Illinois Route 22 | ||||
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Half Day Road | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by IDOT | ||||
Length: | 19.7 mi (31.7 km) | |||
Existed: | November 5, 1918 – present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end: | US 14 in Fox River Grove | |||
US 12 in Lake Zurich US 45 / IL 21 in Lincolnshire I-94 near Lincolnshire |
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East end: | US 41 in Highland Park | |||
Location | ||||
Counties: | McHenry, Lake | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Illinois Route 22, also known as Half Day Road for part of its length, is an east–west state highway in northeastern Illinois. It runs from U.S. Route 14 (Northwest Highway) in Fox River Grove to U.S. Route 41 (Skokie Highway) in Highland Park. It travels a distance of 19.7 miles (31.7 km) and is one of the few roads that runs almost entirely across southern Lake County while also providing access to southeastern McHenry County. Throughout its length, it shifts between two and four lanes as it passes through a frequently changing setting of scenic forestry and smaller populations, as well as busy intersections and larger developments.
It originally started as a massive loop around the Chicago area, however it has retained its current, much shorter route ever since 1937. During the 1990s, it became the subject of much concern for local residents regarding expansion which slowed down any progress for capacity improvement. By the late 2000s, the delays have come and gone and it has emerged as a state route that has been largely modernized to deal with heavy traffic.
Beginning at its western terminus at a commercially developed intersection with U.S. Route 14 (Northwest Highway), Illinois 22 starts out as a two lane road in Fox River Grove, just inside the McHenry County line. It quickly becomes much more rural as it enters the city of Lake Barrington and Lake County about a half mile east. The Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital and Stonehenge Golf Club on the north side are all that lie in this wooded area of sporadic residential development. Heading into North Barrington, the road continues its journey as it crosses paths with Illinois Route 59 (Hough Street) until soon after, when it nears the more densely populated area of Lake Zurich.