Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway

Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway
Name	Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway
Designation	Historic byway
Location	Illinois, United States
Length mi	~300
Established	1990s
Direction	A=East
Direction	B=West
Terminus A	Chicago
Terminus B	East St. Louis

Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway traces a largely contiguous corridor through Chicago, Joliet, Springfield, and East St. Louis, following alignments of the historic U.S. Route 66 across Cook County, Will County, Sangamon County, and St. Clair County. The byway connects a dense array of architecture, roadside attractions, and transportation heritage sites associated with the 20th-century expansion of automobile travel and the federal highway program linked to the U.S. Highway System. It serves as both a commemorative corridor for Route 66 and a living transportation route for regional mobility.

Route description

The byway begins in central Chicago near landmarks such as Lake Shore Drive and threads southwest through suburban Oak Park, past industrial districts of Hines and the historic rail junctions near LaSalle Street Station, then follows historic pavement through Joliet, the Des Plaines River valley, and the Kankakee area toward Bloomington and Normal. Continuing west, the corridor runs through Lincoln and into Springfield, passing the Illinois State Capitol, then trends southwest to Staunton and Litchfield before reaching the Mississippi River at East St. Louis. Along the route, travelers encounter interchanges with Interstate 55, Interstate 57, and Interstate 70, rail crossings of Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and proximity to Amtrak lines at multiple depots.

History

The corridor originated as a sequence of local trails and early 20th-century auto trails such as the National Old Trails Road and the Bankhead Highway before consolidation into U.S. Route 66 in 1926, mandated within the U.S. Highway System. The route catalyzed commercial growth in Joliet Prison—near Joliet Correctional Center—and suburban development around Chicago Motor Club era services, concurrent with federal programs like the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916 and later New Deal projects tied to the Works Progress Administration. Postwar automobile culture linked the byway to movie-era icons such as Elvis Presley through touring circuits and to literary depictions like John Steinbeck's references in The Grapes of Wrath. Redundant alignments and the construction of the Interstate Highway System—notably Interstate 55—led to bypassing and eventual decommissioning of portions of U.S. Route 66; subsequent preservation initiatives by groups like the National Trust for Historic Preservation and state agencies established the corridor as a scenic byway.

Major attractions and landmarks

Key city-center sites include the Chicago Fire Department historic districts, the Plaza Theater in Joliet, the Gemini Giant statue in Wilmington, and the neon signage of motels and diners influenced by Googie architecture. In Springfield the byway passes near the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, and the Old State Capitol State Historic Site. Industrial and transportation landmarks include the Chain of Rocks Bridge, the Madison County Transit bridges, and former service stations operated by firms such as Standard Oil and Phillips 66. Roadside museums and collectors’ sites include institutions inspired by Jack Kerouac, Beat Generation memorabilia, and private collections with artifacts tied to Harley-Davidson and classic Pontiac automobiles. Other notable stops encompass historic diners linked to Ray Kroc’s McDonald’s origins, the Ruta 66-style motels reflecting trends from companies like Hilton Hotels & Resorts and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and performing arts venues connected to the Chicago Theatre circuit.

Cultural significance and tourism

The byway functions as a cultural corridor evoking themes in works by Steinbeck, music by Bobby Troup and Nat King Cole, and filmic portrayals in productions like The Grapes of Wrath adaptations. Annual festivals draw enthusiasts associated with organizations such as the Route 66 Association of Illinois, classic car clubs from the Antique Automobile Club of America, and motorcycle groups linked to American Motorcyclist Association events. The corridor influences heritage tourism strategies used by statewide bodies including the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and regional convention bureaus in Chicago metro and Greater St. Louis. Culinary tourism highlights diners, orchards, and breweries connected to businesses like Anheuser-Busch and craft operations in Springfield and Carlinville.

Preservation and management

Preservation efforts have involved partnerships among the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and local historical societies such as the Joliet Area Historical Museum and the Route 66 Association of Illinois. Grants and technical assistance have referenced programs administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, and state transportation agencies to maintain historic pavement, signage, and adaptive reuse of service stations for museums and visitor centers affiliated with institutions like Illinois State University and Southern Illinois University. Nonprofit stewardship includes volunteer corps from groups such as the Preservation Action network and local rotary clubs, coordinating with municipal planning commissions in towns like Litchfield and Staunton.

Route junctions and access

Major junctions occur where the byway intersects Interstate 55 near Jacksonville, crosses Interstate 70 corridors toward St. Louis, and meets U.S. Route 36 east of Decatur. Rail interchanges with CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway create multimodal access points at depots serving Amtrak routes including the Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle. Airports providing access include Chicago Midway International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and Lambert–St. Louis International Airport. Public transit connections involve Metra commuter rail lines, Pace bus services, and shuttle operations coordinated by regional tourism offices.

Maps and route changes

Historic maps documenting alignments appear in archives of the Library of Congress, the Illinois State Archives, and collections held by the Smithsonian Institution. Cartographic changes reflect realignments from the 1920s and 1930s, midcentury bypasses tied to Interstate 55 construction, and contemporary scenic byway designations maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation. Digital resources and printed guidebooks produced by Rand McNally and local chambers of commerce chart variant routings through towns like Pontiac and Sherman, while preservation maps used by the National Park Service and the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona illustrate interstate coordination of historic Route 66 corridors.

Category:Scenic byways in Illinois