Illinois Route 97
Encyclopedia
Illinois Route 97 is a north–south state highway in the central and western portions of the U.S. state of Illinois
. It extends from exit 98 on Interstate 55
(I-55) in Springfield
northwest to U.S. Highway 150 (US 150) near Galesburg
. It crosses over the Illinois River
on a bridge west of Havana
. This is a distance of 104.43 miles (168.06 km).
on East Clear Lake Avenue. It heads east, forming a concurrency
with IL 125
. IL 97 splits off and north shortly after, entering Menard County.
In Menard County, along a concurrency with IL 123
in New Salem
, it passes Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site near Petersburg
, the home of Abraham Lincoln
in the 1830s. It afterwards passes through Mason County. The road enters Fulton County
immediately after crossing a bridge concurrent with US 136 and IL 78
.
It then passes both the Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge and Dickson Mounds
State Memorial. Afterwards, it drops the concurrency with IL 78 and US 136 but picks up US 24
. During and after it gains concurrency with IL 100
, it heads north throughout hills. It enters Knox County
after a brief concurrency with IL 9
. It continues north through hills until its northern terminus at I-74
near Galesburg
.
!County
!Location
!Mile
!Junction
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|Sangamon
|rowspan=3|Springfield
|0.0
|
|
|-
|0.5
|
|
|-
|5.8
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Menard
|
|20.1
|
|Southern end of IL 123 concurrency
|-
|Petersburg
|25.1
|
|Northern end of IL 123 concurrency
|-
|rowspan=2|Mason
|rowspan=2|Havana
|49.3
|
|Southern end of US 136 concurrency
|-
|49.8
|
|
|-
|rowspan=7|Fulton
|
|50.8
|
|Northern end of US 136 concurrency
|-
|
|57.5
|
|Southern end of US 24 concurrency; northern end of IL 78 concurrency
|-
|rowspan=2|Lewistown
|61.0
|
|Southern end of IL 100 concurrency; northern end of US 24 concurrency
|-
|62.5
|
|Northern end of IL 100 concurrency
|-
|
|73.9
|
|Southern end of IL 9 concurrency
|-
|
|75.9
|
|Northern end of IL 9 concurrency
|-
|Rapatee
|86.1
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Knox
|rowspan=2|Knoxville
|101.9
|
|Southern end of US 150 concurrency
|-
|102.4
|
|Northern end of US 150 concurrency
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 extends from exit 98 on 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...
(I-55) in Springfield
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
northwest to U.S. Highway 150 (US 150) near Galesburg
Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
. It crosses over 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...
on a bridge west of Havana
Havana, 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:...
. This is a distance of 104.43 miles (168.06 km).
Route description
IL 97 starts off in SpringfieldSpringfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
on East Clear Lake Avenue. It heads east, forming a concurrency
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 IL 125
Illinois Route 125
Illinois Route 125 is a major highway in the central portion of the U.S. state of Illinois. Illinois 125 runs east from the concurrent U.S...
. IL 97 splits off and north shortly after, entering Menard County.
In Menard County, along a concurrency with IL 123
Illinois Route 123
Illinois Route 123 is an east–west state highway in central Illinois, USA. long, it stretches from Interstate 55 exit #109 at Williamsville to Illinois Route 125 near Pleasant Plains.- Route description :...
in New Salem
New Salem (Menard County), Illinois
New Salem is the historically recreated townsite of Abraham Lincoln's, 19th century, frontier village in Menard County , Illinois, United States. During his 20s, in the 1830's, this was the homestead of the future U.S. President...
, it passes Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site near Petersburg
Petersburg, Illinois
Petersburg is a city in Menard County, Illinois, on the bluffs and part of the floodplain overlooking the Sangamon River. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,299 at the 2000 census, and 2,185 at a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Menard...
, the home of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
in the 1830s. It afterwards passes through Mason County. The road enters Fulton County
Fulton County, Illinois
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 37,069, which is a decrease of 3.1% from 38,250 in 2000. Its county seat is Lewistown. Canton is the largest city. Both cities are southwest of Peoria, and the county is considered...
immediately after crossing a bridge concurrent with US 136 and IL 78
Illinois Route 78
Illinois Route 78 is a major north–south highway in western Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 104 northwest of Jacksonville north to Highway 78 at the Wisconsin state line north of Warren...
