Illinois Route 120
Encyclopedia
Illinois Route 120 is a major east–west state highway in northeastern Illinois
. It runs from U.S. Route 14
(Northwest Highway) near Woodstock
to Illinois Route 131
(Green Bay Road) in Waukegan
. It travels a distance of 34.48 miles (55.49 km) and is one of the few roads that provides direct access from McHenry County
to Interstate 94
(Tri-State Tollway
) in Lake County
. Throughout its length, it shifts between two and four lanes as it passes through a setting that consists of open rural areas, as well as larger developments and heavy congestion.
Although small capacity improvements have been made over time, a lengthy two lane section of road in the Grayslake
vicinity has yet to see any major expansion. This key segment has been the subject of much delay and debate regarding the greater traffic flow across north-central Lake County. In October 2009, a special council approved a unified vision for an improvement plan for most of the Lake County portion of Illinois 120, which includes a long discussed bypass around downtown Grayslake.
(Northwest Highway), Illinois 120
starts out as a two lane road just west of the city of Woodstock
. This section is known as Washington
Street as it heads in a southeast direction and enters the outer residential neighborhoods of Woodstock. In this
area, the road curves due east, crosses the Union Pacific/Northwest Line
tracks
near the Metra
Station, then briefly
heads north before turning once more to the northwest. Immediately after doing so, it passes a signalized intersection with
Illinois Route 47
(Seminary Avenue/Eastwood Drive) before traveling north of the McHenry County Fairgrounds and then heading
out of the Woodstock area and back into a prairie setting. Illinois 120 next curves back to the north and then takes a right
turn at an unsignalized intersection where it continues generally east for the remainder of its length.
Before reaching
the McHenry
area a little more than four miles east, the
road passes through two signalized intersections,
some light forests, and some sparse residential developments. Now entering the busier city of McHenry, it takes on the name
Elm Street and widens to four lanes west of Ringwood Road. Light commercial buildings with neighborhoods behind them
line the roadway until crossing another branch of the Union Pacific/Northwest Line tracks near the McHenry Metra
Station
. At the next intersection, Illinois 120 meets with Illinois Route 31
(Front Street/Richmond Road) where they briefly
run concurrently for less than a half mile. It next travels over the Fox River
,
passes by another section of commercial business, and then returns to a quieter setting that features a mix of open areas,
neighborhoods, small business, and Lily Lake.
Lake County
and the town of Lakemoor
which is soon followed by the busy
intersection of U.S. Route 12
/Illinois Route 59
(Rand Road). The road then heads into the
town of Volo
which features land developed with businesses and homes on the south and undeveloped
land on the north. This is also where it passes the intersection of the western terminus of Illinois Route 60
and
then narrows down to two lanes. The road then runs past the Baxter
Healthcare facility and proceeds into the Round Lake
area where it goes by the Nippersink Forest Preserve on the north and then between two residential developments. For just a slight instance, it travels through Round Lake Park
before entering the town of Hainesville
where it passes the Milwaukee District/North Line
tracks, the eastern terminus of Illinois Route 134
, and a few business before going into the more populated city of Grayslake
. Neighborhoods and occasional small businesses lie north and south of Illinois 120 until it crosses the North Central Service
tracks immediately before an intersection with Illinois Route 83
(Barron Boulevard). After passing a shopping plaza on the south, the next stretch of roadway contains a mix of other businesses and residential developments, as well as a branch of the Lake Forest Hospital
, while also widening to four lanes on its approach to a major junction with U.S. Route 45
which has the former site of the Lake County Fairgrounds on its northwest corner. Past the intersection, the road passes a commercial plaza and again narrows back to two lanes before going by more neighborhoods on the north, and some open areas that contain the Almond Marsh Forest Preserve on the south.
