The Skokie Highway is a major arterial highway running north of 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...

 through the far northeastern portion of the U.S. state

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of 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 the intersection of Illinois Route 50

Illinois Route 50

Illinois Route 50 is a north–south state road in northeastern Illinois. It runs from the junction with U.S. Route 45 in West Kankakee north to U.S. Route 41 in Skokie. This is a distance of . In Chicago and the suburbs it's known as Cicero Avenue...

 in Skokie

Skokie, Illinois

Skokie is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Its name comes from a Native American word for "fire". A Chicago suburb, for many years Skokie promoted itself as "The World's Largest Village". Its population, per the 2000 census, was 63,348...

 north to the Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

 state line at Interstate 94

Interstate 94

Interstate 94 is the northernmost east–west Interstate Highway, connecting the Great Lakes and Intermountain regions of the United States. I-94's western terminus is in Billings, Montana at a junction with Interstate 90; its eastern terminus is the U.S...

 near Wadsworth

Wadsworth, Illinois

Wadsworth is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,083 at the 2000 census. It is named after , who was on the board of directors for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St...

. All of the Skokie Highway is marked as U.S. Route 41

U.S. Route 41

U.S. Route 41 is a north–south United States Highway that runs from Miami, Florida to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, was U.S...

. It parallels the Skokie River

Skokie River

The Skokie River is a river that flows through the northern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. It flows almost parallel to the shore of Lake Michigan, and historically discharged its outflow into that lake via the Chicago River...

 for its entire length and is named for that river and surrounding lagoon

Lagoon

A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...

s, not the village of Skokie.

Construction of the highway commenced in 1931 to provide a more convenient method of travel in Lake County, Illinois

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...

, which previously depended on Sheridan Road

Sheridan Road

Sheridan Road is a major north-south thoroughfare that leads from Diversey Parkway in Chicago, Illinois, north to the Illinois-Wisconsin border and beyond to Racine. Throughout most of its run, it is the easternmost north-south through street, closest to Lake Michigan...

.

Route description

The Skokie Highway begins at the angled intersection of Cicero Avenue (Illinois Route 50), Howard Street

Howard Street (Chicago)

Howard Street, alternately known as Sibley Avenue in Park Ridge, is a major east-west thoroughfare in the Chicago metropolitan area. At Paulina Street, it houses the Howard CTA Station, the northern terminus of the Red Line, and, between Paulina Street and Kedzie Avenue, serves as the border...

 and Lincoln Avenue

Lincoln Avenue (Chicago)

Lincoln Avenue is a major diagonal thoroughfare of the north side of city of Chicago. It runs from Clark Street on the western border of Lincoln Park largely to the northwest, ending in Morton Grove, Illinois...

 (U.S. 41) southeast of downtown Skokie. It then runs north to the Edens Plaza Shopping Center in Wilmette

Wilmette, Illinois

Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located north of Chicago's downtown district and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore district...

 before turning northwest slightly and merging onto the Edens Expressway

Edens Expressway

The Edens Expressway is the main major expressway north from the city of Chicago. For most of its length, the Edens carries Interstate 94; it also carries U.S. Route 41 from Wilmette to its northern terminus. Only the short portion from the Spur Ramp to the expressway's end in Highland Park does...

 (I-94). The two run together for about 4 miles (6 km) before I-94 splits west and joins the 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...

. U.S. 41 continues north as a limited access freeway, having exits at Lake-Cook Road, Clavey Road, a subdivision, and Central Avenue/Deerfield Road. At Park Avenue West, it becomes a 4-lane divided surface road.

The Skokie Highway continues north mainly as a 4-lane divided highway, with some interchanges and some intersections with traffic signals, usually with other state highways or arterial routes into the adjoining municipalities. It closely parallels the Tri-State Tollway, which is located to the west, and was constructed after the Skokie Highway.

Portions of Skokie Highway or the local road paralleling the Edens Expressway are also known as Skokie Road in Wilmette, Skokie Boulevard in Skokie and Northbrook

Northbrook, Illinois

Northbrook is a village located at the northern edge of Cook County, Illinois, which is also a North Shore suburb of Chicago. The population was 33,170 at the 2010 census....

, and Skokie Valley Road in Highland Park

Highland Park, Illinois

Highland Park is a suburban municipality in Lake County, Illinois, United States, about north of downtown Chicago. As of 2009, the population is 33,492. Highland Park is one of several municipalities located on the North Shore of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.-Overview:Highland Park was founded...

.

Major intersections

County	Location	Mile	Junction	Notes
US 41 continues southeast onto Lincoln Avenue
Cook Cook County, Illinois Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...	Skokie Skokie, Illinois Skokie is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Its name comes from a Native American word for "fire". A Chicago suburb, for many years Skokie promoted itself as "The World's Largest Village". Its population, per the 2000 census, was 63,348...	0.0
		1.6
	Wilmette Wilmette, Illinois Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located north of Chicago's downtown district and has a population of 27,651. Wilmette is considered a bedroom community in the North Shore district...	5.0		Beginning of concurrency with I-94
	See Interstate 94 in Illinois 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...  for exits on the concurrency with Interstate 94
	Northbrook Northbrook, Illinois Northbrook is a village located at the northern edge of Cook County, Illinois, which is also a North Shore suburb of Chicago. The population was 33,170 at the 2010 census....	9.0		End of concurrency with I-94 Skokie Highway continues north as a freeway
Cook and 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...	Northbrook and Highland Park Highland Park, Illinois Highland Park is a suburban municipality in Lake County, Illinois, United States, about north of downtown Chicago. As of 2009, the population is 33,492. Highland Park is one of several municipalities located on the North Shore of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.-Overview:Highland Park was founded...	9.9	Lake Cook Road
Lake	Highland Park	10.5	Clavey Road
		12.1	Deerfield Road	Last exit on freeway portion of Skokie Highway
		13.6
	Lake Forest Lake Forest, Illinois Lake Forest is an affluent city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in...	16.8
	Lake Bluff Lake Bluff, Illinois Lake Bluff is a village in Lake County, Illinois. It is the closest moderate-sized town near the Great Lakes Navy Base and is North of Lake Forest. The population is 6,056 according to the 2000 census. The town has a police department and volunteer fire department.-History:In 1836, John and...	19.6
	North Chicago North Chicago, Illinois North Chicago is an outer suburb/exurb of the Chicago metropolitan area and is an incorporated city in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 35,918 at the 2000 census....	21.7
	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....	24.5
		25.0
	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...	26.1
		27.2
	Wadsworth Wadsworth, Illinois Wadsworth is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,083 at the 2000 census. It is named after , who was on the board of directors for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St...	32.7
		35.0
US 41 continues north onto Interstate 94