Highways 70 through 79

STH-70 | STH-71 | STH-72 | STH-73 | Former STH-74 | STH-75 | STH-76 | STH-77 | STH-78 | STH-79 | Jump to Bottom

Western Terminus:

Minnesota state line (connection w/MN TH-70) five miles west of Grantsburg

Eastern Terminus:

Jct US-2/US-141 & STH-70/STH-101 on the western edge of Florence

Length:

246.49 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-70

Notes:

While not a major thoroughfare, STH-70 traverses the northern portion of the state and is the next long-haul state trunkline north of the US-8 corridor. Interestingly, the easternmost 2.4 miles of STH-70 are also co-signed with STH-101 to a common terminus at US-2/US-141.

History:

STH-70 began in 1917 as an 10-mile route along its present alignment from Grantsburg easterly to STH-35 (present-day Old 35) at Mud Hen Lake, west of Siren. By 1921, the STH-70 designation had made its way all the way east to STH-32 (now US-45/STH-32) in Eagle River, although the portion from Draper to Woodruff was not yet up to state trunk highway standards and thus was not signed as such on that stretch. That gap was filled by 1924. In 1929, the Grantsburg bridge was completed and STH-70 was extended westerly from Grantsburg to the new toll bridge over the St Croix River at the Minnesota state line. In 1933, Minnesota designated a similarly-numbered highway west away from the bridge into their state. 1933 also saw the extension of STH-70 from Eagle River northeasterly via Phelps to end at the Michigan state line 26 miles northeast of Eagle River.

In 1947, STH-70 was removed from the Eagle River-through-Phelps alignment and onto a more easterly routing to STH-55 south of Alvin; the former STH-70 via Phelps was redesignated STH-17. In 1949, STH-70 was extended farther to the east via its present corridor through Tipler to Florence. The Tipler-to-Florence stretch had just been brought into the state highway system as STH-193 two years earlier. More recently in c.1995-96, the highway was realigned to remove some sharper turns near Mud Hen Lake west of Siren.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

NHS:

The following two segments of STH-70 in Wisconsin are on the National Highway System (NHS):

1. Concurrently with US-51 through Woodruff.
2. Concurrently through Eagle River with US-45.

Continue on:

MN TH-70 west into Minnesota - via Steve Riner's Unofficial Minnesota Highways Page.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Western Terminus:

Jct STH-54 & STH-108 in Melrose at cnr of Sparta Rd & Washington St

Eastern Terminus:

STH-80/STH-82 in downtown Elroy at cnr N Main St & Academy St

Length:

53.55 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-71

Notes:

While STH-71 is officially listed as an east-west highway by WisDOT, in reality, it trends northeast-southwest, running from extreme southern Jackson Co across Monroe Co in a diagonal fashion, ending in extreme southwestern Juneau Co.

History:

STH-71, as designated in 1917, was a short highway, running from Elroy at STH-33 (present-day STH-82) to Mauston on STH-12 (now US-12/STH-16). In 1923, during an expansion of the state trunkline system, STH-71 was greatly extended to the west, from Elroy via Wilton and Sparta, ending at Melrose, generally along the present highway's course. Then in 1948, STH-71 was extended easterly from Mauston along what had been CTH-U to CTH-V (now the western jct of CTH-HH & STH-82) in preparation for STH-71 to become only the third Wisconsin River crossing between Wisconsin Dells and Wisconsin Rapids. Interestingly, though, this easterly extension of STH-71 from Mauston toward the Wisconsin River was removed from the official state highway map and relabeled as CTH-U in 1949, but restored as STH-71 from Mauston easterly, this time to the present-day eastern jct of CTH-HH & STH-82 (just shy of the Wisconsin River) instead of the western jct as it had been in 1948.

