Illinois Route 120
Belvidere Road | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by IDOT | ||||
Length | 34.62 mi[1] (55.72 km) | |||
Existed | 1941[2]–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | US 14 in Woodstock | |||
US 12 / IL 59 in Volo US 45 in Grayslake I-94 Toll in Gurnee US 41 in Park City | ||||
East end | IL 131 in Waukegan | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Illinois | |||
Counties | McHenry, Lake | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Illinois Route 120 (IL 120) is a major east–west state highway in northeastern Illinois. It runs from U.S. Route 14 near Woodstock to Illinois Route 131 in Waukegan. It travels a distance of 34.62 miles (55.72 km)[1] and is one of the few roads that provides direct access from McHenry County to Interstate 94 (Tri-State Tollway) in Lake County. Throughout its length, it shifts between two and four lanes as it passes through a setting that consists of open rural areas, as well as larger developments and heavy congestion.
Although small capacity expansions have been made over time, a lengthy two lane section of road in the Grayslake vicinity has yet to see any major expansion. This key segment has been the subject of much debate regarding the greater traffic flow across north-central Lake County. In October 2009, a special council approved a unified vision for a plan for most of the Lake County portion of Illinois 120, which includes a long discussed bypass around downtown Grayslake.
Route description
McHenry County
Beginning at its western terminus at a rural unsignalized intersection with
Before reaching the
Lake County
Continuing its somewhat rural journey to the east, Illinois 120 becomes known as Belvidere Road as it enters
At this point it widens to become a four-lane divided highway west of Almond Road and it enters the southern part of
History
State Bond Issue (SBI) Route 120 originally ran from Havana to Mason City in west-central Illinois. In 1939 this became IL 119, and in 1951, U.S. Route 136. In the meantime, in 1941 Illinois 120 replaced Illinois Route 20 to avoid confusion with nearby U.S. Route 20.[2] In 1972, the designation was removed east of IL 131.[11] During the early 1990s, plans came about to widen 5.7 miles of roadway in McHenry and Lake counties. The project extended from River Road in McHenry to east of Illinois 60. These plans also included the construction of a short southern bypass around the town of Volo.[12][13] By 1994,[14] the work had concluded which resulted in four concrete travel lanes. In 2000, a $4.6 million construction project was completed at the intersection of US-45. The changes that took place to Illinois 120 were: expanding to two lanes in each direction and adding a right turn lane to the eastbound approach.[15] The most recent major construction that has taken place was between August 2007 and July 2008 at the interchange with I-94. The work consisted of demolishing the two bridge structures that travel over the tollway and replacing them with new ones.[16]
Future
In recent years there has been much discussion on how to improve the east–west traffic flow throughout north-central Lake County. IL 120 enters Lake County from the west as a four-lane highway and then becomes a two-lane highway less than three miles east,[5] just past IL 60 and later becomes a four lane divided highway west of Hunt Club Road.[3] Since there is heavy traffic from nearby Interstate 94 to the east as well as traffic traveling to and from McHenry County in the west, some believe this gap should become four lanes. As part of this expansion plan, a 7-mile southern bypass in Grayslake would be constructed.[17] This has since become known as the "120 bypass".[18]
This project is closely related to another long delayed Lake county transportation project; the
In 2006,[21] a feasibility study got underway by a special corridor planning council which was composed of groups from nearby communities and local government officials and took public input.[22] Initially, the main focus for the public was to provide feedback for the road character or type of road. The alternatives considered were: a four lane roundabout boulevard, four lane signalized boulevard, six lane signalized arterial, and six lane expressway.[23] In December 2008, it was revealed that the four lane boulevard option was selected in an 11–2 vote over an expressway, however it still remained open whether or not roundabouts would be used in place of traffic signals at intersections.[23] The cost of the project was estimated at $521 million.[23] In May 2009, the preferred roadway alignment was selected.[24]
On October 14, 2009, the Route 120 Corridor Planning Council Governance Board came to a consensus and approved a vision for the project which recommends that the bypass be built as a four lane arterial highway with limited-access. The next step is for the Illinois Department of Transportation to begin a Phase I Preliminary Engineering Study.[25]
In 2012, the Blue Ribbon Advisory Council revived the 120 expressway alternative as a tollway,[26] rather than a roundabout or signalized boulevard, and proposed the Route 53/120 expressway plan to IDOT as a four-lane, completely below grade tollway with a speed limit of 45 mph. The proposed roadway would include such features as a multi-use path, bioswale grassy median, landscaped raised berms, in-pavement lighting, all electronic tolling, and innovative interchange designs.[27][28]
In 2016, Lake County Board Chairman Aaron Lawlor withdrew his support for the project, issuing a statement indicating his belief that "financial and political realities have become insurmountable" and would prevent the extension from happening in the environmental way envisioned in the 2012 report.[29] Despite the withdrawn support, the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority made no changes to the plan to conduct an environmental impact study, with Chairman Bob Schillerstrom stating "many of the questions that Chairman Lawlor raised would be answered" by such a study.[30]
