The I-94/US 41 interchange in Illinois is an interesting study in highway 'evolution'. The original US 41 4 lane divided highway between Chicagoland and Milwaukee was completed in the late 1930s. It took a track at the state line to the west of the 'Russell Road' interchange, roughly in line with the highway in Wisconsin. It then turned southeastward to its existing route at the south end of this map.
The crossover (it passes under the Tri-State Tollway/I-94) was reduced to a single two lane road when the Tollway was constructed in the 1950s (note the almost 'imperceptable' little 's' curve at the south edge of the cemetary, it is where this single two lane roadway crosses from the east side of the ROW to the west side as one goes south). This allows for north-south traffic to continue to use the roadway from the minor side roads just south of the Tollway. Between the southernmost of these side roads and the current US 41 (Skokie Road) to the south the 'old' highway is a single lane southbound on-ramp. Between this crossover and the state line, the original 4 lanes are still fully intact. I-94/US 41 northward from the state line to the Racine/Milwaukee County line in Wisconsin was continually upgraded over the years into its current form, a 6 lane freeway with a series of 'Texas' style frontage roads. The 4 lane former highway by Russell Road in Illinois feeds into the west frontage road in Wisconsin.
The rather heavy traffic on I-94/US 41 in Wisconsin (IIRC, it is one of the top 3 or 4 busiest rural highways in the USA) splits about 2-3 to 1 between the Tri-State Tollway and Skokie Road in Illinois. While Skokie Road has a large number of traffic signalized intersections, it remains a popular through truck route (it rejoins I-94 at the Lake/Cook County line to become the 'Edens Expressway') because of its lack of tolls.
An interesting side note, the Russell Road interchange is 'exit 1', the only 'numbered' highway interchange in Lake County. Interchanges on the Tri-State Tollway are not numbered and its 'mileposts' count up from the south end while 'free' I-94's 'mileposts' count upward from the north.
Also, the state line is marked on the southbound side with a 'state line' sign placed by IDOT, the sign closest to the line northbound is a WisDOT 'speed limit' sign. There is also a two sided 'lottery' billboard ('the 'Big Game' (sold in Illinois) facing the southbound side, 'PowerBALL' (sold in Wisconsin) for northbound traffic) on the west side of the highway, it is about 2 meters inside Illinois.
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Just follow this sign to make your OWN great signs!!!! |
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This page © Michael G. Koerner |
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