Illinois Route 146
Illinois State Route 146 (I-146) is a 78-mile (125-km) highway in the U.S. state of Illinois. It serves the extreme southern region of the state, commonly called Little Egypt or the Illinois Ozarks. An east-west highway, it serves Hardin County, Pope County, Johnson County, and Union County. These are some of the least-populated counties in Illinois. I-146 serves two sections of the Shawnee National Forest.
Interstate intersections
I-146 intersects with two U.S. Interstate highways:
- Interstate 24 Exit 16, near Vienna, Illinois.
- Interstate 57 Exit 30, near Anna, Illinois.
Points of interest
I-146 passes through an area of Illinois noted for scenic beauty and significant tourist visitation. State-operated parks and recreation areas on or adjacent to I-146 include, from east to west:
- Cave-in-Rock State Park in Cave-in-Rock, Illinois.
- Rose Hotel State Historic Site in Elizabethtown, Illinois.
- Raychfuss Hill State Recreation Area near Golconda, Illinois.
- Dixon Springs State Park near Dixon Springs, Illinois.
- Cache River State Natural Area near Vienna, Illinois.
- Trail of Tears State Forest near Jonesboro, Illinois.
- Union County Conservation Area near Jonesboro, Illinois.
County seats
I-146 passes through four county seats, from east to west:
- Elizabethtown, Illinois (Hardin County).
- Golconda, Illinois (Pope County).
- Vienna, Illinois (Johnson County).
- Jonesboro, Illinois (Union COunty).
Jonesboro was the site of an open-air debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas in 1858. The site of the debate is preserved as a picnic area and park in Jonesboro.