Illinois Route 2

Illinois Route 2 (IL 2) is a north–south state road in northern Illinois. It currently starts at Illinois Route 40 in Sterling and ends at the Wisconsin state line in South Beloit, very near the intersection with U.S. Route 51, Illinois Route 75 and Illinois Route 251.[3] Illinois 2 is 73.91 miles (118.95 km) long.[1]

Illinois Route 2
IL 2 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by IDOT
Length73.91 mi[1] (118.95 km)
ExistedNovember 5, 1918[2]–present
Major junctions
South end IL 40 in Sterling
  US 52 / IL 26 in Dixon
US 20 in Rockford
North end WIS 213 at South Beloit
Location
CountiesWhiteside, Lee, Ogle, Winnebago
Highway system
Illinois State Highway System
← IL 1IL 3 →

Route description

Illinois 2 follows the Rock River from Rock Island to South Beloit. It was used in the 19th century as a primary trading route from Rockford to Rock Island, The Rock River was not used as a trading route for boats as it is only navigable west of Rock Falls.

Illinois 2 has since been superseded by Interstate 39 and Interstate 88 for most ground transportation, but the original route remains.

History

SBI Route 2 originally ran from South Beloit to Cairo. Part of the roadway followed the original IL 2 from South Beloit to Dixon. It then followed south on (roughly) present-day US 52, IL 251, and US 51.[4] In 1936, IL 2 was removed south of Dixon.[5] In the late 1930s, IL 2 was extended to Rock Island.[6] By the late 1970s, IL 2 was removed west of Sterling as Illinois Route 5 (now I-88 east of I-80) was extended to Rock Island.[7]

Blue Star Memorial Highway

Illinois 2 was designated a Blue Star Memorial Highway on November 4, 1970. The sign can be found in a wayside just west of the Winnebago County line in Ogle County along the Rock River.

Sign located in Ogle County, Illinois

.

Major intersections
CountyLocationmi[1][8]kmDestinationsNotes
WhitesideSterling0.00.0 IL 40 south (Locust Street) to I-88 / US 30
IL 40 north / Lincoln Highway west (1st Avenue)South end of Lincoln Highway overlap
Freeport Road - PoloState maintained (outside Sterling)
​ Lincoln Highway east (Prairieville-Palmyra Road) – Prairieville, Gap GroveNorth end of Lincoln Highway overlap; state maintained
Lee​ Lincoln Highway west (Palmyra Road) – Gap Grove, PrairievilleSouth end of Lincoln Highway overlap; state maintained
Dixon12.319.8 US 52 west / IL 26 north (Galena Avenue) – Savanna, FreeportSouth end of US 52 / IL 26 overlap
12.720.4 US 52 east / IL 26 south / Lincoln Highway east (Galena Avenue) – Mendota, PrincetonNorth end of US 52 / IL 26 / Lincoln Highway overlap
OgleOregon28.646.0 IL 64 (Washington Street)
​37.961.0 IL 72 west – Leaf River, ForrestonSouth end of IL 72 overlap
Byron39.263.1 IL 72 east (Union Street) – GenoaNorth end of IL 72 overlap
Winnebago​50.681.4
US 20 to I-39 / I-90 – Freeport, Belvidere		Interchange
Rockford
US 20 Bus. east (Chestnut Street) to I-90 – Belvidere		One-block overlap with US 20 Bus. east, northbound only

US 20 Bus. west (Jefferson Street) – Freeport
Rockton69.1111.2 IL 75 west (Blackhawk Boulevard)South end of IL 75 overlap
South Beloit71.4114.9 IL 75 east (Gardner Street) to I-39 / I-90 / US 51North end of IL 75 overlap
71.6115.2 WIS 213 north – BeloitWisconsin state line
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References
  1. Illinois Technology Transfer Center (2007). "T2 GIS Data". Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  2. Carlson, Rick. Illinois State Highways Page: Routes 1 thru 20. Last updated March 15, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2006.
  3. Illinois Highway Ends. Illinois 2 Archived 2012-03-09 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 2, 2006.
  4. Illinois Secretary of State; H.M. Gousha (1928). Illinois Official Auto Road Map (Map). [c. 1:950,000 and c. 1:1,110,000]. Springfield: Illinois Secretary of State – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  5. Illinois Secretary of State; Rand McNally (1936). Road Map Illinois (Map). [c. 1:950,000 and c. 1:1,110,000]. Springfield: Illinois Secretary of State – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  6. Illinois Secretary of State; Rand McNally (1939). Illinois Road Map (Map) (1939–1940 ed.). c. 1:918,720. Springfield: Illinois Secretary of State – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  7. Illinois Department of Transportation (1979). Illinois Highway Map (Map). [1:772,500]. Springfield: Illinois Department of Transportation – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  8. Google Maps estimate

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