At this point it widens to become a four-lane divided highway west of Almond Road and it enters the southern part of Gurnee
where travels near The Merit Club
Golf Course which lies to the south of a "T" intersection with Hunt Club Road. The eastbound approach to this intersection features the only dual-left turn lanes on the entire length of Illinois 120. The remaining section of highway, although only briefly limited-access, does have limited signalized intersections which keeps traffic flowing at a more constant rate. It first passes under a grade separation at Illinois Route 21
(Milwaukee Avenue) and goes over the Des Plaines River
before forming an interchange with Interstate 94
(Tri-State Tollway). Only southbound access is permitted to I-94; northbound access is available via IL-21. It next enters part of the Waukegan
area and shortly encounters an at-grade intersection with O'Plaine Road and then continues with more grade separation at the Canadian Pacific Railway
(CN) tracks and Greenleaf Avenue. Interchanges with Illinois Route 43
(Waukegan Road) and U.S. Route 41
(Skokie Highway) closely follow one another with a brief transition into Park City
located between these two junctions. It can be confusing in this area as there is no direct access to northbound US-41 or southbound IL-43, which terminates immediately north at US-41. Illinois 120 loses its divided highway status after traveling over the Union Pacific (UP) tracks and passing by its last stretch of businesses as it reenters Waukegan. It soon reaches the commercially developed, signalized intersection of Illinois Route 131
(Green Bay Road) where it terminates as a state route; Belvidere Road continues east as a local road.
to Mason City
in west-central Illinois
. In 1939 this became Illinois Route 119
, and in 1951, U.S. Route 136
. In the meantime, in 1941 Illinois 120 replaced Illinois Route 20 to avoid confusion with nearby U.S. Route 20
. In 1972, the designation was removed east of Illinois 131. During the early 1990s, plans came about to widen 5.7 miles of roadway in McHenry and Lake counties. The project extended from River Road in McHenry to east of Illinois 60. These plans also included the construction of a short southern bypass around the town of Volo. By 1994, the work had concluded which resulted in four concrete travel lanes, providing easier access between the two counties. In 2000, a $4.6 million construction project was completed at the intersection of US-45. The improvements that took place to Illinois 120 were: expanding to two lanes in each direction and adding a right turn lane to the eastbound approach. The most recent major construction that has taken place was between August 2007 and July 2008 at the interchange with I-94. The work consisted of demolishing the two bridge structures that travel over the tollway and replacing them with new ones.
and later becomes a four lane divided highway west of Hunt Club Road. Since there is heavy traffic from nearby Interstate 94 to the east as well as traffic traveling to and from McHenry County in the west, it seems logical to address this gap which is not yet four lanes. The solution to this problem was agreed to be a 17 mile improvement from US-12 to US-41, including a 7 mile southern bypass in Grayslake. This has since become known as the "120 bypass".
This project is closely related to another long delayed Lake county transportation project; the Illinois Route 53
extension. The currently stalled project has been planned to extend the limited-access expressway, which carries Illinois 53 and terminates at Lake-Cook Road, north to connect to the 120 bypass, and then branch off toward U.S. Route 12
to the west and Interstate 94 to the east. If the project were ever built, it would seem necessary that the east–west 120 bypass would be built as a limited-access expressway to connect with the proposed north–south Illinois 53 extension which is also limited-access. The entire scope of this project; starting on Illinois 120 at Interstate 94, continuing west on the 120 bypass, and connecting with the Illinois 53 extension would provide a direct route for commuters in northern Lake County to gain access to the western and southwestern Chicago
suburbs. Since there have been many delays over the decades on how to proceed with this extension, the 120 bypass project moved forward on its own as an independent project.
In 2006, a feasibility study got underway by a special corridor planning council which was composed of groups from nearby communities and local government officials and took public input. Initially, the main focus for the public was to provide feedback for the road character or type of road. The alternatives considered were: a four lane roundabout
boulevard
, four lane signalized boulevard, six lane signalized arterial, and six lane expressway. In December 2008, it was revealed that the four lane boulevard option was selected in an 11-2 vote over an expressway, however it still remained open whether or not roundabouts would be used in place of traffic signals at intersections. The cost of the project was estimated at $521 million. In May 2009, the preferred roadway alignment was selected.
