Illinois Route 78 is a major north–south highway in western

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

. It runs from

Illinois Route 104 Illinois Route 104 is a state highway in central and western Illinois. It extends from Illinois Route 29 near Taylorville, west over the Illinois River at Meredosia to its western terminus in downtown Quincy. This is a distance of . Route d ...

northwest of

Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...

north to Highway 78 at the

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

state line north of

Warren A warren is a network of wild rodent or lagomorph, typically rabbit burrows. Domestic warrens are artificial, enclosed establishment of animal husbandry dedicated to the raising of rabbits for meat and fur. The term evolved from the medieval A ...

. This is a distance of .

Route description

Jacksonville to Elmwood

Starting from IL 104 in Jacksonville, IL 78 briefly travels east, then south, and then east again. Then, it turns north via Main Street, passing the Jacksonville Municipal Airport. As it continues north, it then reaches IL 125 in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. In Havana, US 136, as well as IL 97, begins to run concurrently with IL 78. US 136 then leaves the concurrency just west of the

Scott W. Lucas Bridge The Scott Wike Lucas Bridge is a bridge located in the community of Havana, Illinois. It carries U.S. Route 136 over the Illinois River The Illinois River ( mia, Inoka Siipiiwi) is a principal tributary of the Mississippi River and is appro ...

. At the US 24 junction, IL 97 branches off west via US 24 while IL 78 travels east via US 24. In Little America, IL 78 branches off north from US 24. Then, IL 9 runs concurrently with IL 78 in Canton. In Farmington, IL 78 turns east via IL 116 and then back north again; branching off north from IL 116. In Elmwood, it follows IL 8 east and then north before branching off north.

Elmwood to Wisconsin state line

Further north, IL 78 then crosses under I-74 without a direct interchange. It then turns east and then north again. As it turns back north, it then follows US 150 for . After that, it then intersects IL 90 north of Laura, then briefly runs concurrently with IL 17, then with US 34, and then intersects with IL 91. In Kewanee, US 34 then branches off northeast. North of the junction, IL 81 ends at the intersection with IL 78. In Annawan, it crosses US 6 and then I-80 at a diamond interchange. Further north, IL 78 then runs concurrently with IL 92, then meets I-88/IL 110 (CKC) at a diamond interchange, and then runs concurrently with US 30 in Morrison. IL 40 ends at an intersection south of Mount Carroll. In Mount Carroll, it intersects US 52/IL 64. Further north, in Stockton, IL 78 then runs concurrently with US 20. In Warren, it then turns northwest before reaching the Wisconsin state line. At that point, IL 78 becomes WIS 78.

History

Starting in 1929, IL 78 first appeared as segments while the rest were under construction. Within a few years, most of IL 78 from Jacksonville to Warren was finished. In 1935, IL 78 superseded portions of IL 82, IL 3, and IL 40. However, a section between Jacksonville and Virginia became part of US 67. By the late 1930s, a portion of IL 78 was moved onto a more direct route between Maples Mill and West Havana. It remained like that until 1968 when US 67 rerouted away from Virginia. This resulted in the extension of IL 78 from Virginia to Jacksonville.

Points of interest

The following historic and geographic sites can be enjoyed on Illinois Route 78, traveling from south to north: *

Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area The Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area (JEPC) is a conservation area located within Cass County in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is in size. A mix of plowed upland prairie and Panther Creek woodlands, the site is managed by ...

* Emiquon Project *

Dickson Mounds Dickson Mounds is a Native American settlement site and burial mound complex near Lewistown, Illinois. It is located in Fulton County on a low bluff overlooking the Illinois River. It is a large burial complex containing at least two cemeteri ...

* Snakeden Hollow State Fish and Wildlife Area *

Johnson-Sauk Trail State Park Johnson-Sauk Trail State Recreation Area is an Illinois state park on in Henry County, Illinois, United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Con ...

Prophetstown State Recreation Area Prophetstown State Park is an Illinois state park on in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. Situated on south bank of the Rock River adjoining modern Prophetstown, Illinois, it was the site of a native American village founded by Ho- ...

Morrison-Rockwood State Park Morrison Rockwood State Park is an Illinois state park on located north of Morrison in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The park was established in 1971 and opened for day use that same year. It is named after the nearby Rock Creek ...

Apple River Canyon State Park Apple River Canyon State Park is an Illinois state park on in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States. The park was begun with land purchased by the state in 1932, as a result of a prolonged campaign led by botanist Herman Silas Pepoon; wi ...

Major intersections

References

External links