The entire length of STH-71 was hard-surfaced in 1948 and in 1949, STH-27 north of Sparta was realigned to run along 9 miles of STH-71, with old STH-27 becoming CTH-B. Then in 1955, when the bridge over the Wisconsin River opened, the entire portion of STH-71 east of Elroy, along with all of STH-135 through Oxford to US-51, was redesignated as an extension of STH-82. Why the STH-82 designation was extended to Elroy, then along STH-71 and STH-135 instead of just using STH-71 is rather puzzling! There seems to be no obvious reason why. In any case, STH-71 was scaled back to end—as it does now—in Elroy.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

NHS:

Concurrently with STH-16/STH-21 for 7 blocks in downtown Sparta between Black River & Water Sts.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Western Terminus:

Eastern jct of US-10 & US-63 in East Ellsworth, 1-1/2 miles east of downtown Ellsworth

Eastern Terminus:

STH-25 in Downsville, 7-1/2 miles south of downtown Menomonie

Length:

29.44 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-72

Notes:

For whatever reason, STH-72 runs concurrently with US-63 for approximately 2 miles from the jct of STH-72 & US-63 to the eastern jct of US-10 & US-63. Why STH-72 does not end at US-63 when it first intersects that highway is unclear...

In the "Official State Trunk Highway System Maps," WisDOT includes a proposed "mapped corridor" along STH-72 between Rock Elm and Elmwood in eastern Pierce Co essentially cutting-the-corner from west of 130th St to Eisenhower Dr, eliminating a 90-degree turn in the route. It is unclear if WisDOT has any active plans to complete this realignment.

History:

In 1917, STH-72 was designated along an 8-mile stretch of highway from Burlington to STH-50 at New Munster, part of today's STH-83. Between 1921 and 1923, the original STH-72 routing had been supplanted by the present STH-83 designation, and the STH-72 designation was transferred to a short spur-routing in Vilas Co, from Saint Germain to Sayner. In 1926, STH-51 in Pierce and Dunn Cos was redesignated STH-72 when the "51" designation was needed for the newly-created US-51 running through the heart of the state. This change was necessitated, since route numbers could not be duplicated within the state. Since the STH-72 designation was transferred from the Vilas Co routing, that highway was redesignated STH-155.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Southern Terminus:

Jct I-90 & US-51 at Exit 160 north of Edgerton

Northern Terminus:

US-8, 1/2 mile north of downtown Ingram

Length:

265.84 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-73

Notes:

Like several other similar trunklines, STH-73 is one of those classic "meandering" state highways in Wisconsin. It is technically a north-south highway, but has several stretches of east-west routing as well, including 42 miles of east-west route alone between Wisconsin Rapids and Neillsville.

WisDOT's "Official State Trunk Highway System Maps" contains a "mapped corridor" which would straighten out the course of STH-73 north of Marshall in Dane Co. At the point where the highway makes its first 90-degree turn just north of Marshall at Clarkson Rd, WisDOT would like to build a new highway running due northerly, about 1/2 mile west of the current highway, for two miles to Sun Prairie Rd at the present alignment south of York Center. This would cut approximately one mile from the length of the highway, as well as remove two of the four 90-degree turns, resulting in a safer highway.

History:

While today's STH-73 clocks in at more than 265 miles in length, the original STH-73 in Wisconsin wasn't quite as impressive. In 1917, the route was a 7-mile long highway from STH-18 (later US-10, now part of STH-114) near Sherwood to STH-15 (later US-41, now part of STH-96) in Kaukauna. By 1921, that route—which later became part of STH-55—was removed from the state trunkline system and the STH-73 designation had been transferred. STH-73 now began at Wautoma and continued through Plainfield to a point 12 miles WNW of Plainfield where it turned northerly via present-day CTH-F to CTH-W and westerly into Wisconsin Rapids. There, the route turned northerly via present-day STH-34 to end at STH-18 (now US-10) near Milladore.

In 1923, STH-73 had been greatly extended southerly along its present corridor through Princeton and Columbus to STH-10 (now US-51) at Albion, then southerly concurrently with STH-10 to Janesville, where STH-73 ended. Also in 1923, the routing of STH-73 had changed on the north. Instead of running toward Milladore, STH-73 was relocated onto its present alignment via Neillsville, Withee and Thorp, ending at STH-14 (now US-8) in Ingram. In c.1928-29, the highway was realigned onto its present route from CTH-U to STH-13 south of Wisconsin Rapids where it then turned northerly via present-day STH-13 into Wisconsin Rapids, while newly-realigned STH-13 itself approaching STH-73 from the south turned westerly via present-day STH-73 into Nekoosa then northerly through Port Edwards and into Wisconsin Rapids.