On October 14, 2009, the Route 120 Corridor Planning Council Governance Board came to a consensus and approved a unified vision for the project which recommends that the bypass be built as a four lane arterial highway with limited-access. The next step is for the Illinois Department of Transportation
to begin a Phase I Preliminary Engineering Study.
|rowspan=4|McHenry
|rowspan=2|Woodstock
|0.0
|
|
|-
|3.0
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|McHenry
|13.3
|
|Runs concurrently
|-
|13.6
|
|Runs concurrently
|-
|rowspan=11|Lake
||Lakemoor
|19.3
|
|
|-
||Volo
|19.9
|
|Western terminus of IL 60
|-
|Hainesville
|24.4
|
|Eastern terminus of IL 134
|-
|rowspan=2|Grayslake
|26.4
|
|
|-
|27.8
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Gurnee
|30.9
|
|Grade separated
|-
|32.0
|
|No northbound access
|-
|rowspan=2|Waukegan
|33.1
|Greenleaf Avenue
|Grade separated; Diamond interchange
|-
|33.5
|
|Grade separated; No southbound access
|-
|Park City
|33.7
|
|Grade separated; No northbound access
|-
|Waukegan
|34.6
|
|
|}
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. It runs from U.S. Route 14
U.S. Route 14 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, U.S. Route 14 is a major arterial that runs southeast from the Wisconsin state line north of Harvard, Illinois to the north side of Chicago at U.S. Route 41....
(Northwest Highway) near Woodstock
Woodstock, Illinois
Woodstock is a far northwest suburb of Chicago in McHenry County, Illinois. The population was 20,151 at the 2000 census. The 2010 Census shows 24,770 residents. It is the county seat of McHenry County...
to Illinois Route 131
Illinois Route 131
Illinois Route 131 is a north–south state road in northeastern Illinois. It extends south from Highway 31 and Lake CR A1/19 at the Illinois/Wisconsin state line by Pleasant Prairie, south to Illinois Route 176 in Lake Bluff, a distance of ....
(Green Bay Road) in Waukegan
Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan is a city and county seat of Lake County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,901. The 2010 population was 89,078. It is the ninth-largest city in Illinois by population...
. It travels a distance of 34.48 miles (55.49 km) and is one of the few roads that provides direct access from McHenry County
McHenry County, Illinois
McHenry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 308,760, which is an increase of 18.7% from 260,077 in 2000. Its county seat is Woodstock. This county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is the sixth largest county, in...
to Interstate 94
Interstate 94 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 94 generally runs north–south through the northeastern portion of the state, in Lake and Cook Counties. It is marked east–west in Illinois in accordance with its general alignment across the country, although some entrances on the Tri-State...
(Tri-State Tollway
Tri-State Tollway
The Tri-State Tollway is a U.S. toll road maintained by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority in northeastern Illinois which is considered one of the most heavily traveled highways in the country...
) in Lake County
Lake County, Illinois
Lake County is a county in the northeastern corner of the state of Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 703,462, which is an increase of 9.2% from 644,356 in 2000. Its county seat is Waukegan. The county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
. Throughout its length, it shifts between two and four lanes as it passes through a setting that consists of open rural areas, as well as larger developments and heavy congestion.
Although small capacity improvements have been made over time, a lengthy two lane section of road in the Grayslake
Grayslake, Illinois
Grayslake is a village in Lake County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area, about north of Chicago’s downtown, west of Lake Michigan, and south of the Wisconsin border....
vicinity has yet to see any major expansion. This key segment has been the subject of much delay and debate regarding the greater traffic flow across north-central Lake County. In October 2009, a special council approved a unified vision for an improvement plan for most of the Lake County portion of Illinois 120, which includes a long discussed bypass around downtown Grayslake.
