Peoria, a city with a bustling transportation network, sees tens of thousands of vehicles on its roads every day. These vehicles are essential for daily commutes and business operations. A recent analysis by the Journal Star, based on data from the Illinois Department of Transportation’s daily car count figures, has identified Peoria’s most traveled roads.
Excluding Interstate 74, which experiences over 40,000 cars daily, and Illinois Route 6, these are the top roads in terms of traffic volume:
1. War Memorial Drive: 35,400 peak daily car count
War Memorial Drive is the busiest road in Peoria, running through the center of the city and connecting the east and west sides. The highest traffic occurs between West Charter Oak Road and Glen Avenue, where the average daily car count exceeds 35,000.
2. (tie) Knoxville Avenue: 24,900 peak daily car count
Knoxville Avenue serves as a major north-south route, linking Downtown Peoria to the northern parts of the city. Most of the avenue sees more than 20,000 cars daily. Its busiest stretch, near the intersection with Prospect Road and Donovan Park, records an average of 25,000 cars per day.
2. (tie) Sterling Avenue: 24,900 daily peak car count
Sterling Avenue connects Farmington Road and Glen Avenue, serving as a key route for accessing businesses like the Westlake Shopping Center and Northwoods Mall. The busiest section of the road, at its intersection with West Lake Avenue, sees 24,900 cars daily.
4. University Street: 21,100 peak daily car count
University Street stretches from Bradley University’s campus to the northern end of Peoria. It intersects with many of the city’s major east-west roads and features several busy business corridors. The busiest part of the street, at its intersection with War Memorial Drive, sees over 21,000 cars daily.
5. Allen Road: 19,400 peak daily car count
Allen Road connects War Memorial Drive to the northern parts of Peoria. While much of the road sees over 10,000 cars daily, the busiest section is near its intersection with Townline Road, close to Walmart and Menards.
6. Adams Street/Southwest Washington Street: 18,000 daily car count
Adams Street and Southwest Washington Street merge and interchange in southwest Peoria. These roads see high traffic, especially near Interstate 474, where car counts reach up to 18,000.
7. Pioneer Parkway: 15,400 peak daily car count
Pioneer Parkway links Knoxville Avenue and Allen Road, featuring a range of businesses along its route. The highest traffic occurs between Pioneer Court and Sommer Street, with a peak of 15,400 cars daily.
8. Glen Avenue: 15,000 peak daily car count
Glen Avenue runs through both Peoria and Peoria Heights, serving as a vital corridor for both areas. After a major reconstruction project, it sees 15,000 cars daily at its intersection with War Memorial Drive.
9. Willow Knolls Drive: 13,000 peak daily car count
Willow Knolls Drive connects University Street to War Memorial Drive, running east and west through the middle of Peoria. The highest traffic occurs near its intersection with University Street, where car counts peak at 13,000.
10. Sheridan Road: 12,700 peak daily car count
Sheridan Road runs north and south through the center of Peoria, serving as a busy business corridor. The busiest section lies between Lake Avenue and Glen Avenue, where it sees about 12,700 cars daily.
