Interstate 180 (Illinois)
Interstate 180 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
I-180 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Auxiliary route of I-80 | ||||
| Maintained by IDOT | ||||
| Length | 13.19 mi[1] (21.23 km) | |||
| Existed | 1967–present | |||
| History | Completed in 1969[2] | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |   IL 26 / IL 71 in Hennepin | |||
 US 6 in Princeton | ||||
| North end |  I-80 in Princeton | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Illinois | |||
| Counties | Putnam, Bureau | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Interstate 180 (I-180) is a north–south spur highway in Illinois that runs from Princeton to the small town of Hennepin at its southern terminus. It is 13.19 miles (21.23 km) long.[1]
Route description
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I-180 begins as a continuation of Illinois Route 71 (IL 71) at a diamond interchange with IL 26 northeast of Hennepin. The interchange is located adjacent to a former steel mill that was most recently operated by ArcelorMittal but closed in 2009 and demolished in 2017.[3] The freeway travels northwest, carrying I-180 and IL 26 in a concurrency, and crosses the Illinois River on the north side of Hennepin to enter Bureau County.[4]
On the west side of the river, IL 26 separates from I-180 and the freeway crosses over IL 29 before splitting at a Y interchange. I-180 turns north, intersecting an expressway that connects to IL 29, and travels northeast across Big Bureau Creek to intersect IL 26. The freeway intersects US Route 6 (US 6) east of Princeton and continues due north to its terminus, a trumpet interchange with I-80. I-180 has four lanes for most of its length, though an additional 1.5-mile (2.4 km) southbound lane exists prior to the IL 29 exit.[4]
History
Construction of I-180 was completed in 1969.[2] The freeway was built primarily to connect I-80 to a new Jones and Laughlin Steel Company steel plant built in 1965 in Hennepin.[5] However, the steel plant closed soon after I-180 was built and did not reopen until August 2002. Federal auditors criticized its construction and called it a political favor that was put ahead of requests from Tucson, Arizona, and Tacoma, Washington.[6]
I-180 is one of the least traveled Interstates in the nation, serving 1,950–3,600 vehicles per day as of 2013.[7]
In the 2010s, work started to reconstruct portions of the bridge carrying I-180 over the Illinois River. A three-year project to rebuild the deck began in 2020.[8]
Exit list
| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam | Hennepin | 0.00 | 0.00 | 14 | IL 26 – Hennepin, Lacon IL 71 east | Southern end of IL 26 concurrency; roadway continues as IL 71 |
| Illinois River | 1.0 | 1.6 | Gudmund "Sonny" Jessen Bridge | |||
| Bureau | Bureau Junction | 2.5 | 4.0 | 12 |  IL 26 north – Bureau Junction | Northern end of IL 26 concurrency; northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| 3.5 | 5.6 | — |    To IL 29 south – Peoria | Access via unnamed connector expressway | ||
| 8.0 | 12.9 | 7 | IL 26 – Princeton | |||
| Princeton | 12.0 | 19.3 | 3 | US 6 – Princeton, Spring Valley | ||
| 13.2 | 21.2 | — | I-80 – Davenport, Joliet | Northern terminus; I-80 exit 61 | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- ^ a b "Table 2: Auxiliary Routes of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System Of Interstate and Defense Highways". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Federal Highway Administration. December 31, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
- ^ a b Scott, Tony (December 21, 2006). "Strong opinions on Prairie Parkway plans". Oswego Ledger-Sentinel. Archived from the original on December 28, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2008.
- ^ Smith, Gary L. (April 19, 2017). "Shuttered Hennepin steel mill being demolished". Journal Star. Peoria, Illinois. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
- ^ a b Google (September 29, 2019). "Interstate 180" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved September 29, 2019.
- ^ "Boom Town 1965". Time. July 9, 1965. Archived from the original on January 27, 2008. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
- ^ Polk, James R. (August 4, 1970). "Federal Auditors Criticize a $40-Million Interstate Highway Spur to Illinois Steel Plant". Capital Journal. p. 26. Retrieved July 10, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Illinois Department of Transportation (2013). "T2 GIS Data". Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
- ^ "Work Continues on I-180 Bridge in Hennepin". Village of Hennepin, Illinois. September 15, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
External links
- Interstate 180 at Kurumi's Roads Page
- I-180 at Illinois Highway Ends
- Interstate 180 at Roads of the Mid-South and West