Illinois Route 23 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Illinois Route 23 is a north–south state highway in northern 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,...

. It runs from Illinois Route 116

Illinois Route 116

Illinois Route 116 is a cross-state rural state highway that runs from U.S. Route 34 by Gladstone east to the intersection of U.S. Route 45 and Old U.S. Route 45, on the north side of Ashkum...

in Pontiac

Pontiac, Illinois

Pontiac is a city in Livingston County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,931 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Livingston County...

north to U.S. Route 14

U.S. Route 14

U.S. Route 14 , an east–west route, is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It currently has a length of 1,398 miles , but it had a peak length of 1,429 miles . For much of its length, it runs roughly parallel to Interstate 90.As of 2004, the highway's eastern terminus is in...

south of Harvard

Harvard, Illinois

Harvard is a city located in McHenry County in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Illinois, approximately south of the Illinois/Wisconsin border. The population was 7,996 at the 2000 census...

. This is a distance of 126.17 miles (203.05 km).

Route description

Illinois 23 is a major arterial route in rural central and north-central Illinois. It is a parallel to the Interstate 39

Interstate 39

Interstate 39 is a highway in the midwestern United States. I-39 runs from Normal, Illinois at Interstate 55 to Highway 29 in Rothschild, Wisconsin, approximately six miles south of Wausau. I-39 was designed to replace US Highway 51, which in the early 1980s was one of the busiest two-lane...

/U.S. Route 51

U.S. Route 51

U.S. Route 51 is a north–south United States highway that runs for 1,286 miles from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana to within of the Wisconsin-Michigan border. Much of the highway in Illinois and southern Wisconsin runs parallel to or overlaps Interstate 39...

combination approximately 20 miles (32 km) to the west.

The road starts near downtown Pontiac

Pontiac, Illinois

Pontiac is a city in Livingston County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,931 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Livingston County...

and runs as the main highway north, intersecting with Interstate 55

Interstate 55

Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...

and former U.S. Route 66

U.S. Route 66

U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...

. It is a two lane highway at this point. Illinois 23 then turns west and runs through Cornell

Cornell, Illinois

Cornell is a village in Livingston County, Illinois, United States. The population was 511 at the 2000 census. It is a part of the geographic region known as Streatorland.-Geography:Cornell is located at ....

, and turns back north to travel through the middle of Streator

Streator, Illinois

Streator is a city in LaSalle and partially in Livingston counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city is situated on the Vermilion River approximately southwest of Chicago, Illinois in the prairie and farm land of north-central Illinois. It is the center of the geographic region known as...

. At Ottawa

Ottawa, Illinois

Ottawa is a city located at the confluence of the Illinois River and Fox River in LaSalle County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,786...

, the road grows to six lanes (across two different roads) when concurrent

Concurrency (road)

A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...

with Illinois Route 71

Illinois Route 71

Illinois Route 71 is a long southwest-to-northeast state highway in north central Illinois. It runs from the end of Interstate 180 in Hennepin to U.S. Route 34 in Oswego...

—Illinois 71 joins with it to cross the Illinois River

Illinois River

The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...

.

North of Ottawa, Illinois 23 has a full diamond interchange with Interstate 80

Interstate 80

Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...

. This is the last full interchange Illinois 23 has south of its terminus at Harvard

Harvard, Illinois

. Illinois 23 has two additional concurrencies with U.S. Route 34

U.S. Route 34

U.S. Route 34 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 1,122 miles from north-central Colorado to the western suburbs of Chicago. Through Rocky Mountain National Park it is known as the Trail Ridge Road where it reaches 12,183 ft , making it the highest paved through highway in...

and U.S. Route 52

U.S. Route 52

U.S. Route 52 is a United States highway that runs across the northern, eastern and southeastern regions of the United States. Contrary to most other even-numbered U.S...

, though no notable cities are present between Ottawa and DeKalb

DeKalb, Illinois

DeKalb is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43,862 at the 2010 census, up from 39,018 at the 2000 census. The city is named after decorated German war hero Johann De Kalb, who died during the American Revolutionary War....

. Illinois 23 runs under Interstate 88

Interstate 88 (west)

Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway in the state of Illinois. It runs from an interchange with Interstate 80 near Silvis and Moline to an interchange with Interstates 290 and 294 in Hillside, near Chicago...

with no intersection, though access is available via Fairview Drive to two parallel roads with interchanges (Peace Road and Annie Glidden Road). Between DeKalb and Sycamore

Sycamore, Illinois

Sycamore is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. It has a commercial district based and centered on Illinois Route 64. The population was 17,519 at the 2010 census, up from 12,020 at the 2000 census.-Early settlement:...

, Illinois 23 has four lanes. In Sycamore, Illinois 23 briefly overlaps Illinois Route 64

Illinois Route 64

Illinois Route 64 is an east–west road in north-central Illinois. Its western terminus is at the Iowa state line, connecting with U.S. Route 52 and Iowa Highway 64 via the Savanna-Sabula Bridge at the Mississippi River west of Savanna...

. After one final concurrency at Illinois Route 72

Illinois Route 72

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 in Chicago...

near Genoa

Genoa, Illinois

Genoa is a city in the north-east corner of DeKalb County, Illinois in the United States. It is located on the historic Galena-Chicago stagecoach route. At the 2010 census the city had a population of 5,193, up from 4,169 at the 2000 census.-History:...

, Illinois 23 travels over Interstate 90

Interstate 90

Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...

with no intersection and no nearby access. The closest way is via 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...

, and if you are destined to Chicago, turn east. Rockford-Madison, turn west. It runs through Marengo

Marengo, Illinois

Marengo is a city in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,355 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Marengo is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Major Streets:...

and terminates south of Harvard at U.S. Route 14

U.S. Route 14

History

Illinois 23 was established in 1918 as one of the original 46 SBI routes. The routing of Illinois 23 has not changed since its establishment.

Future

Although Route 23 crosses over I-90, there is no exit. Future plans include creating an exit that would open up a faster route to Marengo

Marengo, Illinois

and Genoa

Genoa, Illinois

Major junctions

{|class=wikitable
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Destination
!Notes
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|rowspan=5|Livingston

Livingston County, Illinois

Livingston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 38,950, which is a decrease of 1.8% from 39,678 in 2000. Its county seat is Pontiac....

|rowspan=2|Pontiac

Pontiac, Illinois

Pontiac is a city in Livingston County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,931 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Livingston County...

La Salle County, Illinois

LaSalle County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 113,924, which is an increase of 2.2% from 111,509 in 2000. Its county seat and largest city is Ottawa....

|Streator

Streator, Illinois

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|Ottawa

Ottawa, Illinois

Ottawa is a city located at the confluence of the Illinois River and Fox River in LaSalle County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,786...

Illinois River

Ottawa, Illinois

Ottawa is a city located at the confluence of the Illinois River and Fox River in LaSalle County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 18,786...

DeKalb County, Illinois

DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 105,160, which is an increase of 18.2% from 88,969 in 2000. Its county seat is Sycamore. DeKalb County is part of the Chicago metropolitan statistical area.-History:DeKalb County...

|Waterman

Waterman, Illinois

Waterman is a village in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,506 at the 2010 census, up from 1224 at the 2000 census.The village is known for the train line that operates in Lion's Club Park...

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DeKalb, Illinois

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|Sycamore

Sycamore, Illinois

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|Genoa

Genoa, Illinois

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|Marengo

Marengo, Illinois

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|Harvard

Harvard, Illinois

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External links

Illinois Highway Ends: Illinois Route 23

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