Illinois Route 336

Infobox Illinois state route
article_route = 336
length_mi = 45
length_km = 72
direction_b= North
direction_a=South
starting_terminus =
ending_terminus =
counties = Adams, Hancock
cities = None
prev_route = 294
prev_type = Interstate
next_route = 351

Illinois Route 336 is a four-lane freeway/expressway combination that serves western Illinois. It is also used to refer to the name of a future project to connect the cities of Quincy and Peoria via underserved Macomb.

As of late 2006, the highway extends north from its starting point in Fowler (near Quincy) where U.S. Highway 24 and Interstate 172 intersect, to US 136 just east of Carthage. Illinois 336 is 50 miles (80 km) long.

Although Illinois 336 no longer intersects U.S. Route 36, it may still be considered a child route of U.S. 36.

Route description

Current

Illinois 336 overlaps Illinois Route 61 from south of Mendon to south of Loraine. These two roads serve the Adams County Fairgrounds. Further north, Illinois 336 overlaps Illinois Route 94 about 7 miles past Loraine, and continues until Illinois 336 intersects with U.S. Route 136 in Carthage. (Illinois 94 continues north to near the Quad Cities).

As of October 2006, an overpass has been completed just east of Carthage, as well as 5 miles (8 km) of four-lane expressway pavement . Illinois Route 336 currently bypasses Carthage to the south and east, now intersects with U.S. Route 136 at the overpass. In Summer 2007, construction continues east of Carthage toward Macomb. Major grading for bridges over the two branches of the LaMoine River as well as an overpass for BNSF Railroad and Illinois Route 61. Grading continues south of both Tennessee and Colchester. Another highway overpass of BNSF Railroad is required as the route turns north for an eventual bypass northwest of Macomb [WIU side of city] .

Proposed

Concurrent with U.S. 136, Illinois 336 will eventually become a four-lane expressway east to Macomb. The highway will bypass the towns of Tennessee and Colchester, and then bypass Macomb to the north. North of Macomb along U.S. Highway 67, there will be a full interchange. This segment is scheduled to be completed in 2008 or 2009.

The Peoria-Macomb corridor will be constructed around 2011, pending federal funding and corridor selection. Because this portion of the project is still in the planning stages, there is no concrete information from the Department of Transportation regarding interchanges or bypasses. However, the corridor being studied closely parallels U.S. 136 to Marietta, and then Illinois Route 95 to Cuba, along Hickory Road to Canton, north on Illinois Route 78 to Farmington, then turning east along Illinois Route 116 to the Peoria area. The existing interchange (Exit 3 on Interstate 474) at West Farmington Road would serve as the logical eastern terminus. There are four proposed routes within the corridor between these two points that are being considered.

History

In the mid 1990s, the road west from Springfield to south of Quincy, U.S. 36, was cosigned Interstate 72. As a result of this change, Illinois 336 from Fall Creek at the current junction with Interstate 72, north to Fowler, was renamed from I-72/Illinois 336 to simply Interstate 172. Interestingly, this spur serves no cities directly — it is effectively an eastern bypass around Quincy on its current alignment. Regardless, the upgrade of U.S. 36 to Interstate standards provided Quincy with a much needed regional expressway.

The completion of Interstate 72 left only one other area in the state without regional freeway access — the area between Galesburg and Quincy. Specifically, Macomb and Western Illinois University are currently an hour and a half from the nearest Interstate highways between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers in Illinois, Interstate 74 to the north and Interstate 72 to the south. "See Forgottonia".

Future

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) launched a series of studies to help facilitate access to west central Illinois, colloquially named Forgottonia for the lack of highways through the region.Illinois Department of Transportation. [http://www.peoriatomacomb.com/ Peoria to Macomb] . Last updated March 2006. Retrieved May 12, 2006.] Currently in progress are upgrades (to a four-lane expressway) of U.S. Highway 67 from U.S. Highway 34 in Monmouth (near Galesburg) south to Macomb, and U.S. 67 from Macomb south to Alton, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Also underway is a similar upgrade of Illinois 336 from Quincy to Macomb.

The Peoria-to-Macomb study involves an eastern link from Macomb to Peoria alongside existing U.S. Route 136. The corridor being studied runs from U.S. 67 east to Interstate 474, and has been studied since the 1950s by Illinois and Federal agencies as a potential link between Chicago and Kansas City, Missouri. As of May 2006, the corridor study had identified two alternatives for Illinois 336. The route would be a limited access freeway for a few miles outside of Macomb to Bardolph, and again for a few miles outside of Peoria, east of Hanna City. For either alternative, Illinois 336 would be constructed as an expressway between Hanna City and Bardolph. In Illinois, an expressway allows partial-access to the highway, with direct access to the expressway from private residences and fields, while retaining interchanges and frontage roads for businesses and arterial state routes.

The completion of Illinois 336 would also relieve congestion on U.S. Route 24, currently the only direct route between Peoria and Quincy. It would also allow Peoria to Quincy traffic to avoid the alternate route — Interstate 155 south to Interstate 55 through Springfield, to Interstate 72 west. This combination of highways is currently the fastest route between Peoria and Quincy. Illinois 336 would shave at least 50 miles (81 km) and up to an hour off the trip. Currently, both U.S. 24 and the Interstate 155/55/72 routes require upwards of 3.25 hours of travel.

This route would also provide a faster route from Peoria to reach cities such as Kansas City and Denver.

The Peoria-to-Chicago Highway for Illinois 336 traffic to access Chicago is still being debated.

Points of Interest

*Adams County Fair (1st week of August on the Adams County Fairgrounds)
*Carthage Jail

External links

* [http://www.336coalition.com/ 336 Coalition]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/bill2/il336.html Highways of Illinois - 336]

References