| Grafton Grafton is the oldest city in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. It is located near the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 674. Prior to the Great Flood of 1993, Grafton had enjoyed a stable population of nearly...
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{{Redirect|IL 3||IL-3 (disambiguation)}}
Illinois Route 3 is a major north–south arterial state highway in southwestern IllinoisIllinois 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,...
. It has its southern terminus at Cairo JunctionCairo Junction is an unincorporated community in Alexander County, Illinois, United States. Cairo Junction is located at the junction of U.S. Route 51, Illinois Route 3, and Illinois Route 37 north of Cairo....
(about 4 miles (6.4 km), or 7 km, north of CairoCairo is the southernmost city in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the county seat of Alexander County. Cairo is located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The rivers converge at Fort Defiance State Park, an American Civil War fort that was commanded by General Ulysses S. Grant...
) at the intersection of Interstate 57Interstate 57 is an Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central rail line for much of its route. It goes from Miner, Missouri, at Interstate 55 to Chicago, Illinois, at Interstate 94. I-57 essentially serves as a shortcut route for travelers headed between...
and U.S. Route 51U.S. Route 51 is a north–south United States highway that runs for 1,286 miles from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana to within of the Wisconsin-Michigan border. Much of the highway in Illinois and southern Wisconsin runs parallel to or overlaps Interstate 39...
, and its northern terminus in GraftonGrafton is the oldest city in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. It is located near the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 674. Prior to the Great Flood of 1993, Grafton had enjoyed a stable population of nearly...
at Illinois Route 100Illinois 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...
. This is a distance of 187.44 miles (301.65 km).
Route description
Illinois 3 has 4 lanes from WaterlooWaterloo is a city in Monroe County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,614 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County.-Geography:Waterloo is located at ....
to GodfreyGodfrey is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18000 at the 2010 census. Godfrey is located within the Greater St...
, with a brief 6-lane stretch in Granite CityGranite City is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, part of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. At the 2010 census, the population was 29,849, making it the third largest city in the Metro-East and Southern Illinois, behind Alton and Belleville...
around the River's Edge area (formerly the Army Depot of Granite City) and around AltonAlton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
. It is 2 laned the majority of the southern part from Waterloo to Mound CityMound City is a city located along the Ohio River in Pulaski County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 692. It is the county seat of Pulaski County.-Geography:Mound City is located at ....
around the Shawnee National ForestThe Shawnee National Forest, located in the Ozark and Shawnee Hills of Southern Illinois, consists of approximately 280,000 acres of federally managed lands. In descending order of land area it is located in parts of Pope, Jackson, Union, Hardin, Alexander, Saline, Gallatin, Johnson, and Massac...
Area. It briefly overlaps Illinois Route 111Illinois Route 111 is a north–south state road in southwestern Illinois. It runs from Short Street in Centreville to Illinois Route 104 in Waverly. This is a distance of .- Route description :...
at Alton, Interstate 255Interstate 255 is a bypass route of Interstate 55 near St. Louis, Missouri and with Interstate 270, it forms a loop around the city. Even though St. Louis is in Missouri, a majority of the route runs through Illinois. It shares its southern terminus with 270 at the junction with Interstate 55, 270...
and U.S. Route 50U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
, and Illinois Route 127Illinois Route 127 is a north–south highway in central and southern Illinois. Its southern terminus is at Illinois Route 3 near Olive Branch and its northern terminus at Interstate 55, along with the southern terminus of Illinois Route 48 in Raymond. This is a distance of .- Route description...
north of CacheCache is an unincorporated community in Alexander County, Illinois, United States. Cache is located near the Mississippi River west of Mounds. It is served by Illinois Route 3. Cache once had a post office, which closed on October 5, 2002....
.
Illinois 3 parallels the Mississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
for the entire length of its journey, and carries the Illinois portion of the Great River RoadThe Great River Road is a collection of state, provincial, federal, and local roads which follow the course of the Mississippi River through ten states of the United States...
for most of its length. South of St. Louis, Interstate 55Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
is its parallel on the west side of the river, along with U.S. Route 61U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
. The road runs along many historical sites along the Mississippi River, and is the closest Illinois state highway to the old state capitol of KaskaskiaKaskaskia is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. In the 2010 census the population was 14, making it the second-smallest incorporated community in the State of Illinois in terms of population. A major French colonial town of the Illinois Country, its peak population was about...
