Illinois Route 29

Infobox Illinois state route
article_route=29
length_mi=175.36
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]
established=1918Carlson, Rick. [http://www.n9jig.com/21-40.html Illinois State Highways Page: Routes 21 thru 40] . Last updated March 15, 2006. Retrieved March 23, 2006.]
direction_a=South
starting_terminus=
direction_b=North
ending_terminus=
cities=Taylorville, Springfield, Pekin, Peoria
counties=Christian, Sangamon, Menard, Mason, Tazewell, Peoria, Marshall, Putnam, Bureau
prev_route=26
next_type=US
next_route=30

Illinois Route 29 is a two to four lane state road that runs south from U.S. Route 6 at Spring Valley to U.S. Route 51 and Illinois Route 16 at Pana. Illinois 29 parallels the Illinois River on the western bank, running through Pekin, Peoria and Springfield. The nearest major north-south highway, Interstate 39, runs parallel to Illinois 29, but approximately fifty miles to the east. Illinois 29 is convert|175.36|mi|km|2 long.

Route description

In Peoria, this road is named Galena Road from the north until it crosses U.S. Route 150 and merges with U.S. Route 24; from there the road is named Adams Street. South of downtown Peoria, Illinois 29 turns from US 24 onto the Cedar Street Bridge, where it crosses the Illinois River to East Peoria with Illinois Route 8 and Illinois Route 116.

History

Route 29 was established in 1918, and ran from DePue to Peoria. It was extended twice over Illinois Route 24 in 1936 and 1940, and in 1942 replaced an old alignment of U.S. Route 6 from Bureau Junction to Spring Valley.

Future

Illinois 29 has long been slated as one of the roads to be upgraded as part of a Chicago to Peoria expressway. While there are no longer funded plans to build the expressway, there are plans to attempt to reduce congestion on Illinois 29 by widening it from a narrow two lane highway to a four lane divided highway.

In September of 2001, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) began the "Illinois 29 Study" to determine feasible upgrade paths for this corridor.

Current conditions

The Illinois 29 Study covers Route 29 from Interstate 180 across the Illinois River from Hennepin, south to Illinois Route 6 at Mossville. The road passes through the small towns of Putnam and Henry, intersecting Illinois Route 18 at Henry. In Sparland, Illinois 29 intersects Illinois Route 17. It then runs beneath the bluff at Hopewell before become the main north-south artery through Chillicothe.

Along most of this stretch, the road is a striped, two lane (one northbound, one southbound) highway. In Chillicothe, the speed limit is reduced to 35 mph (56 km/h), though there are now four lanes (two northbound, two southbound). Truck traffic is relatively heavy along this stretch, owing to various industrial factories located in the towns.

Proposed solutions

IDOT is considering a western bypass of Henry, Sparland, Hopewell, and Chillicothe. It is referred to as the "Bluff Alternate" because the highway would be relocated (south of Putnam) onto a bluff overlooking the Illinois River. Another alternate still under consideration is to merely upgrade the roads through Hopewell and Sparland to a divided four lane highway.

Some other considerations have already been withdrawn, including an eastern bypass of Putnam.

All solutions result in the lengthening of Illinois 6 to meet the new Illinois 29 just north of Peoria.

See also

*Peoria, Illinois bridges

References

External links

* [http://dot.state.il.us/il29/study.aspx Illinois 29 Study]
* [http://illi-indi.com/il_EndsPage.php?id=1029&section=1 Illinois Highway Ends - Illinois Route 29]