U.S. Route 40 in Illinois
# U.S. Route 40 in Illinois

U.S. Route 40 (US 40) runs east–west across south central Illinois for 159.8 miles (257.2 km). US 40 enters the state from Missouri across the Poplar Street Bridge over the Mississippi River at East St. Louis concurrent with Interstate 55 (I-55) and I-64 and exits just south of State Line, Indiana, running concurrently with I-70. For the majority of its route through Illinois, US 40 follows the National Road, including the route's initial western terminus at Vandalia.

For nearly its entire route, US 40 is two-lane and rural, with the exception of portions in and around major towns and cities. For its entire length, US 40 closely aligns with I-70. Not only does the route intersect with the Interstate six times, but also has three concurrencies with the highway; both highways exit into Indiana on the same road.

## Route description

### East St. Louis to Highland

Starting from the Poplar Street Bridge, US 40, as well as I-55 and I-64, enters East St. Louis. Just east of the bridge, the three routes run concurrently with IL 3 as well as the Great River Road. After a series of interchanges, both I-64 and IL 3 branches off while I-70 joins the I-55/US 40 concurrencies. From then on, they meet IL 203 at a combination interchange, IL 111 at a diamond interchange, Black Lane at an incomplete interchange, I-255 at another combination interchange, IL 157 at a parclo interchange, and IL 159 at a cloverleaf interchange. At a trumpet interchange 17 miles (27 km) from the Missouri state line, US 40 branches off from I-55 and I-70. From then on, it meets IL 162 and then IL 4 at a one-quadrant interchange.

### Highland to Vandalia

Starting at Highland, US 40 runs concurrently with IL 143. Then, at the roundabout, IL 160 joins the concurrency. IL 160 soon leaves the concurrency around a mile east of the roundabout. IL 143 then also leaves US 40. US 40 then joins I-70 again from exit 30 to the next exit, exit 36. After US 40 leaves I-70, it parallels I-70 for most of the length through Illinois. At a parclo interchange on exit 41 for I-70, US 40 turns south and then east from the northern part of the interchange. It then meets IL 127 at Greenville, IL 140 east of Mulberry Grove, and I-70 at another diamond interchange (exit 61).

### Vandalia to Indiana state line

In Vandalia, IL 185 joins US 40 eastward. Then, the two routes run concurrently with US 51 all the way to downtown. US 51 then leaves the concurrency of two routes. Then, IL 185 also leaves from US 40 just west of another diamond interchange of I-70 (exit 68). IL 128 joins US 40 up to Altamont where IL 128 branches south to I-70. As US 40 reaches Effingham, it briefly bends north until it reaches the intersection of US 40/IL 32/IL 33. At that point, only IL 33 carries on eastward with US 40. At downtown Effingham, US 45 briefly joins from the south and then leaves northward. Soon, IL 33 branches off eastward. From then on, US 40 intersects IL 130, IL 49, and IL 1. US 40 then joins I-70 at another diamond interchange for the third time as the two are about to enter Indiana.

## History

Up until 1935, Illinois Route 11 (IL 11) roughly followed the old alignment of US 40 from St. Louis to near Terre Haute, Indiana. After 1935, IL 11 was decommissioned. But in the mid-1940s, IL 11 was reused after US 40 was realigned south of downtown Greenville and Mulberry Grove, Illinois. In 1947, IL 11 was extended to Vandalia via US 40's old alignment after US 40 bypassed Hagarstown. It followed a part of the original alignment of US 40 between IL 127 in Greenville and US 51 in Vandalia. By 1948, IL 11 was partially replaced by US 40 Alternate; later acquired by IL 140 in 1967.

