Illinois Route 242 is a north–south state highway in southern

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 ...

that runs from

Illinois Route 142 Illinois Route 142 is a major arterial road in southeastern Illinois. It runs from near the town center of Equality at Calhoun Street, a local road, north to Illinois Route 37 and the northern terminus of Illinois Route 148 in Mount Vernon. This ...

in McLeansboro north to

Illinois Route 15 Illinois Route 15 (IL 15) is a east–west highway in southern Illinois with its western terminus at Illinois Route 3, U.S. Route 40, I-55, and I-64, and its eastern terminus at Wabash River at the Illinois/Indiana Border where it meets Sta ...

in Wayne City. The route serves as a spur of

, which runs north–south from

Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is an American landmark and former plantation of Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States George Washington and his wife, Martha. The estate is on ...

Equality Equality may refer to: Society * Political equality, in which all members of a society are of equal standing ** Consociationalism, in which an ethnically, religiously, or linguistically divided state functions by cooperation of each group's elite ...

. Route 242 also connects two east–west trunk routes,

Illinois Route 14 Illinois Route 14 (IL 14) is a major east–west highway in southern Illinois. It runs from U.S. Route 51 south of Du Quoin to the New Harmony Toll Bridge over the Wabash River to State Road 66 at the Indiana state line. This is a distance ...

and Illinois 15. Route 242 passes through the counties of

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

and Wayne. The highway is maintained by the

Illinois Department of Transportation The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) 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 ...

Route description

Illinois Route 142 and 242 in McLeansboro

Route 242 begins at an intersection with Route 142 in McLeansboro, Hamilton County; this intersection is near Route 14, which runs through McLeansboro to the south. The route heads north from McLeansboro into McLeansboro Township, passing through farmland with scattered houses. It runs through South Crouch Township before entering Crouch Township. Route 242 passes to the east of Belle Prairie City before crossing into Wayne County. The highway enters Orel Township in Wayne County and intersects

Interstate 64 Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange w ...

in the

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

of Mayberry. Route 242 heads northwest from Mayberry before turning north toward Wayne City. The highway terminates in Wayne City at a junction with Route 15.

History

A route between McLeansboro and Wayne City was marked on Illinois road maps in 1922. The road which is now Route 242 was designated in 1924 as Illinois Route 142A between McLeansboro and Wayne City, along a more westerly path through Belle Prairie City. Route 142A was first numbered on the 1929 Illinois state highway map. The route was moved to its current route in 1931. By 1942, the road was renumbered as Illinois Route 147, and it became part of Route 142 in 1946. The road became Route 242 by 1977.

Major intersections

References

External links

Illinois Highway Ends: Illinois Route 242

{{ccat 242 Transportation in Hamilton County, Illinois Transportation in Wayne County, Illinois