Talk:Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

REDIRECT Talk:Interstate 88 (west)

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Actually, the East-West Tollway was built to Dixon.. and then an access connector was built to U.S. Route 30 EAST of Sterling, IL (that exit is still there).

The second phase was construction of a southern by-pass of Sterling/Rock Falls - that also crossed the Rock River. The road terminated here for a few years, and old state route 2 provided a connector to U.S. Route 30 on the WEST side of Rock Falls/Sterling.

Iowa had hoped that Illinois would provide a connector from this interchange to Clinton, IA via Morrison (Highway 30) - to match-up with their 4-lane and route improvements in Clinton and west to Hwy. 61.

The last section is not tollway - but state funded from this intersection west of Rock Falls/Sterling to Interstate 80. An interesting tale of poor Illinois highway construction (and numerous legal proceedings). This 35 mile section of the concrete road had to be completely rebuilt (down to new roadbed and proper drainage) over the past 7 years.

The Rock Falls Sterling to Quad Cities section:

No major city along this linkage (route travels south of Morrison, IL)
Parallels an old Rock Island railroad branch line to Rock Falls (old roadbed can be seen in some sections south of highway right of way) - parts of this are now set aside for natural prairie.
Old IL State Route 2 largely followed this route - and was co-signed in one section with IL SR-5 for a few years.
Section of highway crosses a glacial fill area (Illinoisan glacier - 100,000 years ago) - that is 700 feet deep (to bedrock) and deepest point. This is the ancient Mississippi river bed from Bureau County to Quad Cities area - when Mississippi followed the Illinois River valley south of Princeton area
Only 2 interchanges (SR-78) abut in middle of section.
Rock River stays south of the route -- but many smaller creeks and drainages cross route that empty into the Rock River.