Illinois Route 3

The Illinois State Route 3 is the most important regional north-south connection in southwestern Illinois. The southern terminus is located 5.2 km north of the center of Cairo at the intersection of U.S. Highway 51 to Interstate 57 The northern terminus is the confluence with the Illinois State Route 100 in the center of Crafton. The total length is 301.66 km.

Route description

The Illinois State Route from Waterloo to Godfrey four lanes and expanded to six lanes with a small section of Granite City and around Alton.

The southern section of Waterloo till the end of Cairo is two lanes and runs along the edge of the Shawnee National Forest.

The road runs parallel to the Mississippi River and is on the majority of its distance course part of the section of the Great River Road through Illinois. The Illinois State Route 3 takes you past a number of historic sites, as well as to the former capital of Kaskaskia.

History

The original Illinois State Route 3 ran from Cairo until after Morrison in northwestern Illinois north of the Quad Cities. With the completion of the Clark Bridge in Alton U.S. Highway 67 was performed 3 on the route of the former Illinois State Route and this shortened accordingly.