Interstate 180 (Illinois)

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use American English Template:Infobox road Interstate 180 (I-180) is a north–south spur highway in Illinois that runs from Princeton to the small town of Hennepin at its southern terminus. It is Template:Convert long.<ref name="fhwa" />

Route description

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Aerial view of I-180/IL 29 interchange west of Hennepin

I-180 begins as a continuation of Illinois Route 71 (IL 71) at a diamond interchange with IL 26 northeast of Hennepin. The interchange is located adjacent to a former steel mill that was most recently operated by ArcelorMittal but closed in 2009 and demolished in 2017.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The freeway travels northwest, carrying I-180 and IL 26 in a concurrency, and crosses the Illinois River on the north side of Hennepin to enter Bureau County.<ref name="google">Template:Google maps</ref>

On the west side of the river, IL 26 separates from I-180 and the freeway crosses over IL 29 before splitting at a Y interchange. I-180 turns north, intersecting an expressway that connects to IL 29, and travels northeast across Big Bureau Creek to intersect IL 26. The freeway intersects US Route 6 (US 6) east of Princeton and continues due north to its terminus, a trumpet interchange with I-80. I-180 has four lanes for most of its length, though an additional Template:Convert southbound lane exists prior to the IL 29 exit.<ref name="google"/>

History

Construction of I-180 was completed in 1969.<ref name="scott_20061221">Template:Cite news</ref> The freeway was built primarily to connect I-80 to a new Jones and Laughlin Steel Company steel plant built in 1965 in Hennepin.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In August 1970, the U.S. General Accounting Office published a report criticizing the Federal Highway Administration for prioritizing I-180 over spurs in larger metropolitan areas, including Tucson, Arizona and Tacoma, Washington. The report also stated that steel plant officials had demanded construction of the spur to allow trucks from the plant to easily access I-80.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The steel plant closed in 2009 and has since been demolished.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

I-180 is one of the least traveled Interstates in the nation, serving 1,950–3,600 vehicles per day Template:As of.<ref name=t2>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the 2010s, work started to reconstruct portions of the bridge carrying I-180 over the Illinois River. A three-year project to rebuild the deck began in 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Interstate 180 at Kurumi's Roads Page
• I-180 at Illinois Highway Ends
• Interstate 180 at Roads of the Mid-South and West