In 1935, the routes of STH-73 and STH-13 south of Wisconsin Rapids were switched, resulting is essentially the current configuration of both routes today: STH-13 continues due northerly from STH-73 into Wisconsin Rapids, while STH-73 continues westerly to Nekoosa before turning northerly via Port Edwards. In c.1939, the dualled US-51/STH-73 routing (which had been a STH-10/STH-73 concurrency until US-51 replaced STH-10 in 1926) was done away with when STH-73 was scaled back to Albion near its present southern terminus.

Freeway:

None.

Freeway:

Concurrently with STH-29 between Withee and Thorp. (10.0 miles)

NHS:

The following two segments of STH-73 in Wisconsin are on the National Highway System (NHS):

1. Concurrently with STH-21 through Wautoma.
2. Concurrently with STH-29 from Withee to Thorp.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Former Southern Terminus:

STH-190/Capitol Dr at jct CTH-F in the City of Pewaukee (between Brookfield and the Village of Pewaukee)

Former Eastern Terminus:

Jct I-41/US-41/US-45 & STH-100 at EXIT 50A-B in Menomonee Falls

Former Length:

11.68 miles

Map:

Route Map of Former STH-74

Notes:

As of November 1, 2015, STH-74 was transferred to county and local control and ceased to be a state trunk highway route. The process for turning back STH-74 was nine years in the making, initially prompted by downtown Menominee Falls business owners desiring to restrict truck traffic through the downtown area. After a 2008 study by WisDOT, the department began talks with the Village of Menomonee Falls on taking over jurisdiction of the portion of STH-74 within the Village. While the Village approved the transfer in mid-2011, it wasn't until the Waukesha Bypass project was approved by FHWA that the transfer was made official. (The relinquishment of STH-74 is done, in part, to free up state trunk highway mileage for the State to be able to take over county and local roads in the Waukesha area as part of the bypass project.) Then on November 1, 2015, the entire route of STH-74 is transferred: the portion from STH-190/Capitol Dr northeasterly through Lannon to Elder Ln is transferred to Waukesha Co and becomes an extension of CTH-F, while the portion within Menomonee Falls from Elder Ln easterly to the I-41/US-41/US-45 interchange becomes a local city street.

With the redesignation of most CTH-J in Waukesha and Washington Counties to STH-164 on January 1, 1999, the routing of STH-74 was lengthened by 3.5 miles.The portion of STH-164 which formerly ran north of STH-190/Capitol Dr was transferred onto the former CTH-J and STH-74's routing was then extended southerly via the former STH-164 to end at the eastern jct of STH-164 & STH-190/Capitol Dr (now jct STH-190 & CTH-F). This highway transfer was one of two in Waukesha Co on January 1, 1999.

History:

As originally designated in 1917, STH-74 began at STH-17, forerunner of US-141 in part, at the cnr of Silver Spring Rd & Lake Dr in Whitefish Bay and proceeded northerly via present-day STH-32 through Fox Point and into Bayside. From there, STH-74 turned westerly on Brown Deer Rd, ending at STH-17 (now STH-57/Green Bay Rd) in Brown Deer. In 1919, STH-74 was extended westerly along Brown Deer Rd from Brown Deer into Menomonee Falls, then via its current routing into Sussex. From Sussex, it continued westerly via present-day CTH-VV to Merton, then south on CTH-KE, west on CTH-K and south again on CTH-E to Hartland, where it ended at STH-19 (later US-16, now STH-16).

