(Harlem Avenue). Due to a lack of right-of-way, the western lanes are routed onto a two-lane bridge over the eastbound exit ramp from
Interstate 90 (
Kennedy Expressway) to Harlem Avenue. Illinois 72 is called Higgins Road for most of its length in the Chicago area, and has been redirected in parts of the area to accommodate for new features. Near
Rosemont, the road has been shifted to make way for
O'Hare International Airport — further east, parts of the road have been moved to make room for the
Northwest Tollway (Interstate 90). The road serves as a major six-lane thoroughfare for several western suburbs, including
Schaumburg,
Elk Grove Village, and
Hoffman Estates. Illinois 72
runs concurrently for one block with
Illinois Route 83 in Elk Grove Township, and
Illinois Route 47 and
U.S. Highway 20 by
Starks, an unincorporated village approximately from Chicago. The latter is a
Wrong-way concurrency, where one can be driving both west on Illinois 72 and east on U.S. 20 at the same time. West from Chicago, Illinois 72 largely parallels Interstate 90 until Starks, crossing over and under the highway six times without an intersection. On a larger scale, it is the main east–west artery to Chicago between Interstate 90 and
Illinois Route 64. It serves the towns and cities of, from west to east, Lanark, Shannon, Forreston, Leaf River, Byron, Stillman Valley, Kirkland, Kingston, Genoa, Hampshire, Gilberts, Sleepy Hollow, West Dundee, East Dundee, South Barrington, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Des Plaines, Rosemont, and Chicago. Higgins Road/Higgins Avenue continues east-southeast from
Harlem Avenue in Chicago to
Milwaukee Avenue near
Lawrence Avenue. Route 72 is one of seven state roads to enter the city of Chicago. It was once part of the Galena-Chicago Stagecoach Trail. == History ==