.
History
On August 4, 1976, the new Berm Highway from Wood River to Alton was opened. It would be signed as IL Route 3, which left the old alignment on Lewis and Clark Blvd. and Broadway unmarked. However, on June 29, 1987, IDOT built the new Madison Avenue extension in Wood River and marked that road and the Berm Highway as IL 143 and "truncated" IL 3 at IL 143 (highway signage and IDOT planning maps suggested otherwise, however). This new terminus for Route 3 was short-lived, however.
On November 26, 1987, a new section of Homer M. Adams Parkway in Alton opened to traffic, and IL 3 was extended onto Lewis and Clark Blvd. (a former IL 3 alignment) back into Alton and onto the extension. IL 3 was then cosigned with IL 111 until the intersection with Godfrey Road, where IL 3 takes over the former IL 100 alignment.
Original 1918 Route
The original Illinois 3 route went from Cairo Junction in southern Illinois to MorrisonMorrison is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,307 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Whiteside County. One of the town founders was Lyman Johnson....
in northwest Illinois via Rock IslandRock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
. With the completion of highway bridges over the Mississippi River (e.g. Clark BridgeThe Clark Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge across the Mississippi River between West Alton, Missouri and Alton, Illinois. Named after explorer William Clark like the bridge it replaced, the cable-stayed bridge opened in 1994. It carries U.S. Route 67 across the river...
at Alton) U.S. Route 67U.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...
was extended from St. Louis to Godfrey and replacing the original Illinois 3 to Rock Island. Today, this route is still the major north–south corridor for western Illinois - and the only major Illinois north–south route never upgraded to the Interstate highway system (e.g. Interstates 57, 55, 39).
Major intersections
{{mileposts}}
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Location |
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Notes |
AlexanderAlexander County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 8,238, which is a decrease of 14.1% from 9,590 in 2000. Its county seat is Cairo. Alexander County is part of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical...
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{{jct|state=IL|US|51|GRR |
dir2=south|city1=Cairo}} |
Continuation beyond I-57 |
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{{jct|state=IL|I|57|US|51|dir2=north}} |
Interchange; I-57 exit 1 |
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|127|dir1=north}} |
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|146|dir1=west|location1=Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
}} |
South end of IL 146 overlap |
| Union |
Ware Ware is an unincorporated community in Union County, Illinois, and is located near Jonesboro. As of Census 2000, the population is 3,422 Ware is the location described in Susan Zeder's "Mother Hicks" and "A Taste of Sunrise"...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|146|dir1=east}} |
North end of IL 146 overlap |
JacksonJackson County, incorporated January 10, 1816, is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 60,218, which is an increase of 1.0% from 59,612 in 2000...
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Grimsby |
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|149|city1=Murphysboro|dir1=east}} |
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RandolphRandolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 33,476, which is a decrease of 1.2% from 33,893 in 2000. Its county seat is Chester....
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Chester Chester is a city located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River Valley in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,400 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County and is located south of St. Louis, Missouri.-History:...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|150|dir1=west|name1=State Street}} |
South end of IL 150 overlap; To Chester BridgeThe Chester Bridge is a truss bridge connecting Missouri's Route 51 with Illinois Route 150 across the Mississippi River between Perryville, Missouri and Chester, Illinois...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|150|dir1=east|name1=State Street}} |
North end of IL 150 overlap |
| Ruma Ruma is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. The population was 260 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ruma is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|155|dir1=west}} |
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| Red Bud Red Bud is a city in Randolph County, Illinois. The population was 3,422 at the 2000 census.It is the home of the of Southwestern Illinois College.-Geography:Red Bud is located at ....
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|159|IL|154|name1=Main Street|name2=Market Street|dir1=north|dir2=east}} |
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MonroeMonroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 32,957, which is an increase of 19.3% from 27,619 in 2000. Its county seat is Waterloo...
