1.
Illinois Department of Transportation
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The Illinois Department of Transportation is responsible for investing billions of dollars to build, support and maintain modern and efficient roadways, railways, airports and transit systems. This transportation network is an engine for the State of Illinois. It is IDOT’s mission to provide safe, cost-effective transportation for Illinois in ways that enhance quality of life, promote economic prosperity, IDOT is headed by the Secretary of Transportation. The Office of the Secretary is responsible for the administration and operation of the offices within the Department, the Office of the Secretary also works closely with the Governor’s Office and the Illinois General Assembly to establish and implement Illinois’ transportation policies. The departmental structure is oriented to functions IDOT performs as an agency, develop programs, implement projects and support those efforts administratively and this organizational structure allows IDOT to serve the public and meet its core mission. The Department is structured in four areas, Program Development, Project Implementation, Public Affairs. Program Development is responsible for developing plans, programs, and policies to all modes into one seamless transportation system serving to build Illinois’ economy. Program Development consists of two offices, Planning and Programming and Program Development, the Office of Planning and Programming develops plans and programs aimed at improving the state’s transportation system. The Office of Planning and Programming consists of five bureaus, Data Collection, Innovative Project Delivery, Planning, Programming, • The Bureau of Data Collection maintains and distributes crash report data submitted by law enforcement agencies and motorists across the state. It collects and disseminates fatality data to departmental and state/federal agencies and this bureau prepares the annual Illinois Crash Facts & Statistics and Trends publications and handles data requests from a variety of sources. It administers the Department’s portion of the Illinois Safety Responsibility Law as well as oversees the Illinois Traffic and Pedestrian Stop Study data collection, • The Bureau of Innovative Project Delivery oversees departmental initiatives to explore the leveraging of private resources in project implementation and agency operations. • The Bureau of Planning proactively plans for the future of the transportation system. This includes long-range planning and oversight of capital grants budgets related to aviation and this bureau administers the Metropolitan Planning Program in cooperation with various state and local planning agencies and is responsible for transportation data and support activities. • The Bureau of Programming develops the annual and multi-year Transportation Improvement Programs as well as the construction, • The Bureau of Research coordinates federal- and state-funded research activities, including all Strategic Highway Research, National Cooperative Research and Transportation Research Board programs. Research activities are conducted through an intergovernmental agreement with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The OPD monitors district programs to ensure uniformity in the interpretation and application of policy and to confirm program coordination with federal, state. This bureau provides detailed planning and design of structures and bridge standards, including preliminary engineering and other plans. Inspection of major structures and structural steel for safety purposes are a function of the bureau, • The Bureau of Design and Environment develops standards, specifications and policies for the design of the state’s highway network
2.
Illinois Route 40
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Illinois Route 40 is a north–south route in central portion of the U. S. state of Illinois. It runs from Interstate 74 in East Peoria north to Illinois Route 78 at Mt. Carroll, just south of U. S. Route 52 and this is a distance of 112.05 miles. Illinois 40 is known as Knoxville Avenue in the Peoria area, Route 40 crosses over Interstate 74 north of downtown, and then grows complex in the downtown area, as there are three turns in a one-block length. Illinois 40 then emerges onto William Kumpf Boulevard and crosses over the Illinois River using the Bob Michel Bridge, on the other side of the river, Illinois 40 is briefly called Washington Street. It then is routed onto an onramp to Interstate 74, where there is an exit to Camp Street before terminating at I-74, Illinois 40 was previously designated Illinois Route 88. In 1992, Illinois Route 5, a freeway which crosses Illinois 40, was designated Interstate 88. To prevent confusion, IDOT redesignated Illinois 88 as Illinois 40, prior to 2003, the Illinois 40 exit on I-74 southeast of Peoria was called Industrial Spur. The only remaining possibility is that Illinois 40 itself between Washington Street and Interstate 74 is Riverfront Drive, as a result, Illinois 40 has the distinction of being the only onramp explicitly named in Illinois. The name Riverfront Drive is particularly ironic since the road is not the closest road to the river
3.
Sterling, Illinois
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Sterling is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,370 at the 2010 census, down from 15,451 in 2000, formerly nicknamed The Hardware Capital of the World, Sterling has long been associated with manufacturing and the steel industry. Sterling is located along the bank of the Rock River opposite its twin city of Rock Falls. The land immediately outside of town is almost entirely farmland, the prairie soil is part of one of the worlds most fertile growing areas. According to the 2010 census, Sterling has an area of 5.943 square miles. As of the census of 2000, there were 15,596 people,6,234 households, the population density was 3,307.0 people per square mile. There were 6,596 housing units at a density of 1,411.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 84. 36% White,2. 25% African American,0. 41% Native American,0. 81% Asian,0. 01% Pacific Islander,9. 82% from other races, and 2. 35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19. 24% of the population,31. 4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14. 0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the family size was 3.04. In the city, the population was out with 25. 1% under the age of 18,9. 5% from 18 to 24,28. 7% from 25 to 44,19. 8% from 45 to 64. The median age was 36 years, for every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males, the median income for a household in the city was $37,664, and the median income for a family was $45,531. Males had an income of $33,047 versus $21,944 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,432, about 7. 6% of families and 10. 8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17. 0% of those under age 18 and 5. 4% of those age 65 or over. In 1834, Hezekiah Brink built the first cabin in what was to become Harrisburg, two years later, William Kirkpatrick settled downstream in an area that became Chatham. In 1838, the towns of Harrisburg and Chatham combined to become the Town of Sterling in an effort to attract the county seat. The name Sterling was bestowed to the new town in honor of Major James Sterling, on February 16,1857 Sterling was incorporated as a city by state law
4.
