Interstate 24

Interstate 24 (I-24) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. It runs diagonally from Interstate 57 (10 miles south of Marion, Illinois) to Chattanooga, Tennessee, at Interstate 75. As an even-numbered Interstate, it is signed as an east-west route, though the route follows a more southeast-northwest routing.

Because the routing of I-24 is diagonal, the numbering is a bit unusual as it does not completely follow the Interstate Highway System numbering conventions.

I-24 makes up the majority of a high-traffic corridor between St. Louis, Missouri, and Atlanta. This corridor utilizes Interstate 64 and Interstate 57 northwest of I-24, and Interstate 75 southeast of I-24.

Route description

Illinois

In the state of Illinois, Interstate 24 is a remote, four-lane freeway that travels through hilly rural southern Illinois and the Shawnee National Forest. There are only five mainline exits; of those five, four have services. Interstate 24 crosses into Kentucky via the Interstate 24 Bridge from Metropolis, Illinois, to Paducah, Kentucky.

Interstate 24 in Illinois

In the U.S. state of Illinois, Interstate 24 is a remote, four-lane freeway that travels through hilly rural southern Illinois and the Shawnee National Forest. I-24 is 38.73 miles (62.33 km) in length in Illinois. There are only five mainline exits; all but one have services. Interstate 24 crosses into Illinois via the Interstate 24 Bridge over the Ohio River near Metropolis. The freeway ends in Illinois at a junction with Interstate 57.

Route description

Interstate 24 begins at Exit 44 of Interstate 57 in southern Williamson County, near the community of Pulleys Mill. The highway heads southeast into rural Johnson County, bypassing Goreville to the east. It reaches an exit at Tunnel Hill Road, which serves Goreville and Tunnel Hill. The highway continues south to its next exit at U.S. Route 45 north of Vienna. It reaches its next exit at Illinois Route 146 in eastern Vienna. I-24 heads southeast from Vienna into Massac County. Its first exit in Massac County is at Big Bay Road, which serves the communities of Big Bay and New Columbia. I-24 continues southward, bypassing the community of Round Knob before entering Metropolis. The highway meets U.S. Route 45 again in Metropolis and passes west of Fort Massac State Park. It leaves Metropolis to the south by crossing the Interstate 24 Bridge over the Ohio River, continuing into Kentucky.

Interstate 24 in Tennessee and Georgia

Interstate 24 (I-24) runs from Clarksville to Chattanooga via Nashville in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Just west of Chattanooga, I-24 drops into Georgia's Dade County for 4.10 miles (6.60 km) before reentering Tennessee.

In Georgia, exit numbers for I-24 are a continuation of Tennessee's exit numbering scheme, while the mileposts are Georgia's mileposts. It is also designated, but not signed as, State Route 409. The portion east of Interstate 59 runs along the U.S. Route 11 corridor.

Route description