By 1924, much of the original 1917 length of STH-74 was redesignated as part of STH-17 and was scaled back from Whitefish Bay to begin at STH-17 (later US-141) at at the cnr of Brown Deer & Port Washington Rds in Bayside. STH-74 was rerouted out of Hartland to run westerly via present CTH-VV to end at STH-83 at North Lake. In addition, the STH-100 designation was added to STH-74's route along Brown Deer Rd in most of Milwaukee Co. After a quarter century, the STH-74/STH-100 concurrency came to an end in 1949 when the STH-74 designation was scaled back to end at the cnr of Brown Deer Rd & 170th Ave in extreme northwestern Milwaukee Co. In c.1984, all of STH-74 west of STH-164 in Sussex was turned back to local control, becoming CTH-VV. Around 1987, STH-74 and STH-100 once again shared a route, this time when STH-100 was transferred from 170th Ave to US-41/US-45 and STH-74/Main St in Menomonee Falls. It is unclear when this concurrency ended with STH-74's eastern terminus being scaled back to the jct of US-41/US-45 & STH-100, although it seems it lasted into the 1990s. Then, as noted above, in early 1999, STH-74 was extended over STH-164's former routing southerly from Sussex to STH-190/Capitol Dr in the City of Pewaukee.

As noted above, the process for the complete decommissioning of STH-74 began in the Fall of 2007 with a request by downtown Meonomonee Falls business owners to restrict truck traffic through the downtown area. WisDOT performed the study during the following spring and in the Fall of 2008, WisDOT began talks with the Village of Menomonee Falls about taking back its portion of STH-74. On May 2, 2011, the Village approved the transfer which then became official on November 1, 2015 when other transfers related to the western Waukesha Bypass were also made effective. After 98 years, STH-74's existence comes to a close.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• Wisconsin State Road (Highway) 74 – from the Sussex-Lisbon Area Historical Society, Inc.

• Main Street (STH 74) Jurisdictional Transfer – from the Village of Menominee Falls Engineering Department.

Southern Terminus:

Jct STH-50 & STH-83 at cnr Antioch Rd & 75th St, in on the western edge of Paddock Lake

Northern Terminus:

STH-20 at cnr Beaumont Ave & Washington Ave in Beaumont, five miles east of Waterford

Length:

12.10 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-75

Notes:

STH-75 is a short state trunkline, running parallel to and within three to four miles of US-45 for its entire length in western Racine and Kenosha Cos. The logical continuation of STH-75 from STH-50 at Paddock Lake southerly to the Illinois state line is actually part of STH-83.

History:

The original STH-75, as laid out in 1917 and signed in 1918, ran along 76th Ave in Milwaukee Co, from STH-36/Forest Home Ave northerly to STH-19/Bluemound Rd (now US-18). By 1924, much of STH-75 had been upstaged by the new STH-100 beltline around Milwaukee, so the designation was transferred just south of its original position: from STH-100 in the present-day City of Franklin, STH-75 now headed south on today's CTH-OO to STH-36, and continued south along present-day US-45, ending at STH-50 near Bristol in Kenosha Co. In 1926, the portion of STH-75 between STH-36 and STH-100 was turned back to local control, with STH-75 only existing from STH-36 southerly to STH-50.

In 1934 when US-45 debuted in Wisconsin, it supplanted the entire STH-75 designation. It was immediately transferred, though, onto a new trunkline routing a few miles to the west. Replacing much of CTH-F in Racine and Kenosha Cos, STH-75 followed that general alignment ever since. From 1934 to 1935, STH-75 turned easterly via STH-43 (present-day STH-142), then southerly via present-day CTH-X, westerly via present-day CTH-JB and southerly again via CTH-PH. In 1935, STH-75 was redirected westerly via STH-43 (present STH-142) for a short distance before turning southerly via 264th Ave (now obliterated) to present-day CTH-PH and on toward Paddock Lake.

In the mid-1950s, the US Air Force began planning an Air Force Base to be located in northwestern Kenosha Co, designated the Richard Bong AFB in 1955. By 1959, the massive runways were graded and concrete was just days away from being poured when, on October 2 of that year, all work was halted and less than a year later, the base was declared excess and 14 years later, the property was aquired by the state and revamped as the Bong Recreation Area. However, while the base was being planned, portions of the two state trunklines in the area—STH-43 (present STH-142) and STH-75—were closed and the routes detoured to other highways in the area. Heading southerly from Kansasville, STH-74 met STH-43 (now STH-142) where it was closed, turning easterly with STH-43, southerly via US-45 and then westerly via STH-50 to its former terminus. (It is interesting to note that the entire Bong AFB diversion for STH-75 was posted along other highways and STH-75 did not exist south of its closed section. Essentially WisDOT could have simply truncated STH-75 at STH-43.) While STH-43 was restored as a continuous route through the abandoned base in 1962, it was not until 1963 that STH-75 was also restored as a continuous route from STH-43 southerly to STH-50.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• Richard Bong AFB, Burlington, WI - information about the aborted Air Force Base from Paul Freeman.

