Illinois Route 9 - History

History

Illinois 9 was established in 1918 as one of the original 46 SBI routes. The routing of Illinois 9 has had 2 major changes since its establishment.

The original western terminus was in Hamilton, IL at the old Keokuk Rail Bridge completed in 1916 and then preceded East through Carthage and Macomb (county seats of Hancock and McDonough counties), 9 miles (14 km) east of Macomb, southwest of New Philadelphia, the route turned north to Bushnell and then proceeded east along the current Illinois 9 alignment to Canton, Peoria County, and Pekin.

  • US-136, Hamilton to New Philadelphia,
  • IL-41, New Philadelphia to Bushnell and
  • IL-9, Bushnell to IN Line.

This current route moved north to terminate in Niota at the Fort Madison Toll Bridge (longest double-deck swing-span bridge in the world) after its completion in July 1928. The route parallels the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and Mississippi River to Dallas City then turns slightly southeast to LaHarpe Illinois. From LaHarpe the route parallels the original Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway right-of way to Bushnell.

From 1935 to 1937, Illinois 9 ran a different route from Pekin to Bloomington, that original route is now posted as:

  • IL-29, Pekin to N. Pekin,
  • IL-98, N. Pekin to Morton,
  • US-150, Morton to Bloomington.

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