[1] It mainly cuts through the western suburbs of Chicago, passes through Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Crest Hill and Joliet, merging into I-55 at Gardner.

At the first intersection, the route runs along the path of historic US 66 for about 0.3 miles (0.48 km) before making a right and leaving former US 66.

The route continues east and loops around Gardner before heading northeast, running parallel with I-55.

It crosses over the Des Plaines River before running concurrently with IL 7 and passing by the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill.

[4] In 1990, with the construction of I-355, IL 53 was moved off the I-290/I-355 combination south of Biesterfield Road and back onto its original alignment.

For over 40 years, IL 53 had been at the center of a major dispute regarding a northern extension of its freeway segment into Lake County.

[7] The extension was opposed by several organizations, notably the Illinois chapter of the Sierra Club, and many residents of Long Grove, which lies in the path of the highway.

The Sierra Club opposed the roadway extension because it would have been routed through wetlands and the group had concerns about suburban sprawl and increased pollution.