From Sterling to Dixon, IL 2 largely follows a portion of Lincoln Highway but with one exception.

Lincoln Highway branches off northeast to Palmyra and then back southeast to IL 2 just northwest of Dixon.

At this point, it largely parallels IL 251 for the rest of the route which is east of the river.

One third of a mile from the Wisconsin state line, IL 75 leaves this concurrency to travel East while IL 2 continues North over a railroad grade crossing and Turtle Creek before reaching its Northern terminus at a junction with WIS 213.

[4] SBI Route 2 originally ran from South Beloit to Cairo.

[8] It soon got cut back to Rock Island in 1939 after IL 92 was extended to Muscatine.

[9][10] By 1979, IL 2 was removed west of Sterling as Illinois Route 5 (now I-88 east of I-80) was extended to Rock Island.