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WaterlooWaterloo is a city in Monroe County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,614 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County.-Geography:Waterloo is located at ....
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|156|name1=Park Street}} |
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|158|dir1=east}} |
Interchange |
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Quarry Road, Palmer Road |
Interchange |
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{{jct|state=IL|I|255|US|50|dir1=south|dir2=west|location1=St. Louis County St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
|location2=MemphisMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
}}, TulsaTulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
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South end of I-255/US 50 overlap; Interchange |
St. ClairSt. Clair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau placed the mean center of U.S. population in St. Clair County. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 270,056, which is an increase of 5.5% from 256,082 in 2000. Its county seat is...
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DupoDupo is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,933 at the 2000 census. The village was settled in about 1750 and was incorporated in 1876. Its name is derived from Prairie du Pont .-Geography:...
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DupoDupo is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,933 at the 2000 census. The village was settled in about 1750 and was incorporated in 1876. Its name is derived from Prairie du Pont .-Geography:...
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Interchange; I-255 exit 9 |
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{{jct|state=IL|I|255|US|50|dir1=north|dir2=east|city1=Chicago}} |
North end of I-255/US 50 overlap; Interchange |
| Cahokia Cahokia is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 16,391. The name is a reference to one of the clans of the historic Illini confederacy, who were encountered by early French explorers to the region.Early European settlers also...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|157|dir1=east|name1=Camp Jackson Road}} |
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East St. LouisEast St. Louis is a city located in St. Clair County, Illinois, USA, directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 27,006, less than one-third of its peak of 82,366 in 1950...
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{{jct|state=IL|I|55|I|64|I|70|US|40|dir1=south|dir2=west|dir3=west|dir4=west|location1=St. LouisSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
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South end of I-55/I-64/I-70/US-40 overlap; Interchange |
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Fourth Street – East St. LouisEast St. Louis is a city located in St. Clair County, Illinois, USA, directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 27,006, less than one-third of its peak of 82,366 in 1950...
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Northbound exit and southbound entrance; Interchange |
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13th Street, Tudor Avenue |
Southbound exit and northbound entrance; Interchange |
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Third Street (IL 15Illinois Route 15 is an east–west highway with its western terminus at Illinois Route 3, U.S. Route 40, I-55, I-64, and I-70 and its eastern terminus at Wabash River at the Illinois/Indiana Border where it meets Indiana 64. This is a distance of ....
), Eads BridgeThe Eads Bridge is a combined road and railway bridge over the Mississippi River at St. Louis, connecting St. Louis and East St. Louis, Illinois....
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Southbound exit and northbound entrance; Exit 2A; Interchange |
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Martin Luther King BridgeThe Martin Luther King Bridge in St. Louis is a cantilever truss bridge of about in total length across the Mississippi River, connecting St. Louis with East St. Louis, Illinois. The bridge serves as traffic relief connecting the concurrent freeways of Interstate 55, Interstate 70, Interstate...
– Downtown St. LouisDowntown St. Louis is the central business district of St. Louis, Missouri, the hub of tourism and entertainment, and the anchor of the St. Louis metropolitan area. The downtown is bounded by Cole Street to the north, the river front to the east, Chouteau Avenue to the south, and Jefferson Avenue...
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Southbound exit and northbound entrance; Exit 2B/2C; Interchange |
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{{jct|state=IL|I|64|dir1=east|location1=LouisvilleLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
}} |
North end of I-64 overlap; Northbound exit only; Interchange |
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bgcolor=#ddffdd|{{jct|state=IL|I|55|I|70|US|40|GRR |
dir2=east|dir3=east|dir4=north|city1=Chicago}}, Indianapolis Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
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North end of I-55/I-70/US 50/Great River Rd. overlap; Interchange |
MadisonMadison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. Madison County is part of the Metro-East region of the St. Louis Metro Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 269,282, which is an increase of 4.0% from 258,941 in 2000. The county seat is Edwardsville, home to...
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bgcolor=#ddffdd|{{jct|state=IL|I|270|GRR |
city1=Effingham}}, St. Charles |
South end of Great River Rd. overlap; Interchange |
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{{jct|state=IL|GRR-Spur|location1=Lewis and Clark State Historic Site The Lewis and Clark State Historic Site opened in 2002 and is owned and operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The site, located in Hartford, Illinois, commemorates Camp River Dubois, the camp of the Lewis and Clark Expedition from December 1803 to May 1804...
