The Illinois Department of Transportation will be releasing a new Illinois Official Highway Map.  The map will include route updates, detailed sections devoted to cities from Zion and Cairo as well as a feature that shows mileage between towns and marked route junctions to assist travelers as they explore the state. 

Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman says that even in 2024 with tech being what it is, paper maps are still important and remain an important resource and a valuable travel companion to keep in your vehicle.  He says maps are handy for planning purposes, to see the state or larger cities at a glance, and come in handy when you least expect it to serve as a backup if you lose cell service on unfamiliar roads. 

The new map will feature a brick section of Old Route 66 between Auburn and Chatham.  The photograph was the winner of IDOT’s employee map cover contest and was submitted by Jeffrey Emrick, a condemnation engineer. For ease of use, QR codes are now printed on the maps to provide quick access to information on IDOT’s Getting Around Illinois for travel conditions, Amtrak, the Office of Tourism’s Enjoy Illinois campaign as well as IDNR historic sites and parks.  

The Illinois Official Highway Map is paid for with funds from the Federal Highway Administration and published by IDOT every two years on recycled paper.  To request a map contact DOT.maps@illinois.gov.  Free copies are also available at interstate rest areas and other IDOT facilities.