Illinois Route 103
Encyclopedia
Illinois Route 103 is a 9.18 miles (14.77 km) state route in west-central Illinois
, United States
. The route, entirely in Schuyler County, runs from U.S. Route 24
near Ripley
east to the intersection of U.S. Route 67
and Illinois Route 100
across the Illinois River
from Beardstown
. In addition to connecting Ripley and Beardstown, Route 103 also serves the community of Sugar Grove
. The highway is part of both the National Highway System
and the Lincoln Heritage Trail
. Route 103 is maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation
. The route was established in 1924 between Ripley and its current eastern terminus; its western terminus was moved north to its current location in 1932.
in Woodstock Township
in southern Schuyler County, northeast of Ripley
. The route initially runs eastward along the LaMoine River, passing through a forested area. After the river turns southward, the highway continues east through farmland. Route 103 intersects County Route 9 before entering the unincorporated community
of Sugar Grove
, where it meets County Route 1. After passing through Sugar Grove, the highway enters Bainbridge Township
. The road makes a small southward dip through a tree-lined area, passing a small group of buildings and crossing a creek, before returning to its eastward trajectory. The route passes to the north of the community of Cottonwood. Route 103 runs through open farmland at the eastern end of its route, crossing two creeks and passing several farm buildings. The highway terminates at a junction with U.S. Route 67
and Illinois Route 100
, across the Illinois River
from Beardstown
.
Route 103 is an undivided two-lane road for its entire length. The entire route is part of the National Highway System
, a network of roads deemed significant to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. Route 103 is also part of the Lincoln Heritage Trail
, a series of highways connecting places with historic connections to Abraham Lincoln
. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation
, the annual average daily traffic
on Route 103 in 2009 ranged from 1300 vehicles near the western terminus to 1400 near Sugar Grove; 200 to 225 of those vehicles were trucks.
and Beardstown
. A road between Ripley and the route's current eastern terminus was first marked on state highway maps in 1924; this route began at Ripley and ran parallel to and south of the current route on its western half, before turning north and following the current alignment east at Layton. Route 103 was first numbered on the 1929 Illinois highway map. The western terminus of Route 103 was moved from Ripley to its current location in 1932, and the western half of the highway moved northward to its present alignment. The community of Layton, which was near the present location of Sugar Grove
, was marked along the route until 1951.
{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!Junction
!Notes
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|Woodstock Township
|0.0
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|Bainbridge Township
|9.1
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Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The route, entirely in Schuyler County, runs from U.S. Route 24
U.S. Route 24
U.S. Route 24 is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It originally ran from Pontiac, Michigan, in the east to Kansas City, Missouri, in the west. Today, the highway's eastern terminus is west of Clarkston, Michigan, at an intersection with I-75 and its western terminus is near...
near Ripley
Ripley, Illinois
Ripley is a village in Brown County, Illinois, along La Moine River. The population was 103 according to the year 2000 census.-Geography:Ripley is located at ....
east to the intersection of U.S. Route 67
U.S. Route 67
U.S. Route 67 is a 1,560 mile long north–south U.S. highway in the Central United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in Presidio, Texas, where it continues south as Mexican Federal Highway 16 upon crossing the Rio Grande. The northern...
and Illinois Route 100
Illinois Route 100
Illinois Route 100 is a 157 mile highway in the southwest Illinois. It generally parallels the Illinois River. Starting in downtown Alton, it trends northward to Buckheart Township near Canton. It makes up much of the Illinois River Road, a U.S. National Scenic Byway...
across the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
from Beardstown
Beardstown, Illinois
Beardstown is a city in Cass County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,123 at the 2010 census. The public schools are in Beardstown Community Unit School District 15.-Geography:Beardstown is located at...
. In addition to connecting Ripley and Beardstown, Route 103 also serves the community of Sugar Grove
Sugar Grove, Schuyler County, Illinois
Sugar Grove is an unincorporated community in Schuyler County, Illinois, United States. Sugar Grove is located on Illinois Route 103 east of Ripley....
. The highway is part of both the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
and the Lincoln Heritage Trail
Lincoln Heritage Trail
The Lincoln Heritage Trail is a designation for a series of highways in the U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky that links communities with pre-presidential period historical ties to U.S...
. Route 103 is maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation
Illinois Department of Transportation
The Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
. The route was established in 1924 between Ripley and its current eastern terminus; its western terminus was moved north to its current location in 1932.
Route description
Route 103 begins at a junction with U.S. Route 24U.S. Route 24
U.S. Route 24 is one of the original United States highways of 1926. It originally ran from Pontiac, Michigan, in the east to Kansas City, Missouri, in the west. Today, the highway's eastern terminus is west of Clarkston, Michigan, at an intersection with I-75 and its western terminus is near...
in Woodstock Township
Woodstock Township, Schuyler County, Illinois
Woodstock Township is located in Schuyler County, Illinois. The population was 313 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
in southern Schuyler County, northeast of Ripley
Ripley, Illinois
Ripley is a village in Brown County, Illinois, along La Moine River. The population was 103 according to the year 2000 census.-Geography:Ripley is located at ....
