^Eastbound trailblazer at the west end (Illinois 97), March 2021.

You might think a state highway with a small number like 8 would be a highly important one, but Illinois Route 8 is neither heavily-trafficked nor long enough to span more than three counties.  It isn't a minor route, either, though, serving the sizeable city of Peoria. Illinois 8 basically runs from a couple towns west of Peoria, to a couple towns east of Peoria.  The west end is at Illinois 97 southeast of Galesburg in Knox County, and after passing through Peoria and Peoria County, Illinois 8 ends approaching Washington, Illinois, in Tazewell County.

​Illinois 8 begins at Illinois 97 southeast of Galesburg, and it starts out going east:

Illinois 78 joins from the south to form a concurrency eastward through Elmwood:

Illinois 78 continues north, but Illinois 8 splits off to head easterly once more:

After passing under Interstate 474 with no interchange, Illinois 8 joins Illinois 116 through Peoria:

Illinois 8 and Illinois 116 both join US Route 24 east and Illinois 29 north, combining two duplexes and forming a 4-way concurrency in East Peoria:

Illinois 8 splits off of the other three routes, but not alone; US Route 150 comes from ahead and joins Illinois 8 eastward, still in East Peoria:

The concurrency with US Route 150 is a short one; Illinois 8 splits off and finally gets to independently head eastward toward Washington:

Almost at its eastern end, Illinois 8 turns northerly using the road Business US Route 24 takes to reach that route's western end.

Illinois 8 reaches its eastern end as Business US24 reaches its western end, at US Route 24 just west of Washington, Illinois.

Back to the Illinois main page.
Back to the home page.