Southern Terminus:

Jct US-45 at cnr Jackson St & Murdock Ave in northern Oshkosh

Northern Terminus:

Jct US-45 & STH-22 one mile west of Bear Creek

Length:

43.40 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-76

Notes:

STH-76 is an interesting dichotomy: the northern portion of the route (from Greenville northerly) has essentially remained unchanged since the mid-1920s, while the portion south of Greenville has undergone several major changes in recent history, as detailed below. The highway first lost 3.8 miles of length in 1998 and then gained 18 miles in 2003.

The first major change to STH-76 as well as the debut of the latest STH-15 routing occurred when a connector highway on new alignment opened to traffic from US-41 at the CTH-OO interchange westerly to the existing STH-76 at CTH-CB northwest of Appleton in November 1998. Instead of becoming a realignment of STH-76, the STH-15 designation was applied to the new highway and then carried on northwesterly, replacing STH-76, to Greenville where STH-76 now had a new southern terminus. (The former route of STH-76 bypassed by the new STH-15 was turned back to local control as CTH-GV, as in Greenville Dr.) From Greenville, the STH-15 designation was continued northwesterly concurrently with US-45 through Hortonville to a terminus at the southern end of the "New London Bypass." This was done in preparation of the major route designation changes which took place on October 31, 2003. At that time, US-45 was moved onto a new alignment heading due southerly from New London, leaving STH-15 as the sole route designation on the highway running through Hortonville and Greenville and also leaving former US-45 from Greenville southerly to Oshkosh without a route designation. To fill that gap, STH-76 was extended southerly from Greenville to Oshkosh, also on October 31, 2003.

To help illustrate the myriad of route number changes in the area to the west of Appleton and the Fox Cities, WisDOT produced a helpful map which can be found under the "Weblinks" section below.

The potential transfer of a portion of STH-76 in Outagamie Co to local control was discussed in February 2006. At present, it is unclear which segment of the highway is being discussed, but it would likely be the portion from STH-54 at Shiocton to US-45 west of Bear Creek.

History:

The original 1917 routing for STH-76 was along a rather short path as a connector route from STH-54 east of Casco to STH-17 (present-day STH-42) north of Kewaunee, running via present-day CTH-E from STH-54 southerly through Slovan, then CTH-O easterly to STH-17 (today's STH-42) near Rostok. In c.1923, the entire length of the first iteration of STH-76 was transferred to local control and a new trunkline was commissioned northwest of Appleton with the STH-76 designation applied to it. From STH-26 (now part of US-45) near Bear Creek, the new STH-76 ran easterly and southerly via its present corridor through Shiocton to STH-26 (later US-45, now STH-15) at Greenville. From there, STH-122, a short connector highway between Greenville and the western edge of Appleton along today's Greenville Dr, was supplanted by the STH-76 designation.

The route of STH-76 changed little between the mid-1920s and the late-1990s, running from the west side of Appleton northwesterly to US-45 (now STH-15) at Greenville, then northerly through Shiocton and westerly back to US-45. As noted in the "Notes" section above, in November of 1998 STH-76 was scaled back to end at STH-15 in Greenville in preparation for the changes to come in 2003. The late-2003 changes were in relation to a massive construction and relocation project where the route of US-10 was relocated ontoa few freeway facility between Appleton and Fremont and US-45 was realigned onto a new westerly corridor from Oshkosh to New London via Winchester. With US-45 being moved off the Oshkosh-to-Greenville route, STH-76 was extended southerly along that route on October 31, 2003, terminating at US-45 on the north side of Oshkosh.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• Future Highway Name Changes: Effective October 31, 2003 - a handy map produced by WisDOT illustrating all of the various Fox Valley state trunkline route number changes resulting from the US-10 and US-45 relocation projects.