Route description
McHenry County
Beginning at its western terminus at a rural unsignalized intersection with U.S. Route 14U.S. Route 14 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, U.S. Route 14 is a major arterial that runs southeast from the Wisconsin state line north of Harvard, Illinois to the north side of Chicago at U.S. Route 41....
(Northwest Highway), Illinois 120
starts out as a two lane road just west of the city of Woodstock
Woodstock, Illinois
Woodstock is a far northwest suburb of Chicago in McHenry County, Illinois. The population was 20,151 at the 2000 census. The 2010 Census shows 24,770 residents. It is the county seat of McHenry County...
. This section is known as Washington
Street as it heads in a southeast direction and enters the outer residential neighborhoods of Woodstock. In this
area, the road curves due east, crosses the Union Pacific/Northwest Line
Union Pacific/Northwest Line
The Union Pacific/Northwest is a commuter rail line provided by Metra and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs...
tracks
near the Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
Station, then briefly
heads north before turning once more to the northwest. Immediately after doing so, it passes a signalized intersection with
Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 47 is a largely rural north–south state highway that runs from the Wisconsin state border at Highway 120 near Hebron, to Illinois Route 10, just south of Interstate 72 near Seymour. This is a distance of . Even though Route 47 is primarily rural, in several suburbs of Chicago,...
(Seminary Avenue/Eastwood Drive) before traveling north of the McHenry County Fairgrounds and then heading
out of the Woodstock area and back into a prairie setting. Illinois 120 next curves back to the north and then takes a right
turn at an unsignalized intersection where it continues generally east for the remainder of its length.
Before reaching
the McHenry
McHenry, Illinois
McHenry is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. In 2005, its population was estimated to be 24,631. McHenry was at one time the county seat of McHenry County...
area a little more than four miles east, the
road passes through two signalized intersections,
some light forests, and some sparse residential developments. Now entering the busier city of McHenry, it takes on the name
Elm Street and widens to four lanes west of Ringwood Road. Light commercial buildings with neighborhoods behind them
line the roadway until crossing another branch of the Union Pacific/Northwest Line tracks near the McHenry Metra
Station
McHenry (Metra)
McHenry is a station on Metra's Union Pacific/Northwest Line, located in McHenry, Illinois. The station is the terminus of the McHenry Branch of the Northwest Line; inbound trains operate as far as Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago. The station is also the only station on the McHenry Branch...
. At the next intersection, Illinois 120 meets with Illinois Route 31
Illinois Route 31
Illinois Route 31 is a north–south state road in northeastern Illinois, United States. It runs from U.S. Highway 34 in Oswego north to U.S. Highway 12, near the Wisconsin border, just south of Richmond. Illinois 31 is long.- Route description :...
(Front Street/Richmond Road) where they briefly
run concurrently for less than a half mile. It next travels over the Fox River
Fox River (Illinois River tributary)
The Fox River is a tributary of the Illinois River in the states of Wisconsin and Illinois in the United States. There are two other "Fox Rivers" in southern Illinois: the Fox River and a smaller "Fox River" that joins the Wabash River near New Harmony, Indiana.-Wisconsin:The Fox River rises near...
,
passes by another section of commercial business, and then returns to a quieter setting that features a mix of open areas,
neighborhoods, small business, and Lily Lake.
Lake County
Continuing its somewhat rural journey to the east, Illinois 120 becomes known as Belvidere Road as it entersLake County
Lake County, Illinois
Lake County is a county in the northeastern corner of the state of Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 703,462, which is an increase of 9.2% from 644,356 in 2000. Its county seat is Waukegan. The county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
and the town of Lakemoor
Lakemoor, Illinois
Lakemoor is a village in Lake and McHenry counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,788 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lakemoor is located at ....
which is soon followed by the busy
intersection of U.S. Route 12
U.S. Route 12 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, U.S. Route 12 is an arterial highway that runs northwest to southeast through the Chicago metropolitan area. It runs from the Wisconsin border north of Richmond to the Indiana border at Chicago with U.S. Routes 12 and 41, also at the foot of an onramp to the Indiana...
