Illinois Route 251 follows a long former alignment of US Route 51, from a point within a mile of the Wisconsin border, south to a point just north of Bloomington-Normal. It parallels Interstate 39, which carries the current alignment of US Route 51, for its entire length.
The northern end of Illinois 251 comes as US Route 51 diverts east along Illinois 75 to join Interstate 39. At this 4-way intersection, US Route 51 turns easterly along Illinois 75 right after crossing into Illinois from Wisconsin, while continuing south gives you the inception of Illinois Route 251...
The northern end of Illinois 251 comes as US Route 51 diverts east along Illinois 75 to join Interstate 39. At this 4-way intersection, US Route 51 turns easterly along Illinois 75 right after crossing into Illinois from Wisconsin, while continuing south gives you the inception of Illinois Route 251...
Illinois 251 crosses Illinois 173 in Rockford's northern suburbs, where that route meets its western end...
Illinois 251 passes by Business US 20 in downtown Rockford...
Illinois 251 then meets the freeway US Route 20 on the south side of Rockford...
Illinois 251 crosses Illinois 72 at Davis Junction...
Illinois 251 crosses Illinois 64 north of Rochelle...
Then, Illinois 38 comes from the east and joins Illinois 251 south into Rochelle...
At a makeshift folded diamond interchange made out of two city blocks, Illinois 38 is transferred onto a road it uses to exit town to the west, which Illinois 251 crosses via an overpass:
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As Illinois 251 leaves Rochelle, it crosses under Interstate 88 which is accessible via diamond interchange:
Near the town of Compton, Illinois 251 crosses US Route 30:
As Illinois 251 enters Mendota, US Route 52 joins the route south into town:
South of Mendota, US Route 52 diverts easterly toward Troy Grove:
Illinois 251 has a diamond interchange with Interstate 80 as it enters Peru:
Illinois 251 has a compacted cloverleaf interchange with US Route 6 in Peru:
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Illinois 251 curves southeasterly and crosses Interstate 39 with a diamond interchange:
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Leaving the LaSalle-Peru area, Illinois 251 crosses Illinois 71 at a point that's also the southern terminus of Illinois 351:
South of Lostant, Illinois 251 crosses Illinois 18:
At Wenona, Illinois 17 comes from the east and joins Illinois 251 southward:
As Illinois 251 exits Wenona, Illinois 17 splits up and continues west toward Interstate 39:
South of Minonk, Illinois 251 includes Illinois 116 on its journey southward after that route comes from the east:
After a short concurrency with Illinois 251, Illinois 116 diverts to continue westward:
At El Paso, Illinois, US Route 24 crosses Illinois 251:
The southern end of Illinois 251 occurs near Kappa, at Interstate 39/US Route 51, where traffic can continue south toward Normal.