• Route changes could confuse travel plans - from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's "Road Warrior" column by Larry Sandler, with information on the October 31, 2003 route number changes.

Western Terminus:

Minnesota state line (connection w/MN TR-48 on Saint Croix River Bridge) just west of Danbury

Eastern Terminus:

Michigan state line (connection w/BUS US-2) in Hurley

Length:

139.94 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-77

Notes:

The precise status of the two-tenths of mile of Silver St in downtown Hurley is somewhat unclear. Until about 2002, the BUS US-2 route running through downtown Ironwood, Michigan crossed the Montreal River into Hurley, Wisconsin and continued those two-tenths mile via Silver St to jct US-51 & STH-77 at 2nd Ave, then turned northerly via US-51 back to US-2 north of town. In 2002 or thereabout, all BUS US-2 route markers were removed from the Wisconsin portion of the route, however all route signage in downtown Hurley still indicates STH-77 ends at US-51 and does not continue the two-plus blocks easterly to the Michigan state line. But, since the most recent edition of WisDOT's "Official State Trunk Highway System Maps" indicates the eastern terminus of the route is "Michigan State Line, City of Hurley, Iron Co.," it will be assumed the final 0.2 mile of the route is simply unposted.

The portion of STH-77 through Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, from just east of CTH-A in Sawyer Co to STH-13 in Ashland Co, is designated as the "Great Divide National Scenic Highway." This designation, established on November 1, 1988 by the U.S. Forest Service, runs for 29 miles through an undeveloped portion of the national forest

Between Clam Lake and Mellen in Ashland Co, STH-77 follows what appears to be an indirect course. Since CTH-GG has both termini at STH-77 and cuts off several miles, it seems like that would be the natural route for STH-77 to follow. Jon Enslin, a site contributor, found a 1966 WisDOT planning map which indicated a proposed state trunkline route along the present-day CTH-GG corridor from STH-70 at Draper northerly to CTH-77 at Clam Lake, but not between Clam Lake and Mellen. However, conjecture might allow one to speculate CTH-GG from Clam Lake to Mellen was also intended to be a state trunkline route, a relocation for STH-77 possibly, that never came to be.

History:

Wisconsin's original STH-77 was a very short trunkline in Milwaukee Co which began at STH-19/Wisconsin Ave (later US-16 and US-18) in Milwaukee and proceeded northerly via 6th St, Halyard St and 8th St, then northwesterly via Green Bay Ave to a terminus at STH-17 at Silver Spring Dr. By 1921, though, the original STH-77 in Milwaukee had become part of STH-57. The STH-77 designation was transferred onto a new state trunkline routing from STH-13 in Mellen to STH-10 (later US-51) in Hurley and a connection with M-12 (later US-2, now BUS US-2) at the Michigan state line.

By 1924, STH-77 had been extended southerly via STH-13 then west via its present corridor through

Clam Lake to Hayward. In 1948, STH-77 was extended by 21 miles long the former route of STH-27 from Hayward to Minong when STH-27 was realigned to run north to Brule instead of west to Minong. In 1951, STH-77 was extended to is present length from Minong to Danbury and the Minnesota state line. The Danbury-to-Minnesota section had been designated STH-152 until STH-77 took that portion over.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

NHS:

Concurrently with STH-13 from northwest of Glidden to Mellen.

Continue on:

MN TH-70 west into Minnesota - via Steve Riner's Unofficial Minnesota Highways Page.
BUS US-2 east into Michigan - via the Michigan Highways website.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• Great Divide Highway - information from the America's Byways website.

Southern Terminus:

Illinois state line at a connection w/IL SR-78, seven miles south of Gratiot

Northern Terminus:

Jct I-90/I-94 & I-39 at Exit 108, five miles south of Portage

Length:

92.83 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-78

Notes:

In an interesting historical side-note, STH-78 was the highest route designation in the original 5,000-mile state trunk highway system, as laid out in 1917 and signed in May 1918. Higher route designations only came with additions to the system in subsequent years.