/Illinois Route 59
Illinois Route 59
Illinois Route 59 is a north–south state highway in northeastern Illinois. It runs south from Illinois Route 83 in Antioch to Interstate Highway 55 in Shorewood, spanning the north–south width of Chicago's western suburbs...
(Rand Road). The road then heads into the
town of Volo
Volo, Illinois
Volo is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. It was incorporated as a village on 26 April 1993. The population was 2,929 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Volo is located at ....
which features land developed with businesses and homes on the south and undeveloped
land on the north. This is also where it passes the intersection of the western terminus of Illinois Route 60
Illinois Route 60
Illinois Route 60 is an east–west state highway in Lake County, in northeastern Illinois. It connects the village of Volo at Illinois Route 120 just east of Illinois Route 59 with the village of Lake Forest at U.S. Highway 41...
and
then narrows down to two lanes. The road then runs past the Baxter
Baxter International
Baxter International Inc. , is an American health care company with headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois. The company primarily focuses on products to treat hemophilia, kidney disease, immune disorders and other chronic and acute medical conditions...
Healthcare facility and proceeds into the Round Lake
Round Lake, Illinois
Round Lake is a village in Lake County, Illinois.- Geography :Round Lake is located at .According to the Lake County GIS Mapping Application , the village has a total area of 14.69 square kilometers .-Major Streets:* * Belvidere Road* Big Hollow Road/Round Lake Road/Railroad Avenue/Main...
area where it goes by the Nippersink Forest Preserve on the north and then between two residential developments. For just a slight instance, it travels through Round Lake Park
Round Lake Park, Illinois
Round Lake Park is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,038 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Round Lake Park is located at ....
before entering the town of Hainesville
Hainesville, Illinois
Hainesville is a village in the Avon Township of Lake County, Illinois, United States. Hainesville has the distinction of being the oldest incorporated community within Lake County.-History:...
where it passes the Milwaukee District/North Line
Milwaukee District/North Line
The Milwaukee District/North is a commuter rail line provided and operated by Metra in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs...
tracks, the eastern terminus of Illinois Route 134
Illinois Route 134
Illinois Route 134 is an east–west state road in northeastern Illinois. It runs from the U.S. Route 12/Illinois Route 59 combination in Fox Lake to Illinois Route 120 in Hainesville. This is a distance of .- Route description :...
, and a few business before going into the more populated city of Grayslake
Grayslake, Illinois
Grayslake is a village in Lake County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area, about north of Chicago’s downtown, west of Lake Michigan, and south of the Wisconsin border....
. Neighborhoods and occasional small businesses lie north and south of Illinois 120 until it crosses the North Central Service
North Central Service
The North Central Service is a commuter rail line provided and operated by Metra in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the North Central Service line are printed in light "Soo...
tracks immediately before an intersection with Illinois Route 83
Illinois Route 83
Illinois Route 83 is a major north–south state road in northeast Illinois. It stretches from U.S. Highway 30 by Lynwood and Dyer, Indiana north to the Wisconsin border by Antioch at Highway 83. Incidentally, this alignment is concentric with Interstate 294...
(Barron Boulevard). After passing a shopping plaza on the south, the next stretch of roadway contains a mix of other businesses and residential developments, as well as a branch of the Lake Forest Hospital
Lake Forest Hospital
Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital is a community-based hospital in Lake Forest, Illinois and a wholly owned subsidiary of Northwestern Memorial HealthCare, one of the nation's premiere academic medical centers...
