Illinois Route 26 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Illinois Route 26
IL 26 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by IDOT
Length	139.35 mi (224.26 km)
Existed	November 5, 1918–present
Major junctions
South end	IL 116 in East Peoria
	I-180 / IL 71 in Hennepin I-180 in Princeton I-180 in Princeton US 6 / US 34 in Princeton I-80 in Princeton US 30 near Dixon I-88 / IL 110 (CKC) in Dixon US 52 in Dixon US 52 near Polo US 20 in Freeport
North end	WIS 69 in Orangeville
Location
Counties:	Tazewell, Woodford, Marshall, Putnam, Bureau, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson
Highway system
Illinois state highway system Illinois Tollway system ← IL 25 IL 29 →

Illinois Route 26, also known as IL 26, is an important state road in Illinois. It travels from south to north through the middle and northern parts of the state. The road begins near East Peoria at Illinois Route 116. It ends at the Wisconsin border near Orangeville, where it connects to Wisconsin Highway 69. This route is about 139.35 miles (224.26 kilometers) long.

Exploring Illinois Route 26

Illinois Route 26 is mostly a two-lane road without a divider. This means there is no barrier between traffic going in opposite directions. The southern end of IL 26 is just one mile (1.6 kilometers) north of the McClugage Bridge. This bridge carries U.S. Route 150 into Peoria.

Following the Illinois River

For much of its journey, Illinois Route 26 follows the eastern side of the Illinois River. It then crosses the river when it reaches Hennepin. Sometimes, IL 26 shares the same road with other routes. This is called a concurrency. For example, it runs with Illinois Route 29 near Bureau. Route 29 is a road that follows the western side of the Illinois River. IL 26 also shares the road with U.S. Route 52 when it is close to Freeport.

History of IL 26

The road we know as Illinois Route 26 has changed over time. It was first called SBI Route 26.

Early Days and Extensions

SBI Route 26 originally ran from Freeport to Polo. This was only a small part of the current IL 26. In 1937, the route was made longer. It was extended from Freeport all the way to the Wisconsin state line. This new part replaced an older road called IL-74. It was also extended from Polo to Bureau. This part used to be U.S. Route 52 to Dixon, and then replaced IL-89 from Dixon to Bureau.

In 1969, IL 26 was extended even further south. It reached East Peoria, taking the place of IL-87.

Changes in Route and Bridges

In the northern part of Stephenson County, IL 26 used to go right through downtown Orangeville. It also passed through a small community called Oneco. In 1990, the route was changed. A new bypass road was built around Orangeville. This new road helped cars travel faster.

During the 1990s, IL 26 was rerouted again. It started using the nearby I-180 bridge to cross the Illinois River near Hennepin. The older IL 26 bridge was about half a mile south of the I-180 bridge. It was removed after 1999. The old roads that led to the bridge are now local roads. They are mostly used to reach businesses along the riverbanks.

See also

In Spanish: Ruta de Illinois 26 para niños