Illinois Route 4

Infobox Illinois state route
article_route = 4
prev_route = 3
next_route = 5
length_mi = 170.44
length_round = 2
length_ref = cite web |author=Illinois Technology Transfer Center |url=http://www.dot.state.il.us/gist2/select.html |title=T2 GIS Data |accessdate=2007-11-08 |date=2007]
direction = North-south
established = 1918Carlson, Rick. [http://www.n9jig.com/1-20.html Illinois State Highways Page: Routes 1 thru 20] . Last updated March 15, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2006.]
starting_terminus =
ending_terminus =
cities = Sparta, Mascoutah, Staunton, Carlinville, Chatham
counties = Jackson, Perry, Randolph, Washington, St. Clair, Madison, Macoupin, Sangamon
see_also =

Illinois Route 4 is a long state road that runs south from the Interstate 55 business loop around Springfield south to Illinois Route 13 just north of Murphysboro. This is a distance of convert|170.44|mi|km|2.

Route description

Illinois 4 in Springfield is known as Veterans Parkway. It completes the western loop around the city of Springfield, and is a divided four-lane highway that serves Springfield commercial areas.

The portion of Illinois 4 between Springfield and just north of Hamel was part of the original run of U.S. Route 66 from 1926-1930. When the Route 66 was moved to the east in 1930, Illinois 4 retained its designation, the number of the original state bond issue route (SBI 4.) [ [http://www.n9jig.com/home.html History & Evolution of the Illinois Numbered Highway System] ]

The section from Illinois Route 143 near Marine to the southern end near Murphysboro was originally IL 43. During the mid 1960s, IL 4 was extended on this highway and IL 43 was eventually reused in the Chicago area.

It is also worth noting that IL 4 is in Washington County for less than one mile (1.6 km), on the southwest corner near the unincorporated town of Clarmin, along with IL 13.

Historical designation

A bypassed portion of old route 4 north of Auburn is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as "Illinois Route 4-North of Auburn". It was added in 1998 as structure #98000979 and consists of two c.1920 bridges over Little Panther Creek and portions of Curran and Snell roads. One section is a c.1932 1.53 mile long brick road and the other is a c.1921 Portland cement road convert|16|ft|m wide and 1,277 ft long. [http://gis.hpa.state.il.us/hargis/PDFs/205601.pdf]

Cities of Service

* Springfield
* Carlinville
* Virden
* Auburn
* Chatham
* Staunton
* Marine
* Lebanon
* Mascoutah
* Fayetteville
* St. Libory
* Marissa
* Sparta
* Murphysboro

External links

* [http://illi-indi.com/il_EndsPage.php?id=1004&section=1 Illinois Highway Ends: Illinois Route 4]

References