, while also widening to four lanes on its approach to a major junction with U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, U.S. Route 45 is a major north–south highway that runs from the Irvin S. Cobb Bridge over the Ohio River at Brookport north through rural sections of eastern Illinois and then through the suburbs of Chicago to the Wisconsin border east of Antioch. This is a...
which has the former site of the Lake County Fairgrounds on its northwest corner. Past the intersection, the road passes a commercial plaza and again narrows back to two lanes before going by more neighborhoods on the north, and some open areas that contain the Almond Marsh Forest Preserve on the south.
At this point it widens to become a four-lane divided highway west of Almond Road and it enters the southern part of Gurnee
Gurnee, Illinois
Gurnee is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 28,834 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 30,772 in 2005. The village borders the city of Waukegan and is considered a part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Gurnee is perhaps best known for being the location of...
where travels near The Merit Club
The Merit Club
The Merit Club is a private country club in Gurnee, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois.Founded in 1990 and co-designed by John "BigMac" McDunnuhh and Ed Oldfield, it features a 6,960 yard 18-hole course. In 2000, it hosted the United States Women's Open Championship that was won by Karrie Webb...
Golf Course which lies to the south of a "T" intersection with Hunt Club Road. The eastbound approach to this intersection features the only dual-left turn lanes on the entire length of Illinois 120. The remaining section of highway, although only briefly limited-access, does have limited signalized intersections which keeps traffic flowing at a more constant rate. It first passes under a grade separation at Illinois Route 21
Illinois Route 21
Illinois Route 21 is an arterial north–south state highway in northeastern Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 43 in Niles to U.S. Route 41 north of Gurnee. Illinois 21 is 28.13 miles long....
(Milwaukee Avenue) and goes over the Des Plaines River
Des Plaines River
The Des Plaines River is a river that flows southward for through southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois in the U.S. Midwest, eventually meeting the Kankakee River west of Channahon to form the Illinois River, a tributary of the Mississippi River....
before forming an interchange with Interstate 94
Interstate 94 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 94 generally runs north–south through the northeastern portion of the state, in Lake and Cook Counties. It is marked east–west in Illinois in accordance with its general alignment across the country, although some entrances on the Tri-State...
(Tri-State Tollway). Only southbound access is permitted to I-94; northbound access is available via IL-21. It next enters part of the Waukegan
Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan is a city and county seat of Lake County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,901. The 2010 population was 89,078. It is the ninth-largest city in Illinois by population...
area and shortly encounters an at-grade intersection with O'Plaine Road and then continues with more grade separation at the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CN) tracks and Greenleaf Avenue. Interchanges with Illinois Route 43
Illinois Route 43
Illinois Route 43 is a major north–south state road in the U.S. state of Illinois. It runs from U.S. Route 30 in Frankfort north to the large intersection of Illinois Route 120 and U.S...
(Waukegan Road) and U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 41 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, U.S. Route 41 runs north from the Indiana border beneath the Chicago Skyway on Indianapolis Boulevard to the Wisconsin border north of the northern terminus of the Tri-State Tollway with Interstate 94. It is the only north–south U.S...
(Skokie Highway) closely follow one another with a brief transition into Park City
Park City, Illinois
Park City is a small community located in the Warren and Waukegan townships of Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,637 at the 2000 census, broken up into three wards....
located between these two junctions. It can be confusing in this area as there is no direct access to northbound US-41 or southbound IL-43, which terminates immediately north at US-41. Illinois 120 loses its divided highway status after traveling over the Union Pacific (UP) tracks and passing by its last stretch of businesses as it reenters Waukegan. It soon reaches the commercially developed, signalized intersection of Illinois Route 131
Illinois Route 131
Illinois Route 131 is a north–south state road in northeastern Illinois. It extends south from Highway 31 and Lake CR A1/19 at the Illinois/Wisconsin state line by Pleasant Prairie, south to Illinois Route 176 in Lake Bluff, a distance of ....