## Major intersections

| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Mississippi River | Mississippi River | 0.0 | 0.0 | | I-55 south / I-64 west / US 40 west to I-44 – St. Louis, Tulsa, Memphis, Kansas City | Continuation into Missouri |
| Mississippi River | Mississippi River | 0.0– 0.3 | 0.0– 0.48 | Poplar Street Bridge | Poplar Street Bridge | Poplar Street Bridge |
| St. Clair | East St. Louis | 0.6 | 0.97 | 1 | IL 3 south (Mississippi Avenue) / Great River Road south – Cahokia | Western end of IL 3/GRR concurrency |
| St. Clair | East St. Louis | 0.9 | 1.4 | — | 13th Street/Tudor Avenue | Entrance ramp from Piggott Avenue; no exit number |
| St. Clair | East St. Louis | 1.3 | 2.1 | — | IL 15 east (Barack Obama Avenue) – Business District | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; to Broadway Avenue |
| St. Clair | East St. Louis | 1.8 | 2.9 | 2A | Third Street – Eads Bridge | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| St. Clair | East St. Louis | 1.9 | 3.1 | 2B-C | Martin Luther King Bridge – Downtown St. Louis | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; left exit is signed as exit 2B and right exit as 2C |
| St. Clair | East St. Louis | 2.7 | 4.3 | 3A | I-64 east / IL 3 north / St. Clair Avenue – Louisville | Eastern end of I-64/IL 3 concurrency; signed as exit 3 eastbound |
| St. Clair | East St. Louis | 2.9 | 4.7 | 3B | I-70 west – Kansas City | Western end of I-70 concurrency; westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| St. Clair | East St. Louis | 3.0 | 4.8 | 3C | Exchange Avenue | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| St. Clair | Madison–Fairmont City line | 4.0 | 6.4 | 4 | IL 203 – Fairmont City, Granite City, Collinsville Road | Signed as exits 4A (south) & 4B (north) westbound |
| Madison | Fairmont City | 6.3 | 10.1 | 6 | IL 111 / Great River Road north – Wood River, Washington Park | Eastern end of GRR concurrency |
| Madison | Collinsville | 8.8 | 14.2 | 9 | Black Lane | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance |
| Madison | Collinsville | 9.9 | 15.9 | 10 | I-255 to I-270 – Memphis | I-255 exit 25A/B |
| Madison | Collinsville | 11.0 | 17.7 | 11 | IL 157 (Bluff Road) – Collinsville, Edwardsville | |
| Madison | Maryville | 14.6 | 23.5 | 15 | IL 159 – Collinsville, Maryville | Signed as exits 15A (south) & 15B (north) |
| Madison | Troy | 16.9 | 27.2 | 17 | I-55 north / I-70 east – Chicago, Indianapolis | East end of I-55 / I-70 overlap; I-55/70 exit 17 |
| Madison | Jarvis Township | 20.9 | 33.6 | | IL 162 west / Historic National Road – Troy, Granite City | Eastern terminus of IL 162; Granite City signed westbound only |
| Madison | St. Jacob Township | 23.2 | 37.3 | | IL 4 / Historic National Road – Lebanon, Staunton | One-quadrant interchange |
| Madison | Highland | 30.1 | 48.4 | | IL 143 west / Walnut Street – Edwardsville, Business District | West end of IL 143 overlap |
| Madison | Highland | 30.6 | 49.2 | | IL 160 north / Poplar Street | West end of IL 160 overlap |
| Madison | Saline Township | 31.1 | 50.1 | | IL 160 south (Sycamore Street) / Historic National Road – Trenton, Highland | East end of IL 160 overlap; Trenton signed eastbound, Highland westbound |
| Madison | Saline Township | 33.7 | 54.2 | | IL 143 east / Historic National Road / Gary Street – Pierron | East end of IL 143 overlap |
| Madison | Saline Township | 34.0 | 54.7 | 30 | I-70 west / Steiner Road – East St. Louis | West end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 30 |
| Bond | Old Ripley Township | 39.4– 39.7 | 63.4– 63.9 | 36 | I-70 east / Pokey Road – Effingham | East end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 36 |