.
It then passes both the Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge and Dickson Mounds
Dickson Mounds
Dickson Mounds is a Native American settlement site and burial mound complex near Lewistown, Illinois, is located in Fulton County on a low bluff overlooking the Illinois River. It is a large burial complex containing at least two cemeteries, ten burial mounds, and a platform mound. Dickson Mounds...
State Memorial. Afterwards, it drops the concurrency with IL 78 and US 136 but picks up US 24
U.S. Route 24 in Illinois
In the U.S. state of Illinois, U.S. Route 24 is a major arterial road that runs from the Missouri state line at the Mississippi River in Quincy to Sheldon. This is a distance of .-Route description:...
. During and after it gains concurrency with IL 100
Illinois Route 100
Illinois Route 100 is a 157 mile highway in the southwest Illinois. It generally parallels the Illinois River. Starting in downtown Alton, it trends northward to Buckheart Township near Canton. It makes up much of the Illinois River Road, a U.S. National Scenic Byway...
, it heads north throughout hills. It enters Knox County
Knox County, Illinois
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 52,919, which is a decrease of 5.2% from 55,836 in 2000...
after a brief concurrency with IL 9
Illinois Route 9
Illinois Route 9 is a cross-state, east–west rural state highway in central Illinois. It runs from the Fort Madison Toll Bridge over the Mississippi River to Iowa in Niota east to State Road 26 at the Indiana border. This is a distance of ....
. It continues north through hills until its northern terminus at I-74
Interstate 74
Interstate 74 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an intersection with Interstate 80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an intersection with Interstate 75 in Cincinnati, Ohio...
near Galesburg
Galesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
.
Major junctions
{| class=wikitable!County
!Location
!Mile
!Junction
!Notes
|-
|rowspan=3|Sangamon
Sangamon County, Illinois
Sangamon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 197,465, which is an increase of 4.5% from 188,951 in 2000...
|rowspan=3|Springfield
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
|0.0
|
|
|-
|0.5
|
|
|-
|5.8
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Menard
|
|20.1
|
|Southern end of IL 123 concurrency
|-
|Petersburg
Petersburg, Illinois
Petersburg is a city in Menard County, Illinois, on the bluffs and part of the floodplain overlooking the Sangamon River. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,299 at the 2000 census, and 2,185 at a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Menard...
|25.1
|
|Northern end of IL 123 concurrency
|-
|rowspan=2|Mason
|rowspan=2|Havana
Havana, 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:...
|49.3
|
|Southern end of US 136 concurrency
|-
|49.8
|
|
|-
|rowspan=7|Fulton
Fulton County, Illinois
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 37,069, which is a decrease of 3.1% from 38,250 in 2000. Its county seat is Lewistown. Canton is the largest city. Both cities are southwest of Peoria, and the county is considered...
|
|50.8
|
|Northern end of US 136 concurrency
|-
|
|57.5
|
|Southern end of US 24 concurrency; northern end of IL 78 concurrency
|-
|rowspan=2|Lewistown
Lewistown, Illinois
Lewistown is a city in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,522 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Fulton County. Located in central Illinois, it is southwest of Peoria. It is the source of Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters, who lived there...
|61.0
|
|Southern end of IL 100 concurrency; northern end of US 24 concurrency
|-
|62.5
|
|Northern end of IL 100 concurrency
|-
|
|73.9
|
|Southern end of IL 9 concurrency
|-
|
|75.9
|
|Northern end of IL 9 concurrency
|-
|Rapatee
|86.1
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Knox
Knox County, Illinois
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 52,919, which is a decrease of 5.2% from 55,836 in 2000...
|rowspan=2|Knoxville
Knoxville, Illinois
Knoxville is a city in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,183 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Description:Knoxville is located just southeast of the City of Galesburg...
|101.9
|
|Southern end of US 150 concurrency
|-
|102.4
|
|Northern end of US 150 concurrency