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|---|---|---|---|---|
 IL 161 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by IDOT | ||||
| Length | 67.24 mi[2] (108.21 km) | |||
| Existed | 1926[1]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end | St. Clair Avenue in Fairview Heights | |||
 I-64 in New Baden US 51 in Centralia I-57 in Kell | ||||
| East end |  IL 37 in Kell | |||
| Location | ||||
| Counties | St. Clair, Clinton, Marion | |||
| Highway system | ||||
Illinois State Highway System
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Illinois Route 161 (abbreviated IL 161) is an east–west highway with its western terminus at St. Clair Avenue in Fairview Heights and its official eastern terminus at Illinois Route 37 near Kell. This is an official distance of 67.24 miles (108.21 km).[2]
The road continues, as various county routes, eastbound beyond Illinois 37 to Allendale at Illinois Route 1. To locals, this part of the highway is known as "The Extension", referring to the fact that road "Extends" on after its official end.
Route description
Illinois 161 runs along portions of what once was U.S. Route 50 west of Scott Air Force Base. East of Belleville, it becomes a rural, two-lane surface road. Inside the Centralia city limits, Illinois 161 is coupled into eastbound Noleman Street and westbound McCord Street.
History
SBI Route 161 originally ran from Belleville to Carlyle; in 1941 it was rerouted from Carlyle to IL 37 at its current eastern end, replacing IL 182.[3] In 1964 it was extended west to Fairview Heights.[1]
Major intersections
| County | Location | mi[4] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Clair | Fairview Heights | 0.0 | 0.0 |  IL 157 – Centreville, Caseyville | Western terminus of IL 161 |
| Swansea | 6.5 | 10.5 |  IL 159 (Illinois St) – Fairview Heights, Belleville | ||
| | 12.2 | 19.6 |  IL 158 east (Air Mobility Dr) | West end of IL 158 concurrency | |
| | 13.2 | 21.2 | IL 158 west – Columbia | East end of IL 158 concurrency | |
| Mascoutah | 17.6 | 28.3 |  IL 4 – Lebanon, Mascoutah | ||
| New Baden | 21.8 | 35.1 | I-64 – East St. Louis, Mt. Vernon | I-64 exit 27 | |
| Clinton | 24.0 | 38.6 |  IL 160 – Trenton | ||
| | 43.0 | 69.2 |  IL 127 – Carlyle, Nashville | ||
| Marion | Centralia | 55.0 | 88.5 | US 51 south (Poplar St) – Du Quoin | One-way pair |
| 55.1 | 88.7 | US 51 north (Elm St) – Vandalia | One-way pair | ||
| | 66.0 | 106.2 | I-57 – Effingham, Mt. Vernon | I-57 exit 109 | |
| | 67.24 | 108.21 | IL 37 | Eastern terminus of IL 161 | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- ^ a b Carlson, Rich (2005-04-15). "Illinois Highways Page: Routes 161 thru 180". Retrieved 2006-07-22.
- ^ a b Illinois Technology Transfer Center (2006). "T2 GIS Data". Retrieved 2007-11-08.
- ^ "New State Road Map Completed". Edwardsville Intelligencer. March 22, 1941. p. 2. Retrieved November 6, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Google (March 9, 2017). "Overview Map of IL 161" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
