Illinois Route 92

Illinois Route 92 is a 124.00-mile-long (199.56 km) state highway in northwestern Illinois, connecting the Quad Cities region with the Illinois River valley. It runs from an interchange with Interstate 80 near Aledo east to a junction with Illinois Route 29 in Spring Valley. The route serves as a primary east–west corridor through the rural farmlands and river communities of Mercer, Henry, Bureau, and LaSalle counties.

Route description

Beginning at Interstate 80 west of Aledo, the highway travels eastward through the Mercer County seat, intersecting Illinois Route 94 and Illinois Route 17. It continues east across the Green River into Henry County, passing through the village of Lynn Center before meeting U.S. Route 67 in the city of Geneseo. East of Geneseo, the route crosses the Hennepin Canal and proceeds through Atkinson and Hooppole. Entering Bureau County, it serves Tampico, birthplace of Ronald Reagan, and intersects Illinois Route 40 in Walnut. The highway then curves southeast, crossing the Illinois River via the Seneca bridge into LaSalle County. Its final segment runs through Ottawa, where it has a concurrency with U.S. Route 6 and Illinois Route 23, before terminating at Illinois Route 29 along the Illinois and Michigan Canal in Spring Valley.

History

The roadway was originally designated as Illinois Route 5 in 1918, following the creation of the Illinois State Highway System. In the 1924 Illinois highway renumbering, it received its current designation. Significant alignments were established with the construction of key bridges, including the Hennepin Canal crossings in the 1920s and the modern Illinois River bridge at Seneca, which replaced an earlier ferry service. Realignments occurred in the mid-20th century, particularly near Aledo with the construction of Interstate 80 and around Ottawa to improve traffic flow. The route has been part of several historic transportation corridors, including paths used during the Black Hawk War and near the Illinois and Michigan Canal, a National Heritage Area.

Major intersections

From west to east, key junctions include the western terminus at Interstate 80 in Mercer County. In Aledo, it intersects Illinois Route 94 and Illinois Route 17. In Geneseo, it meets U.S. Route 67. East of Hooppole, it has a junction with Illinois Route 78. In Walnut, it crosses Illinois Route 40. It intersects Illinois Route 26 south of Ohio before crossing the Illinois River. In Ottawa, it shares a routing with U.S. Route 6 and Illinois Route 23, passing near the Washington Park and the Illinois Supreme Court building. The eastern terminus is at Illinois Route 29 in Spring Valley, near the Starved Rock State Park region. Category:Illinois state highways