After having been there two years ago on the bike I will agree with avoiding East St. Louis. I didn't and that was a rather interesting experience to say the least. I was glad as you know what to make it out alive. I ended up missing a turn after I crossed back into IL and ended up in the heart of the wrong territory. Here was the route I took back then. The way going into town wasn't bad but coming back out...like I said was brick roads and close to ghettos. 08/28/12 - A bike ride in Auburn, Illinois I was trying to stick to US40 but I goofed on one of the turns and ended up anywhere but where I was trying to get to.