Межштатная автомагистраль I-155 в Иллинойсе

Highway in Illinois

Interstate 155 (I 155) is a north–south spur of I 55 that provides an Interstate connection for the Illinois cities of Peoria and Lincoln. The northern terminus is just east of Peoria, at I 74 exit 101 in Morton. The southern terminus, which is northwest of Lincoln, is located on I 55 at exit 127. The highway is 32.13 mile (52 km) long. East of Tremont, I 155 intersects IL 9. 4 mile (6 km) later is Main Street, the first of three northbound exits to Morton. (There are only two southbound exits, at Queenwood Road and IL 98/Birchwood Street). The highway passes to the west of Morton before intersecting I 74 at a trumpet interchange about 8 mile (13 km) southeast of downtown Peoria.

I 155 was built on the right of way of former IL 121. In the early 1960s, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) opened IL 98, an east–west, two lane highway running west from downtown Morton to Pekin. Within a few years, the intersection of IL 98 and IL 121 would be known as the "Killer Corner", as traffic volumes increased between Springfield and Peoria on IL 121. Between when IL 98 was opened and when the corner was closed in 1989 for construction of a full interchange, 15 people were killed as a result of automobile accidents at the corner. Near Hopedale, a short portion of IL 121 was reconstructed in the early 1970s to replace a bridge over the Mackinaw River. The interchange with I 55 was built but barricaded to traffic. In 1976, an injunction won by Peoria attorney Timothy Swain Sr. halted further construction on the highway for 10 years. Later, the state submitted another application to AASHTO for the freeway to be named Interstate 155. On June 9, 1991, the AASHTO application was approved and granted when I 155 was completed.