}} |
South end of the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route The Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route extends for in southwestern Illinois, traveling through the floodplain of the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers. The route has been officially designated as a National Scenic Byway by the Federal Highway Administration...
overlap (it ends at this intersection) |
| Wood River Wood River is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,296 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wood River is located at ....
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bgcolor=#ddffdd|{{jct|state=IL|IL|143|GRR |
dir2=north}} / Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route The Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route extends for in southwestern Illinois, traveling through the floodplain of the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers. The route has been officially designated as a National Scenic Byway by the Federal Highway Administration...
north – Wood RiverWood River is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,296 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wood River is located at ....
, AltonAlton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
, Riverfront |
North end of Great River Rd./Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route overlap |
| East Alton East Alton is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,830 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Alton is located at ....
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Broadway |
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AltonAlton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|140|IL|111|dir2=south|name2=College Avenue}} |
South end of IL 111 overlap; Interchange; To Amtrak station Alton, IL is a suburban St. Louis Amtrak station in Alton, Illinois served by the Lincoln Service and the Texas Eagle. This was also a stop for the Ann Rutledge until April 2007. The former Alton Railroad station, later used by the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad is built of brick, and is staffed. ...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|111|US|67|to2=to|dir1=north}} |
North end of IL 111 overlap |
JerseyJersey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. Jersey County is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 22,985, which is an increase of 6.1% from 21,668 in 2000...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|109|dir1=north}} |
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| Grafton Grafton is the oldest city in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. It is located near the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 674. Prior to the Great Flood of 1993, Grafton had enjoyed a stable population of nearly...
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{{Redirect|IL 3||IL-3 (disambiguation)}}
Illinois Route 3 is a major north–south arterial state highway in southwestern IllinoisIllinois 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,...
. It has its southern terminus at Cairo JunctionCairo Junction is an unincorporated community in Alexander County, Illinois, United States. Cairo Junction is located at the junction of U.S. Route 51, Illinois Route 3, and Illinois Route 37 north of Cairo....
(about 4 miles (6.4 km), or 7 km, north of CairoCairo is the southernmost city in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is the county seat of Alexander County. Cairo is located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. The rivers converge at Fort Defiance State Park, an American Civil War fort that was commanded by General Ulysses S. Grant...
) at the intersection of Interstate 57Interstate 57 is an Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central rail line for much of its route. It goes from Miner, Missouri, at Interstate 55 to Chicago, Illinois, at Interstate 94. I-57 essentially serves as a shortcut route for travelers headed between...
and U.S. Route 51U.S. Route 51 is a north–south United States highway that runs for 1,286 miles from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana to within of the Wisconsin-Michigan border. Much of the highway in Illinois and southern Wisconsin runs parallel to or overlaps Interstate 39...
, and its northern terminus in GraftonGrafton is the oldest city in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. It is located near the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 674. Prior to the Great Flood of 1993, Grafton had enjoyed a stable population of nearly...
at Illinois Route 100Illinois 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...
. This is a distance of 187.44 miles (301.65 km).
Route description
Illinois 3 has 4 lanes from WaterlooWaterloo is a city in Monroe County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,614 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County.-Geography:Waterloo is located at ....
to GodfreyGodfrey is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18000 at the 2010 census. Godfrey is located within the Greater St...
, with a brief 6-lane stretch in Granite CityGranite City is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, part of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. At the 2010 census, the population was 29,849, making it the third largest city in the Metro-East and Southern Illinois, behind Alton and Belleville...
around the River's Edge area (formerly the Army Depot of Granite City) and around AltonAlton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
. It is 2 laned the majority of the southern part from Waterloo to Mound CityMound City is a city located along the Ohio River in Pulaski County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 692. It is the county seat of Pulaski County.-Geography:Mound City is located at ....
around the Shawnee National ForestThe Shawnee National Forest, located in the Ozark and Shawnee Hills of Southern Illinois, consists of approximately 280,000 acres of federally managed lands. In descending order of land area it is located in parts of Pope, Jackson, Union, Hardin, Alexander, Saline, Gallatin, Johnson, and Massac...