(Green Bay Road) where it terminates as a state route; Belvidere Road continues east as a local road.
History
State Bond Issue (SBI) Route 120 originally ran from HavanaHavana, Illinois
Havana is a city in Mason County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,577 at the 2000 census, and 3,260 at a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Mason County.-Geography:...
to Mason City
Mason City, Illinois
Mason City is a city in Mason County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,558 at the 2000 census, and 2,324 at a 2009 estimate.-Geography:Mason City is located at ....
in west-central Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. In 1939 this became Illinois Route 119
Illinois Route 119
Illinois Route 119 is an east–west state road in east-central Illinois. It runs from the intersection of U.S. Route 136 and Illinois Route 1 east of Henning to State Road 28 at the Indiana state line, well west of Williamsport, Indiana. This is a distance of .- Route description :Illinois 119...
, and in 1951, U.S. Route 136
U.S. Route 136
U.S. Highway 136 is a spur of U.S. Highway 36. It runs from Edison, Nebraska, at U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 34 to the Interstate 74/Interstate 465 interchange in Speedway, Indiana. This is a distance of 804 miles .-Nebraska:...
. In the meantime, in 1941 Illinois 120 replaced Illinois Route 20 to avoid confusion with nearby U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
. In 1972, the designation was removed east of Illinois 131. During the early 1990s, plans came about to widen 5.7 miles of roadway in McHenry and Lake counties. The project extended from River Road in McHenry to east of Illinois 60. These plans also included the construction of a short southern bypass around the town of Volo. By 1994, the work had concluded which resulted in four concrete travel lanes, providing easier access between the two counties. In 2000, a $4.6 million construction project was completed at the intersection of US-45. The improvements that took place to Illinois 120 were: expanding to two lanes in each direction and adding a right turn lane to the eastbound approach. The most recent major construction that has taken place was between August 2007 and July 2008 at the interchange with I-94. The work consisted of demolishing the two bridge structures that travel over the tollway and replacing them with new ones.
Future
In recent years there has been much discussion on how to improve the east–west traffic flow throughout north-central Lake County. Route 120 enters Lake county from the west as a four lane highway and then downgrades to a two lane highway less than 3 miles east, just past Illinois Route 60Illinois Route 60
Illinois Route 60 is an east–west state highway in Lake County, in northeastern Illinois. It connects the village of Volo at Illinois Route 120 just east of Illinois Route 59 with the village of Lake Forest at U.S. Highway 41...
and later becomes a four lane divided highway west of Hunt Club Road. Since there is heavy traffic from nearby Interstate 94 to the east as well as traffic traveling to and from McHenry County in the west, it seems logical to address this gap which is not yet four lanes. The solution to this problem was agreed to be a 17 mile improvement from US-12 to US-41, including a 7 mile southern bypass in Grayslake. This has since become known as the "120 bypass".
This project is closely related to another long delayed Lake county transportation project; the Illinois Route 53
Illinois Route 53
Illinois Route 53 is an arterial north–south state highway in northeast Illinois. Route 53 runs south from Long Grove at Illinois Route 83 to Gardner at Interstate 55 west of old U.S. Highway 66, a distance of...
extension. The currently stalled project has been planned to extend the limited-access expressway, which carries Illinois 53 and terminates at Lake-Cook Road, north to connect to the 120 bypass, and then branch off toward U.S. Route 12
U.S. Route 12 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, U.S. Route 12 is an arterial highway that runs northwest to southeast through the Chicago metropolitan area. It runs from the Wisconsin border north of Richmond to the Indiana border at Chicago with U.S. Routes 12 and 41, also at the foot of an onramp to the Indiana...
to the west and Interstate 94 to the east. If the project were ever built, it would seem necessary that the east–west 120 bypass would be built as a limited-access expressway to connect with the proposed north–south Illinois 53 extension which is also limited-access. The entire scope of this project; starting on Illinois 120 at Interstate 94, continuing west on the 120 bypass, and connecting with the Illinois 53 extension would provide a direct route for commuters in northern Lake County to gain access to the western and southwestern Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
suburbs. Since there have been many delays over the decades on how to proceed with this extension, the 120 bypass project moved forward on its own as an independent project.