History:

When the state trunk highway system was laid out in 1917, STH-78 was a short, five-mile highway connecting the city of Hartford in Washington Co with STH-15 (later US-41, now STH-175). By 1921, STH-29 had replaced the original STH-78 routing, and STH-78 was transferred to what is now STH-57 from Green Bay to jct STH-17 (now jct STH-42) southwest of Sturgeon Bay. By 1924, STH-78 had been extended northeasterly through Sturgeon Bay, Jacksonport and Baileys Harbor, ending at STH-17 (now STH-42) in Sister Bay. In 1930 all of STH-78 in the Door Peninsula was redesignated as part of an extension of STH-57. A year later in 1931, the STH-78 designation was moved to its present routing, replacing all of STH-81 in the process.

In 1963, the segment of STH-78 from the new I-90/I-94 freeway interchange south of Portage northerly to STH-33 was improved to a four-lane divided facility. A year later, this four-lane divided highway (and the STH-78 designation with it) was extended northerly across the Wisconsin River then bypassing Portage to the west before merging into the existing two-lane route of US-51 north of the city. The entire four-lane divided portion of STH-78 from I-90/I-94 northerly to US-51 was shown as a full freeway with interchange beginning with the 1966 official state highway map, so it can be assumed the conversion to freeway occurred about this time (c.1965). In more recent decades, the short segment of STH-78 freeway was the only portion of the route from I-90/I-94 at Portage northerly past Wausau that was not signed as part of US-51, although signs along the route did indicate "TO US-51." Then in 1996, US-51 from Rothschild (south of Wausau) southerly to Portage was concurrently designated as I-39 and to connect this new Interstate route with nearby I-90/I-94, the entire STH-78 freeway from US-51 north of Portage to I-90/I-94 was redesignated as part of I-39 (the only portion of I-39 anywhere which is not co-signed with at least one other route designation is that portion along the former STH-78 freway), with STH-78 losing approximately eight miles of length in the process.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

NHS:

The following three segments of STH-78 in Wisconsin are on the National Highway System (NHS):

1. Along the 0.4-mile concurrent segment with STH-11 through Gratiot.
2. Along the 2.2-mile concurrent segment with US-14 between Black Earth and Mazomanie.
3. Along the 0.5-mile concurrent segment with US-12 across the Wisconsin River bridge at Sauk City.

Continue on:

IL SR-78 south into Illinois - via Rich Carlson's Illinois Highways Page.
Illinois State Route 78 - Charles Sarjeant's Illinois Highways Ends website.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• Mount Horeb Case Study - a presentation created to illustrate the STH-78 & STH-92 roundabout constructed at Mount Horeb, from MTJ Engineering.

• Highway 78/92 Intersection, Mount Horeb, WI - information from MTJ Engineering.

Southern Terminus:

US-12 approximately 3 miles northwest of downtown Menomonie

Northern Terminus:

STH-64 in Connorsville

Length:

17.63 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-79

Notes:

This highway is completely located within Dunn County.

History:

STH-79 was originally designated along a different routing just to the west of its current alignment. During the first addition to the state trunkline system in 1919, STH-79 was commissioned along a routing beginning in Ellsworth at STH-34 (now US-10) and running northeasterly via present-day US-63 to Martell, then east along present-day STH-29 through Spring Valley, then northerly again via the present STH-128 to end at STH-64 east of Forest.

In c.1923, STH-79 was redirected from Glenwood City to run southeasterly via present-day STH-170 to Boyceville, then southeasterly along its current routing to STH-12 (now US-12) northwest of Menomonie. The former portion of STH-79 from Ellsworth to Martell was redesignated as part of STH-46 (now US-63); the section from Martell to east of Spring Valley became STH-116 (now STH-29); while the portion from STH-116 to Glenwood City, which is now STH-128, was turned back to local control as CTH-A. (This route was re-added to the state highway system c.1935 as STH-128!) In 1947, STH-79 was moved to its present routing north of Boyceville, replacing what had been CTH-K to Connorsville. The former STH-79 from Boyceville to Glenwood became part of an extended STH-170, while the portion north of Glenwood was tacked onto the STH-128 routing.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

STH-70 | STH-71 | STH-72 | STH-73 | Former STH-74 | STH-75 | STH-76 | STH-77 | STH-78 | STH-79 | Up to Top