On May 25, 2017, the Illinois Tollway board unanimously approved a $25 million expenditure for an environmental impact study of the proposed northward extension of Illinois Route 53 into Lake County. Opponents continued to criticize the project as expensive and harmful to the environment, while supporters believe it will provide congestion relief and a boon to the economies of Lake and McHenry counties. The U.S. Public Interest Research Group, a consumer advocacy organization, included the Route 53 extension in a list of "nine wasteful highway boondoggles," pegging the cost at $2.3 billion and saying it "would jeopardize the environment and lacks a viable funding plan."[31]
Major intersections
[32]County | Location | mi[5] | km | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
McHenry | Woodstock | 0.0 | 0.0 | US 14 (Northwest Highway) | Western terminus |
3.0 | 4.8 | IL 47 (Seminary Avenue) | |||
McHenry | 13.3 | 21.4 | IL 31 south (Front Street) | West end of IL 31 overlap | |
13.6 | 21.9 | IL 31 north (Richmond Road) | East end of IL 31 overlap | ||
Lake | Lakemoor–Volo village line | 19.3 | 31.1 | US 12 / IL 59 | |
Volo | 19.9 | 32.0 | IL 60 | Western terminus of IL 60 | |
Hainesville | 24.4 | 39.3 | IL 134 (Main Street) | Eastern terminus of IL 134 | |
Grayslake | 26.4 | 42.5 | IL 83 (Barron Boulevard) | ||
27.8 | 44.7 | US 45 | |||
Gurnee | 30.9 | 49.7 | IL 21 (Milwaukee Avenue) | Grade separated; partial cloverleaf interchange | |
32.0 | 51.5 | I-94 Toll east (Tri-State Tollway) – Chicago | No access from or to I-94 west; I-94 exit 11 | ||
Waukegan | 33.1 | 53.3 | Fountain Square Place / Greenleaf Street to IL 43 south | Grade separated; Diamond interchange | |
Grade separated | |||||
Waukegan | 34.6 | 55.7 | IL 131 (Green Bay Road) | Eastern terminus | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- ^ a b Illinois Technology Transfer Center (2006). "T2 GIS Data". Retrieved November 8, 2007.
- ^
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Google (March 4, 2010). "(satellite view of IL 120 and vicinity)" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Metra System Map". Metra. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
- ^ a b c Distances measured using Google Earth
- ^ a b "Major Watersheds of Illinois" (PDF). Illinois State Water Survey. Illinois Department of Natural Resources. 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 19, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
- ^ "Lake County – Village of Round Lake Park" (PDF). Lake County GIS. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 17, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Illinois Railroad Map" (PDF). Illinois Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 22, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
- ^ "Lake County – City of Park City" (PDF). Lake County GIS. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 17, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
- ^ "Lake County – City of Waukegan" (PDF). Lake County GIS. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 17, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
- ^ Illinois 1972 Official Highway Map (Map). Illinois Department of Transportation. 1972. Retrieved March 26, 2011.
- ^ staff writer (May 6, 1992). "Life in the Slow Lanes". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ Ibata, David (July 15, 1992). "Bypass to bring end to Volo bottleneck". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ Google Earth imagery, 1994
- ^ Sulkin, Ryan (April 11, 2000). "Routes 45, 120 to be finally expanded". Daily Herald. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
- ^ Illinois Tollway (July 31, 2008). "IL Route 120 (Belvidere Road) Bridge Improvements". Illinois Tollway. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
- ^ a b c Mick Zawislak (January 24, 2009). "Road narrows for Route 120". Daily Herald. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ Press Release (August 15, 2006). "Bean Announces $2 Million in Federal Funds to Begin Route 120 Bypass Project" (PDF). Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ Gary Mays (May 14, 1996). "Foe of Illinois 53 proposal forecasts twice the traffic". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ Lawrence, Jerry (July 21, 2000). "2nd vote has no dissent on ILL. 120 bypass". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ "Open House Brochure" (PDF). Route 120 Corridor Planning Council. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ "Organization". Route 120 Corridor Planning Council. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ a b c Zawislak, Mick (December 11, 2008). "Four-lanes preferred for new Route 120". Daily Herald. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
- ^ Edwards, Thomas (May 22, 2009). "Route 120 improvement plans move along". Daily Herald. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ "Unified Vision" (PDF). Route 120 Corridor Planning Council. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
- ^ "Illinois Route 53/120 : Project Overview". Illinoistollway.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 23, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
- ^ "Grayslake's Vision for a Low Profile Route 53/120". Illinoistollway.com. March 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 22, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
- ^ Mayor Rhett Taylor (January 2014). "The State of Grayslake" (PDF). Grayslakechamber.com. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
- ^ Coleman, Emily K. (May 16, 2016). "Lake County Board chairman pulls support for Route 53 extension". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- ^ Zawislak, Mick; Pyke, Marni (May 16, 2016). "Lake County's Lawlor pulls Route 53 support; study still on?". Daily Herald. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- ^ Hammill, Luke (May 25, 2017). "Tollway approves $25 million Route 53 environmental study". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- ^ [1] Archived February 14, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
External links
- 120Now – Route 120 Corridor Planning Council