. The route initially runs eastward along the LaMoine River, passing through a forested area. After the river turns southward, the highway continues east through farmland. Route 103 intersects County Route 9 before entering the unincorporated community
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
of Sugar Grove
Sugar Grove, Schuyler County, Illinois
Sugar Grove is an unincorporated community in Schuyler County, Illinois, United States. Sugar Grove is located on Illinois Route 103 east of Ripley....
, where it meets County Route 1. After passing through Sugar Grove, the highway enters Bainbridge Township
Bainbridge Township, Schuyler County, Illinois
Bainbridge Township is located in Schuyler County, Illinois. The population was 540 at the 2000 census.-External links:* *...
. The road makes a small southward dip through a tree-lined area, passing a small group of buildings and crossing a creek, before returning to its eastward trajectory. The route passes to the north of the community of Cottonwood. Route 103 runs through open farmland at the eastern end of its route, crossing two creeks and passing several farm buildings. The highway terminates at a junction with U.S. Route 67
U.S. Route 67
U.S. Route 67 is a 1,560 mile long north–south U.S. highway in the Central United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in Presidio, Texas, where it continues south as Mexican Federal Highway 16 upon crossing the Rio Grande. The northern...
and Illinois Route 100
Illinois Route 100
Illinois Route 100 is a 157 mile highway in the southwest Illinois. It generally parallels the Illinois River. Starting in downtown Alton, it trends northward to Buckheart Township near Canton. It makes up much of the Illinois River Road, a U.S. National Scenic Byway...
, across the Illinois River
Illinois River
The Illinois River is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in the State of Illinois. The river drains a large section of central Illinois, with a drainage basin of . This river was important among Native Americans and early French traders as the principal water route...
from Beardstown
Beardstown, Illinois
Beardstown is a city in Cass County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,123 at the 2010 census. The public schools are in Beardstown Community Unit School District 15.-Geography:Beardstown is located at...
.
Route 103 is an undivided two-lane road for its entire length. The entire route is part of the National Highway System
National Highway System (United States)
The National Highway System is a network of strategic highways within the United States, including the Interstate Highway System and other roads serving major airports, ports, rail or truck terminals, railway stations, pipeline terminals and other strategic transport facilities.Individual states...
, a network of roads deemed significant to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. Route 103 is also part of the Lincoln Heritage Trail
Lincoln Heritage Trail
The Lincoln Heritage Trail is a designation for a series of highways in the U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky that links communities with pre-presidential period historical ties to U.S...
, a series of highways connecting places with historic connections to Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation
Illinois Department of Transportation
The Illinois Department of Transportation is a state agency in charge of state-maintained public roadways of the U.S. state of Illinois. In addition, IDOT provides funding for rail, public transit and airport projects and administers fuel tax and federal funding to local juridictions in the...
, the annual average daily traffic
Annual average daily traffic
Average Annual daily traffic, abbreviated AADT, is a measure used primarily in transportation planning and transportation engineering. It is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a useful and simple measurement of how busy the road is...
on Route 103 in 2009 ranged from 1300 vehicles near the western terminus to 1400 near Sugar Grove; 200 to 225 of those vehicles were trucks.
History
Route 103 was designated in 1924 between RipleyRipley, Illinois
Ripley is a village in Brown County, Illinois, along La Moine River. The population was 103 according to the year 2000 census.-Geography:Ripley is located at ....
and Beardstown
Beardstown, Illinois
Beardstown is a city in Cass County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,123 at the 2010 census. The public schools are in Beardstown Community Unit School District 15.-Geography:Beardstown is located at...
. A road between Ripley and the route's current eastern terminus was first marked on state highway maps in 1924; this route began at Ripley and ran parallel to and south of the current route on its western half, before turning north and following the current alignment east at Layton. Route 103 was first numbered on the 1929 Illinois highway map. The western terminus of Route 103 was moved from Ripley to its current location in 1932, and the western half of the highway moved northward to its present alignment. The community of Layton, which was near the present location of Sugar Grove
Sugar Grove, Schuyler County, Illinois
Sugar Grove is an unincorporated community in Schuyler County, Illinois, United States. Sugar Grove is located on Illinois Route 103 east of Ripley....
, was marked along the route until 1951.
Major intersections
The entire route is located in Schuyler County.{| class=wikitable
!Location
!Mile
!Junction
!Notes
|-
|Woodstock Township
Woodstock Township, Schuyler County, Illinois
Woodstock Township is located in Schuyler County, Illinois. The population was 313 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
|0.0
|
|
|-
|Bainbridge Township
Bainbridge Township, Schuyler County, Illinois
Bainbridge Township is located in Schuyler County, Illinois. The population was 540 at the 2000 census.-External links:* *...
|9.1
|
|