| Bond | Pocahontas | | | | Historic National Road (State Street) | |
| Bond | Central Township | 45.3 | 72.9 | | I-70 / Millersburg Road – Effingham, St. Louis | Direct access to/from I-70 east via Millersburg Road; destinations signed westbound only; I-70 exit 41 |
| Bond | Central Township | | | | Historic National Road | |
| Bond | Greenville | 49.0 | 78.9 | | IL 127 – Greenville, Carlyle, Carlyle Lake | |
| Fayette | Bear Grove Township | | | | Historic National Road | Formerly IL 140 |
| Fayette | Bear Grove Township | 57.2 | 92.1 | | IL 140 west / Historic National Road – Mulberry Grove | Eastern terminus of IL 140 |
| Fayette | Vandalia | 64.4– 64.6 | 103.6– 104.0 | | I-70 – St. Louis, Effingham | I-70 exit 61 |
| Fayette | Vandalia | 65.8 | 105.9 | | IL 185 west (Hillsboro Road) / Sunset Drive – Coffeen, Lake Vandalia | West end of IL 185 overlap |
| Fayette | Vandalia | 66.9 | 107.7 | | US 51 north (North Kennedy Boulevard) / Lincoln Heritage Trail to I-70 – Pana | West end of US 51 overlap; Pana signed eastbound only |
| Fayette | Vandalia | | | | Historic National Road (Gallatin Street) | Formerly IL 140 |
| Fayette | Vandalia Township | 68.5 | 110.2 | | US 51 south / Lincoln Heritage Trail / East 1555 Avenue – Sandoval | East end of US 51 overlap |
| Fayette | Otego Township | 72.6 | 116.8 | | IL 185 east – St. Peter | East end of IL 185 overlap |
| Fayette | Otego Township | 73.0– 73.2 | 117.5– 117.8 | | I-70 – Effingham, St. Louis | I-70 exit 68 |
| Fayette–Effingham county line | Avena–Mound township line | 84.6 | 136.2 | | IL 128 north / North First Street – Cowden, Shelbyville, Lake Shelbyville | West end of IL 128 overlap; Lake Shelbyville signed eastbound only |
| Effingham | Altamont | 88.0 | 141.6 | | IL 128 south (South Main Street) to I-70 / South Main Street – Business District | East end of IL 128 overlap |
| Effingham | Effingham | 99.5 | 160.1 | | IL 32 north / IL 33 west (South Henrietta Street) to I-57 / I-70 / West Fayette Avenue – Shumway | West end of IL 33 overlap; southern terminus of IL 32 |
| Effingham | Effingham | 100.2 | 161.3 | | US 45 south (South Banker Street) / South Banker Street – Flora | West end of US 45 overlap |
| Effingham | Effingham | 100.4 | 161.6 | | US 45 north (South Third Street) / Historic National Road to I-57 / I-70 / South Third Street | East end of US 45 overlap |
| Effingham | Effingham | 100.6 | 161.9 | | IL 33 east (South Willow Street) / South Willow Street – Newton | East end of IL 33 overlap |
| Effingham | Effingham | | | | Historic National Road (Jefferson Avenue) | |
| Cumberland | Union Township | | | | Historic National Road (Cumberland Road) | |
| Cumberland | Greenup | 123.2 | 198.3 | | IL 130 (South Haughton Highway) – Newton, Charleston | |
| Cumberland | Greenup | | | | Historic National Road (Cumberland Street) | |
| Clark | Casey | | | | Historic National Road (Cumberland Road) | |
| Clark | Casey | 133.1 | 214.2 | | IL 49 to I-70 – Willow Hill, Kansas | |
| Clark | Martinsville Township | | | | Historic National Road (Cumberland Street) | |
| Clark | Marshall Township | | | | Historic National Road | |
| Clark | Marshall | 150.5 | 242.2 | | IL 1 (North Michigan Avenue) – Paris, Lawrenceville, Lincoln Trail State Park | |
| Clark | Marshall | | | | Historic National Road | |
| Clark | Wabash Township | 157.8 | 254.0 | 154 | I-70 west / Historic National Road (West Illiana Drive) – Effingham | West end of I-70 overlap; I-70 exit 154 |
| Clark | Wabash Township | 159.8 | 257.2 | | I-70 east / US 40 east – Terre Haute | Continuation into Indiana |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access |||||||
