US 24 across IN and IL?

[jrs1871]

We are planning our trip back from Elkart, IN later this summer and we are looking at US 24 from Logansport, IN across to I55 in Illinois. We would take I55 south to US 136 and then pick up US 24 on into Quincy. We are just looking a route that is not all interstate but that is decent. Are there any hiccups to that route that you are aware of. I realize that you go through some smaller towns but it didn't look like that would be a huge problem.

[Thom02099]

Did the Indiana part of this, from west to east last summer. Picked up US24 off I-57 in Illinois, through Watseka IL (a really funky little town, would like to have spent some time looking at it) and on eastbound to Fort Wayne. IF you're in a hurry, this is NOT the route for you! We were in a bit of a hurry, but weren't towing for that trip. There's a number of little towns in Indiana between the IL line and Logansport IN, where the road is 4 lane all the way to Fort Wayne. Those little towns will slow you down, but if you ain't in a hurry, it don't matter!

I'd do that route again, IF I were towing and taking my time, and doing only 400 or so miles a day. Driving on secondary roads can be fatiguing in a different sort of way from Interstates. You have to pay attention more, and it's not so mind numbing as the Interstates.

[tatest]

I've been using the route regularly (annually or more often) for the past 12 years, between I-55 or I-57 and Logansport, sometimes all the way to Fort Wayne.

Hitch I have encountered the past two years has been long detours around long short sections where they've been working on 24. First was just west of US-41 in Kentland, detour was taking me so far south on 41 that I just started using Indiana-26 and Illinois-9 as a alternate route to I-57.

Last summer there was a long detour around something they were doing between Reynolds and Monticello, then the detour had a detour. So next couple times through I just took US-421 north and connected with I-94 in Michigan City.

I once split the difference between the two Interstates, took Illinois 54 from US-24 to Springfield. That was straight, light traffic, but tended to be rough pavement and slow going with lots of small towns, seems to parallel an old whistle-stop line that produced market towns every 10-15 miles.

Can't say anything about the US-136 plan, haven't tried it. I took US-24 all the way from Logansport to Quincy once, won't do that again, there was too much rough road. I usually take I-57 and I-72 through Illinois to Hannibal, that gets close to Quincy. I'll take I-55 (which tends to be much busier with more bad driving) only if I know there is extensive construction on I-57.

[Wadcutter]

CloudDriver wrote:
Back in 2012 we took route 30 across OH to Fort Wayne IN then picked up route 24. The plan was to take the route you mention to pick up route 36 at Hannibal to cross MO and KS. Route 24 was divided highway as far as Logansport and became 2 lane after that. We usually like to drive the 2 lane roads to avoid interstate traffic, but that day we got frustrated by slowdowns and traffic on 24 and hopped onto I57 to take the interstates to get to Hannibal. BTW, route 36 is a great divided highway across MO.

With the route the OP described they won't be hitting US 24 until about 150 on west from where you got off of it.

[CloudDriver]

Back in 2012 we took route 30 across OH to Fort Wayne IN then picked up route 24. The plan was to take the route you mention to pick up route 36 at Hannibal to cross MO and KS. Route 24 was divided highway as far as Logansport and became 2 lane after that. We usually like to drive the 2 lane roads to avoid interstate traffic, but that day we got frustrated by slowdowns and traffic on 24 and hopped onto I57 to take the interstates to get to Hannibal. BTW, route 36 is a great divided highway across MO.

[Wadcutter]

136 is straight and flat. Pretty good 2 lane highway. You'll pick up US 24 west of Havana IL. US 24 has some minor hills, nothing to worry about, and is also a very good road. None of the towns are difficult to get thru. Pay attention when you get to Quincy and follow the signs.

[RWjSIM2003]

Having lived in IL most of my life the only issue you might have is in Quincy as you go through downtown and could be tight but if you take it easy should be ok. Once you hit 136 you will be fine. Little bumpy on both roads as they don't get the service that the interstates do but very doable. Safe travels