Dixon, Illinois
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Dixon is a city and county seat of Lee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,733 as of the 2010 census, the city is named after founder John Dixon, who operated a rope ferry service across Rock River, which runs through the city. The Illinois General Assembly designated Dixon as Petunia Capital of Illinois in 1999, Dixon is a regional employment hub and is part of two fast growing distribution and warehousing and food processing districts, one is I-88 West and the other, the I-39 Logistics Corridor. The biggest industries are healthcare and government, healthcare employs over 1,700, while government jobs approach 1,500. The Dixon Correctional Center employs over 600 workers, as does the Department of Transportation, KSB Hospital has nearly 1,000 employees. Dixon has many industries employing thousands of the regions residents, the largest are Raynor Garage Doors, Donaldson Inc. Fifteen miles away in Ashton, Crest Foods employees over 600, Dixon is a regional center for healthcare. There is also a hospital, an infirmary, and a clinic for the ill at the Dixon Correctional Center. The Mabley State Mental Health complex is located in Dixon. Dixon is the home of former U. S. President Ronald Reagan. The city is also the site of the Lincoln Monument State Memorial, the memorial is located on the west side of Dixons main north-south street, Galena Avenue, north of the Rock River. Circa 1828, Joseph Ogee, a man of mixed French and Native American descent, established a ferry, in 1829, an employee of Ogee was named postmaster at the newly constructed post office. John Dixon, the founder, bought Ogees Ferry in the spring of 1830. Dixon brought his family to his new establishment on April 11 of that year, shortly after, the name of the post office was changed to Dixons Ferry. Dixon is the home of the 40th president of the United States. Reagan was born in nearby Tampico and moved to Dixon, aged nine, in his teen years, he lifeguarded along the banks of the Rock River. His family house is preserved at 816 South Hennepin Avenue, in 1984, during his first term as president, Reagan returned to Dixon to celebrate his 73rd birthday. He toured his boyhood residence and the city held a parade in his honor, in April 2012, Dixon Municipal Comptroller Rita Crundwell was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for embezzlement
5.
U.S. Route 20 in Illinois
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U. S. Route 20 in the U. S.93 miles. For its entire length, US20 is designated as the General Ulysses S. Grant Highway, however, this name is only commonly used west of Elgin. From Elgin to Melrose Park, US20 follows Lake Street and it then follows Mannheim Road, and further south La Grange Road. US20 also follows 95th Street as it turns east through Chicagos southwestern suburbs and it ultimately leaves Illinois on Indianapolis Boulevard. The Ulysses S. Grant Home, a landmark, fronts near the highway at the eastern edge of Galena. The road between Dubuque and Stockton was once known as the most dangerous stretch of road because of the hills and curves flanked by cliffs, travelers were greeted with signs reminding them to drive carefully as they entered this stretch of road. In Freeport, US20 is routed onto a freeway bypass. Between Freeport and Rockford there are two traffic light-controlled intersections, the Rockford bypass routes US20 onto a full limited-access freeway, it remains this way until it overlaps Interstate 39 southeast of downtown Rockford. Interchanges on the Rockford Bypass include West State Street, South Meridian Road, Montague Road, South Main Street, 11th Street, and South Alpine Road. East of Rockford, the routing of US20 runs parallel with Interstate 90 and it is a four-lane divided highway from I-39 to just east of Belvidere, for the rest of this segment, it is a winding, rural two-lane road. US20 travels through the downtowns of the towns and unincorporated areas of Garden Prairie, Harmony and Starks. At Starks, eastbound US20 overlaps southbound Illinois Route 47 and westbound Illinois Route 72, all three routes pass beneath a railroad viaduct before separating south of Starks. Continuing east, US20 travels through Pingree Grove before entering the Elgin area, before entering Elgin, US20 widens to a four lane limited-access freeway that bypasses Elgin. This road is known as the Elgin Bypass, at the end of the Elgin bypass, US20 takes on the name of Lake Street. US20 has numerous high-volume intersections, including an interchange with Illinois Route 59. US20 continues in an east-southeast direction through the center of Bloomingdale. Past Elmhurst, the road overlaps Interstate 290 for a mile, US20 continues through Stone Park and Melrose Park before turning south and joining U. S. At this point, US20 becomes Mannheim Road, and later, La Grange Road, the routing of US20 has not changed since 1938
6.
