Illinois Route 71

Infobox Illinois state route
article_route = 71
prev_route = 70
next_route = 72
next_type = Interstate
length_mi = 69.37
length_round = 2
length_ref = cite web |author=Illinois Technology Transfer Center |url=http://www.dot.state.il.us/gist2/select.html |title=T2 GIS Data |accessdate=2007-11-08 |date=2006]
direction_b = East|direction_a=West
established = 1938Carlson, Rick. [http://www.n9jig.com/61-80.html Illinois State Highways Page: Routes 61 thru 80] . Last updated March 15, 2006. Retrieved March 24, 2006.]
starting_terminus =
ending_terminus =
cities = Oglesby, Ottawa, Yorkville, Oswego
counties = Putnam, LaSalle, Kendall

Illinois Route 71 is a 66-mile long southwest-to-northeast state highway in north central Illinois. It runs from the end of Interstate 180 in Hennepin to U.S. Route 34 in Oswego. This is a distance of convert|69.37|mi|km|2.

Route description

Outside of Hennepin, the road stretches east to an intersection with Interstate 39 near Oglesby, paralleling I-39 to the north for several miles on a concurrency with Illinois Route 351 before turning eastward again near LaSalle-Peru.

Between LaSalle-Peru and Ottawa, Route 71 parallels the south bank of the Illinois River and passes Starved Rock State Park. It then crosses the Illinois River on a simple four-lane girder bridge. It overlaps Illinois Route 23 through downtown Ottawa and U.S. Route 6 east from Route 23 before intersecting with Interstate 80. From here it continues to the northeast, passing through Norway, Newark, and Yorkville. Its eastern terminus is near downtown Oswego at an intersection with U.S. Highway 34 and Wolfs Crossing Road.

Points of interest

Just south of Norway, there is a memorial dedicated to Norwegian immigrants who settled in the area, with a small park, a cemetery, and a plaque from King Olav V.

References