13, 2006.
  2. Staff. Exit 64A sign (Highway guide sign). Sikeston, MO: Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  3. Staff. "Proposed Tri-State Tollway I-294/I-57 Interchange". Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. Archived from the original on October 25, 2009. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  4. "Stretch of Illinois highway named for Tuskegee Airmen". Retrieved September 25, 2014.
  5. Mt. Vernon Register-News. December 9, 1969. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. Southern Illinoisan. December 29, 1971. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  7. Fond du Lac Reporter. March 9, 1972. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. The Journal Times (Racine, WI). December 10, 1974. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. "Lochmueller Group I-57/I-70 Rehabilitation"..
  10. Office of John Boozman (April 25, 2016). "Boozman Provision in Appropriations Bill Paves Way for Interstate Status of US 67" (Press release). Office of John Boozman. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  11. Heuring, Leonna (August 1, 2010). "MoDOT Celebrates Completion of US 60 Four-Lane Project with Caravan". The Southeast Missourian (Cape Girardeau, MO). Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  12. Munn, Allison (August 26, 2015). "Highway 67 Construction Nears Lawrence County". Jonesboro, AR: KAIT-TV. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  13. Illinois Department of Transportation. "Interstate 57 Add Lane from I-24 to I-64". Illinois Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  14. Illinois Department of Transportation. Map Viewer (Map). Illinois Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  15. Southern Illinoisan. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  16. Culli, Tesa (January 28, 2011). "Interstate 57 expanding to six lanes". Mt. Vernon Register-News. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  17. Illinois Department of Transportation. "Welcome to the Interstate 57/294 Interchange Project Website!". Illinois Department of Transportation. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  18. Missouri Department of Transportation (November 14, 2012). Flex Map Viewer (Map). Missouri Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  19. Google (2014-07-10). "Map of Interstate 57 in Illinois" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 2014-07-10.
  20. "Governor Quinn Breaks Ground on $10.6 Million Widening Project for I-57 near Marion Illinois Jobs Now! Project Will Improve Key Southern Illinois Highway and Create Hundreds of Construction Jobs; $69 Million in Additional Projects Underway in Marion Area". Illinois Government News Network. Retrieved January 28, 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Interstate 57.

Route map: Bing / Google

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