Area. It briefly overlaps Illinois Route 111Illinois Route 111 is a north–south state road in southwestern Illinois. It runs from Short Street in Centreville to Illinois Route 104 in Waverly. This is a distance of .- Route description :...
at Alton, Interstate 255Interstate 255 is a bypass route of Interstate 55 near St. Louis, Missouri and with Interstate 270, it forms a loop around the city. Even though St. Louis is in Missouri, a majority of the route runs through Illinois. It shares its southern terminus with 270 at the junction with Interstate 55, 270...
and U.S. Route 50U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
, and Illinois Route 127Illinois Route 127 is a north–south highway in central and southern Illinois. Its southern terminus is at Illinois Route 3 near Olive Branch and its northern terminus at Interstate 55, along with the southern terminus of Illinois Route 48 in Raymond. This is a distance of .- Route description...
north of CacheCache is an unincorporated community in Alexander County, Illinois, United States. Cache is located near the Mississippi River west of Mounds. It is served by Illinois Route 3. Cache once had a post office, which closed on October 5, 2002....
.
Illinois 3 parallels the Mississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
for the entire length of its journey, and carries the Illinois portion of the Great River RoadThe Great River Road is a collection of state, provincial, federal, and local roads which follow the course of the Mississippi River through ten states of the United States...
for most of its length. South of St. Louis, Interstate 55Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
is its parallel on the west side of the river, along with U.S. Route 61U.S. Route 61 is the official designation for a United States highway that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River, and is designated the Great River Road for much of its route. As of 2004, the highway's...
. The road runs along many historical sites along the Mississippi River, and is the closest Illinois state highway to the old state capitol of KaskaskiaKaskaskia is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. In the 2010 census the population was 14, making it the second-smallest incorporated community in the State of Illinois in terms of population. A major French colonial town of the Illinois Country, its peak population was about...
.
History
On August 4, 1976, the new Berm Highway from Wood River to Alton was opened. It would be signed as IL Route 3, which left the old alignment on Lewis and Clark Blvd. and Broadway unmarked. However, on June 29, 1987, IDOT built the new Madison Avenue extension in Wood River and marked that road and the Berm Highway as IL 143 and "truncated" IL 3 at IL 143 (highway signage and IDOT planning maps suggested otherwise, however). This new terminus for Route 3 was short-lived, however.
On November 26, 1987, a new section of Homer M. Adams Parkway in Alton opened to traffic, and IL 3 was extended onto Lewis and Clark Blvd. (a former IL 3 alignment) back into Alton and onto the extension. IL 3 was then cosigned with IL 111 until the intersection with Godfrey Road, where IL 3 takes over the former IL 100 alignment.
Original 1918 Route
The original Illinois 3 route went from Cairo Junction in southern Illinois to MorrisonMorrison is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,307 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Whiteside County. One of the town founders was Lyman Johnson....
in northwest Illinois via Rock IslandRock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
. With the completion of highway bridges over the Mississippi River (e.g. Clark BridgeThe Clark Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge across the Mississippi River between West Alton, Missouri and Alton, Illinois. Named after explorer William Clark like the bridge it replaced, the cable-stayed bridge opened in 1994. It carries U.S. Route 67 across the river...
at Alton) U.S. Route 67U.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...
was extended from St. Louis to Godfrey and replacing the original Illinois 3 to Rock Island. Today, this route is still the major north–south corridor for western Illinois - and the only major Illinois north–south route never upgraded to the Interstate highway system (e.g. Interstates 57, 55, 39).
Major intersections
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AlexanderAlexander County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 8,238, which is a decrease of 14.1% from 9,590 in 2000. Its county seat is Cairo. Alexander County is part of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical...
