Illinois Roads - IL 351

IL 351 (former US 51)



IL 351 NB leaves IL 71 WB here, which means it shouldn't be signed as a junction, and furthermore, Susan, the state name should be all caps.


Looking north as IL 351 passes under I-39, which carries the current incarnation of US 51. IL 351 was original US 51 and from 1958-1987, US 51 used what's now IL 251 on the Peru Bridge and this was Business US 51.


IL 351's old bridge has been replaced with a boring girder span, but it's got nice views of the I-39 arch and the 1893 LaSalle Rail Bridge to the east.


The Peru skyline to the west.


This is much more interesting, even though it's no longer a bridge. This was the original north abutment for the old Shippingsport Bridge, a swing span built in 1872 and carrying US 51 for three years until it was replaced in 1929 by one at the current location.


You can find that abutment at the Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal Lock 14 in LaSalle, which the old bridge crossed directly over.


This is a replica canal boat, but it faithfully is drawn by a mule at 4 mph. I don't believe it uses the lock, though.


There's another bridge past boring IL 351, and it's for the same railroad as the 1893 truss.


Before we leave the canal, here's another bridge remnant; these piers were for an old spur track that crossed it on a skew west of the lock.


US 6 EB leaves IL 351 NB in downtown LaSalle with a wooden sign.

Modern US 51
Follow old US 51 onto IL 251

Onto IL 71
Up onto I-39
Onto US 6
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