Rockford, Illinois
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Rockford is the third largest city in the U. S. It is the county seat of Winnebago County and is located on banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Settled between 1834 and 1835, Rockford was strategically positioned between Chicago and Galena and thus suitable for industrial development. Rockford was notable for its output of heavy machinery and tools, by the century, it was the second leading center of furniture manufacturing in the nation. Its contributions to music are noted in the Mendelssohn Club, the oldest music club in the nation, Rockford was founded by New Englanders in 1834 as separate settlements on each side of the river and originally called Midway. At the time Rockford was founded its inhabitants consisted almost entirely of New Englanders and these were Yankee settlers, meaning they were descended from the English Puritans who settled New England during the early 1600s. They made up all of Winnebego Countys inhabitants during the first several decades of its history. In this regard the county was similar to most of the portion of the state of Illinois. After the conclusion of the Black Hawk War there was a surge of immigration from New England. As a result of this heritage the inhabitants of Winnebego County considered themselves, and functioned as, in the Presidential election of 1860, Abraham Lincoln won 3,985 votes in Winnebago County, whereas Steven Douglas only won 817 votes. It was established as the county seat over rivaling communities, Winnebago, due to the areas proximity to a ford across the Rock River, the village of Midway was renamed Rockford in 1837 by arriving New Englanders. Rockford was chartered as a city in 1852, following the establishment of a post office in 1837, growth was fueled by the charter of Rockford Female Seminary in 1847 and a connection to the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad in 1852. The New York Tribune inspired the metonym The Forest City for Rockford in 1853, the decision of John Henry Manny to locate production of his horse-powered combine harvester in Rockford attributed to a local rise in agricultural machinery manufacturing. Swedish furniture cooperatives did the same for their respective industry, in the antebellum period, Rockford shared abolitionist leanings, lending considerable support to the Free Soil Party. In 1848,42 percent of voters in Winnebago County, which Rockford dominated as the county seat, the Rockford Female Seminary became the alma mater of Jane Addams in 1881. This move accompanied the Seminarys transition into a complete curriculum. Culture flourished with the founding of the Mendelssohn Club in 1884 and this was complemented by the construction of a Carnegie library in 1902, which became the first building of Rockfords public library system. 1903 saw the dedication of the Winnebago County Veterans Memorial Hall in the presence of sitting President Theodore Roosevelt, Roosevelt returned to Rockford during his campaign in 1912 and later to address the soldiers at Camp Grant, a training site for World War I soldiers
7.
South Beloit, Illinois
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South Beloit is a city located in Winnebago County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area, but it is essentially an extension of Beloit, WI. At the 2010 census, the population was 7,892. South Beloit is located at 42°29′03″N 89°02′19″W, according to the 2010 census, South Beloit has a total area of 6.13 square miles, of which 5.9 square miles is land and 0.23 square miles is water. As of the census of 2000, there were 8,051 people,3,400 households, the population density was 1,362.9 people per square mile. There were 2,345 housing units at a density of 592.2 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 87. 16% White, 5% African American,0. 63% Native American,1. 01% Asian,0. 07% Pacific Islander,3. 48% from other races, and 1. 83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7. 49% of the population,28. 8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10. 3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the family size was 3.01. In the city, the population was out with 26. 5% under the age of 18,8. 7% from 18 to 24,33. 4% from 25 to 44,18. 5% from 45 to 64. The median age was 33 years, for every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males, the median income for a household in the city was $35,597, and the median income for a family was $41,154. Males had an income of $33,110 versus $22,596 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,363, about 8. 2% of families and 10. 0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15. 4% of those under age 18 and 7. 6% of those age 65 or over. All historical knowledge is from the book, Our Golden History-South Beloit Illinois and she wrote the book to inform the people South Beloit of their roots. What is now South Beloit was previously full of resources such as copper, lead. Buff and blue limestones were plentiful everywhere in Winnebago County, with forming the banks of the Rock River. The buff limestone gave the first settlers material for their houses and public buildings, some of which can still be seen in Rockford, Rockton, the older homes in South Beloit had 18–20-inch-thick basement walls of this limestone
IL 40 in Sterling
IL 26 / US 52 in Dixon
US 20 in Rockford
WIS 213 at South Beloit
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IL 40 south (Locust Street) to I-88 / US 30
IL 40 north / Lincoln Highway west (1st Avenue)
IL 64 (Washington Street)
IL 72 west – Leaf River, Forreston
US 20 to I-90 / I-39 – Freeport, Belvidere
IL 75 west (Blackhawk Boulevard)
IL 75 east (Gardner Street) to I-90 / I-39 / US 51