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{{jct|state=IL|US|51|GRR |
dir2=south|city1=Cairo}} |
Continuation beyond I-57 |
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{{jct|state=IL|I|57|US|51|dir2=north}} |
Interchange; I-57 exit 1 |
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|127|dir1=north}} |
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|146|dir1=west|location1=Cape GirardeauCape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
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South end of IL 146 overlap |
| Union |
Ware Ware is an unincorporated community in Union County, Illinois, and is located near Jonesboro. As of Census 2000, the population is 3,422 Ware is the location described in Susan Zeder's "Mother Hicks" and "A Taste of Sunrise"...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|146|dir1=east}} |
North end of IL 146 overlap |
JacksonJackson County, incorporated January 10, 1816, is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 60,218, which is an increase of 1.0% from 59,612 in 2000...
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Grimsby |
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|149|city1=Murphysboro|dir1=east}} |
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RandolphRandolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 33,476, which is a decrease of 1.2% from 33,893 in 2000. Its county seat is Chester....
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Chester Chester is a city located on the bluffs of the Mississippi River Valley in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,400 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Randolph County and is located south of St. Louis, Missouri.-History:...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|150|dir1=west|name1=State Street}} |
South end of IL 150 overlap; To Chester BridgeThe Chester Bridge is a truss bridge connecting Missouri's Route 51 with Illinois Route 150 across the Mississippi River between Perryville, Missouri and Chester, Illinois...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|150|dir1=east|name1=State Street}} |
North end of IL 150 overlap |
| Ruma Ruma is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. The population was 260 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ruma is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|155|dir1=west}} |
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| Red Bud Red Bud is a city in Randolph County, Illinois. The population was 3,422 at the 2000 census.It is the home of the of Southwestern Illinois College.-Geography:Red Bud is located at ....
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|159|IL|154|name1=Main Street|name2=Market Street|dir1=north|dir2=east}} |
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MonroeMonroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 32,957, which is an increase of 19.3% from 27,619 in 2000. Its county seat is Waterloo...
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WaterlooWaterloo is a city in Monroe County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,614 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monroe County.-Geography:Waterloo is located at ....
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|156|name1=Park Street}} |
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|158|dir1=east}} |
Interchange |
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Quarry Road, Palmer Road |
Interchange |
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{{jct|state=IL|I|255|US|50|dir1=south|dir2=west|location1=St. Louis County St. Louis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Its county seat is Clayton. St. Louis County is part of the St. Louis Metro Area wherein the independent City of St. Louis and its suburbs in St. Louis County, as well as the surrounding counties in both Missouri and Illinois all...
|location2=MemphisMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
}}, TulsaTulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
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South end of I-255/US 50 overlap; Interchange |
St. ClairSt. Clair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau placed the mean center of U.S. population in St. Clair County. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 270,056, which is an increase of 5.5% from 256,082 in 2000. Its county seat is...
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DupoDupo is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,933 at the 2000 census. The village was settled in about 1750 and was incorporated in 1876. Its name is derived from Prairie du Pont .-Geography:...
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DupoDupo is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,933 at the 2000 census. The village was settled in about 1750 and was incorporated in 1876. Its name is derived from Prairie du Pont .-Geography:...
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Interchange; I-255 exit 9 |
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{{jct|state=IL|I|255|US|50|dir1=north|dir2=east|city1=Chicago}} |
North end of I-255/US 50 overlap; Interchange |
| Cahokia Cahokia is a village in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 16,391. The name is a reference to one of the clans of the historic Illini confederacy, who were encountered by early French explorers to the region.Early European settlers also...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|157|dir1=east|name1=Camp Jackson Road}} |
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East St. LouisEast St. Louis is a city located in St. Clair County, Illinois, USA, directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 27,006, less than one-third of its peak of 82,366 in 1950...
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{{jct|state=IL|I|55|I|64|I|70|US|40|dir1=south|dir2=west|dir3=west|dir4=west|location1=St. LouisSt. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
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South end of I-55/I-64/I-70/US-40 overlap; Interchange |
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Fourth Street – East St. LouisEast St. Louis is a city located in St. Clair County, Illinois, USA, directly across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri in the Metro-East region of Southern Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 27,006, less than one-third of its peak of 82,366 in 1950...