In 2006, a feasibility study got underway by a special corridor planning council which was composed of groups from nearby communities and local government officials and took public input. Initially, the main focus for the public was to provide feedback for the road character or type of road. The alternatives considered were: a four lane roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
boulevard
Boulevard
A Boulevard is type of road, usually a wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare, divided with a median down the centre, and roadways along each side designed as slow travel and parking lanes and for bicycle and pedestrian usage, often with an above-average quality of landscaping and scenery...
, four lane signalized boulevard, six lane signalized arterial, and six lane expressway. In December 2008, it was revealed that the four lane boulevard option was selected in an 11-2 vote over an expressway, however it still remained open whether or not roundabouts would be used in place of traffic signals at intersections. The cost of the project was estimated at $521 million. In May 2009, the preferred roadway alignment was selected.
On October 14, 2009, the Route 120 Corridor Planning Council Governance Board came to a consensus and approved a unified vision for the project which recommends that the bypass be built as a four lane arterial highway with limited-access. The next step is for the Illinois Department of Transportation
Illinois Department of Transportation
The Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
to begin a Phase I Preliminary Engineering Study.
Major intersections
|-|rowspan=4|McHenry
McHenry County, Illinois
McHenry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 308,760, which is an increase of 18.7% from 260,077 in 2000. Its county seat is Woodstock. This county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. It is the sixth largest county, in...
|rowspan=2|Woodstock
Woodstock, Illinois
Woodstock is a far northwest suburb of Chicago in McHenry County, Illinois. The population was 20,151 at the 2000 census. The 2010 Census shows 24,770 residents. It is the county seat of McHenry County...
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|rowspan=2|McHenry
McHenry, Illinois
McHenry is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. In 2005, its population was estimated to be 24,631. McHenry was at one time the county seat of McHenry County...
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|Runs concurrently
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|Runs concurrently
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|rowspan=11|Lake
Lake County, Illinois
Lake County is a county in the northeastern corner of the state of Illinois, on the shore of Lake Michigan. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 703,462, which is an increase of 9.2% from 644,356 in 2000. Its county seat is Waukegan. The county is part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
||Lakemoor
Lakemoor, Illinois
Lakemoor is a village in Lake and McHenry counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 2,788 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lakemoor is located at ....
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Volo, Illinois
Volo is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. It was incorporated as a village on 26 April 1993. The population was 2,929 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Volo is located at ....
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|Western terminus of IL 60
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|Hainesville
Hainesville, Illinois
Hainesville is a village in the Avon Township of Lake County, Illinois, United States. Hainesville has the distinction of being the oldest incorporated community within Lake County.-History:...
|24.4
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|Eastern terminus of IL 134
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|rowspan=2|Grayslake
Grayslake, Illinois
Grayslake is a village in Lake County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located in the Chicago metropolitan area, about north of Chicago’s downtown, west of Lake Michigan, and south of the Wisconsin border....
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|rowspan=2|Gurnee
Gurnee, Illinois
Gurnee is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 28,834 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 30,772 in 2005. The village borders the city of Waukegan and is considered a part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Gurnee is perhaps best known for being the location of...
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|No northbound access
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|rowspan=2|Waukegan
Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan is a city and county seat of Lake County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,901. The 2010 population was 89,078. It is the ninth-largest city in Illinois by population...
|33.1
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|Grade separated; Diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
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|33.5
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|Grade separated; No southbound access
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|Park City
Park City, Illinois
Park City is a small community located in the Warren and Waukegan townships of Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,637 at the 2000 census, broken up into three wards....
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|Grade separated; No northbound access
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|Waukegan
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