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Northbound exit and southbound entrance; Interchange |
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13th Street, Tudor Avenue |
Southbound exit and northbound entrance; Interchange |
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Third Street (IL 15Illinois Route 15 is an east–west highway with its western terminus at Illinois Route 3, U.S. Route 40, I-55, I-64, and I-70 and its eastern terminus at Wabash River at the Illinois/Indiana Border where it meets Indiana 64. This is a distance of ....
), Eads BridgeThe Eads Bridge is a combined road and railway bridge over the Mississippi River at St. Louis, connecting St. Louis and East St. Louis, Illinois....
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Southbound exit and northbound entrance; Exit 2A; Interchange |
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Martin Luther King BridgeThe Martin Luther King Bridge in St. Louis is a cantilever truss bridge of about in total length across the Mississippi River, connecting St. Louis with East St. Louis, Illinois. The bridge serves as traffic relief connecting the concurrent freeways of Interstate 55, Interstate 70, Interstate...
– Downtown St. LouisDowntown St. Louis is the central business district of St. Louis, Missouri, the hub of tourism and entertainment, and the anchor of the St. Louis metropolitan area. The downtown is bounded by Cole Street to the north, the river front to the east, Chouteau Avenue to the south, and Jefferson Avenue...
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Southbound exit and northbound entrance; Exit 2B/2C; Interchange |
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{{jct|state=IL|I|64|dir1=east|location1=LouisvilleLouisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
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North end of I-64 overlap; Northbound exit only; Interchange |
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bgcolor=#ddffdd|{{jct|state=IL|I|55|I|70|US|40|GRR |
dir2=east|dir3=east|dir4=north|city1=Chicago}}, Indianapolis Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
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North end of I-55/I-70/US 50/Great River Rd. overlap; Interchange |
MadisonMadison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. Madison County is part of the Metro-East region of the St. Louis Metro Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 269,282, which is an increase of 4.0% from 258,941 in 2000. The county seat is Edwardsville, home to...
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bgcolor=#ddffdd|{{jct|state=IL|I|270|GRR |
city1=Effingham}}, St. Charles |
South end of Great River Rd. overlap; Interchange |
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{{jct|state=IL|GRR-Spur|location1=Lewis and Clark State Historic Site The Lewis and Clark State Historic Site opened in 2002 and is owned and operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The site, located in Hartford, Illinois, commemorates Camp River Dubois, the camp of the Lewis and Clark Expedition from December 1803 to May 1804...
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South end of the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route The Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route extends for in southwestern Illinois, traveling through the floodplain of the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers. The route has been officially designated as a National Scenic Byway by the Federal Highway Administration...
overlap (it ends at this intersection) |
| Wood River Wood River is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,296 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wood River is located at ....
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bgcolor=#ddffdd|{{jct|state=IL|IL|143|GRR |
dir2=north}} / Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route The Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route extends for in southwestern Illinois, traveling through the floodplain of the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers. The route has been officially designated as a National Scenic Byway by the Federal Highway Administration...
north – Wood RiverWood River is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,296 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wood River is located at ....
, AltonAlton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
, Riverfront |
North end of Great River Rd./Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route overlap |
| East Alton East Alton is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,830 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Alton is located at ....
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Broadway |
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AltonAlton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|140|IL|111|dir2=south|name2=College Avenue}} |
South end of IL 111 overlap; Interchange; To Amtrak station Alton, IL is a suburban St. Louis Amtrak station in Alton, Illinois served by the Lincoln Service and the Texas Eagle. This was also a stop for the Ann Rutledge until April 2007. The former Alton Railroad station, later used by the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad is built of brick, and is staffed. ...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|111|US|67|to2=to|dir1=north}} |
North end of IL 111 overlap |
JerseyJersey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. Jersey County is part of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 22,985, which is an increase of 6.1% from 21,668 in 2000...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|109|dir1=north}} |
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| Grafton Grafton is the oldest city in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. It is located near the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 674. Prior to the Great Flood of 1993, Grafton had enjoyed a stable population of nearly...
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{{jct|state=IL|IL|100|GRR |
} / Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic RouteThe Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route extends for in southwestern Illinois, traveling through the floodplain of the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers. The route has been officially designated as a National Scenic Byway by the Federal Highway Administration...
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{{legendRJL}}
External links
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