Highways 110 through 119

STH-110 | STH-111 | STH-112 | STH-113 | STH-114 | Former STH-115 | STH-116 | STH-117 | STH-118 | STH-119 | Jump to Bottom

Southern Terminus:

Jct US-10 & STH-96 at Fremont

Northern Terminus:

US-45 on the north side of Marion

Length:

37.44 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-110

Notes:

STH-110 ostensibly carries on the US-110 legacy in Wisconsin, although that legacy is fading fast due to recent (and upcoming) route changes in the region. From the debut of the US Highway system in 1926 until 1938, a short spur-route off US-10 beginning at Fremont and heading southeasterly into Oshkosh was designated US-110. However, with the discouragement of such short US Highways, it was redesignated as STH-110. It was only in later years that STH-110 was extended northerly along its present route toward US-45 at Marion. With the myriad of route relocations and redesignations west of Appleton and northwest of Oshkosh, however, most of the "tradtional" route of STH-110—that portion originally designated US-110—has either been removed or has become parts of other highway routes. At present, the only portion of STH-110 running along the historical route of US-110 is the short segment co-signed with STH-96 from US-10 southeast of Fremont northerly to the jct of STH-96 & STH-110 on the east side of Fremont.

Major changes to STH-110 and a major rerouting of US-45 in the Greater Fox Cities area occurred in 2003. Until that year, US-45 ran almost due northerly from Oshkosh to Greenville (northwest of Appleton), then turned northwesterly toward New London. US-45 was completely relocated from this stretch onto partly-new and partly-existing highway between Oshkosh and New London, via Winchester. The new route generally follows the former STH-110 corridor from Oshkosh to Winchester, then continues northerly along the former CTH-W and CTH-D corridors to New London. Large-scale construction began in 2001 and was wrapped up and all roads opened to traffic on December 5, 2003.
      Today, US-45 departs its former route at Jackson Ave in Oshkosh and heads westerly via Murdock Ave (formerly STH-21) to Algoma Blvd (formerly STH-110), then northwesterly through the interchange with US-41, becoming an expressway there. The new US-45 then departs the former route of STH-110 south of the CTH-T junction and continues as full freeway to the northeast of the old highway (which was transferred to Winnebago Co as CTH-S) from CTH-T northwesterly to just north a new interchange at STH-116. From north of STH-116 to just north of CTH-G, the new US-45 freeway runs atop the former two-lane STH-110 alignment with the freeway merging back down to the original two-lanes from north of CTH-G to south of Winchester. Halfway through the old STH-110 "Winchester Bypass" (1/2 mile north of Grandview Rd), the new US-45 again returns to freeway standards with an interchange at CTH-II (former STH-150) and continues another half-mile to an interchange with the new US-10 freeway.
      US-45 continues northwesterly from the Winchester area concurrently with the new US-10 relocated freeway closely following the former CTH-W corridor to an interchange where US-10 continues westerly toward Fremont, while US-45 departs northerly. As the new US-10 freeway has functionally replaced the former route of STH-110 from Winchester to Fremont, that route was turned back to county control as an extension of CTH-II.

At present, STH-110 begins at the US-10 freeway at a joint terminus with STH-96 and continues northerly a very short distance to the former route of US-10 (now signed as STH-96 to the east and as STH-110 to the west) before turning westerly through Fremont, acting very much like a Fremont "Business Route." West of Fremont, STH-110 rejoins US-10 and STH-49 at the STH-49 interchange, continuing concurrently with US-10/STH-49 for approximately five miles to the second Weyauwega interchange before departing and heading northerly through eastern Waupaca Co. However, the so-called "Fremont Business Route" portion of STH-110 has been proposed for transfer to local authorities at some point in the future, at which time STH-110 would be truncated back to the US-10/STH-49 interchange at Weyauwega, thus removing the final portion of the STH-110 from the historical route of US-110. When asked about the rather odd routing of STH-110 in the Fremont area—instead of simply routing STH-96 westerly through the Village of Fremont and truncating STH-110 back to Wayauwega now—WisDOT officials noted that since the route through Fremont is being proposed for turnback, it made more sense to sign STH-96 along its "permanent route" and utilize the existing STH-110 route temporarily. When such a transfer is intiated, WisDOT simply needs to remove the STH-110 markers from the route instead of having to reroute, again, existing highways.

History:

The origins of the STH-110 designation are somewhat clouded. The 1921 Official State Trunk Highway System map shows a STH-110 at Waterloo, but this is believed to be in error, actually being a part of STH-107 at the time, although a STH-110 routing may have existed here for a short time. By 1924, though, STH-110 had been designated along a bypassed stretch of STH-13 from Marengo to STH-24 (present-day STH-118) south of Ashland along the southern portion of the current route of STH-112. However, in 1926 the STH-110 designation had to be changed so as to allow the addition of US-110 to the US Highway system along what had been designated STH-95 between Fremont and Oshkosh. As Wisconsin disallowed duplication of highway number designations (until the 1990s), no STH-110 designation existed during the tenure of US-110, which lasted from 1926 to 1938, when US-110 was officially "decommissioned." The former route of STH-110 in Ashland Co was replaced by an extension of STH-112.

When US-110 was removed from the system in 1938, the STH-110 designation was immediately applied to the Oshkosh-to-Fremont route. In 1960, the entire length of STH-142 from US-10 on the south side of Weyauwega to US-45 at Marison was supplanted by a northerly extension of STH-110, which necessitated a seven mile long concurrency with US-10 between Fremont and Weyauwega. It is unclear why the STH-142 designation was "decommissioned" at that point, however it did free up that number to be later applied to what was STH-43 in southeastern Wisconsin when I-43 debuted.

As noted above, major changes to the route of STH-110 occurred on Nov 1, 2003 with the completion and opening of the new US-10 freeway through northern Winnebago and southeastern Waupaca Cos. Simultaneously, US-45 was rerouted to replace the STH-110 designation from Oshkosh northwesterly to Winchester. Specifically, the former portions of STH-110 from STH-21 at Algoma Blvd & Murdock Ave in Oshkosh to CTH-T/Ryf Rd and from STH-116/CTH-GG northerly to STH-150 were redesignated as US-45 on that date, while the segment from CTH-T/Ryf Rd to STH-116/CTH-GG, which was bypassed by a new US-45 freeway alignment, was turned back to county control as CTH-S. From Winchester westerly and northwesterly through Zittau to the new US-10 freeway at Fremont was similarly turned back to county control on Nov 1, 2003 as part of CTH-II.

Freeway:

None.

Expressway:

Concurrently with US-10 from the eastern jct of US-10 & STH-49 just west of Fremont northerly to the STH-110 interchange at Weyauwega. (4.7 miles)

NHS:

Concurrently with US-10 from the eastern jct of US-10 & STH-49 just west of Fremont northerly to the STH-110 interchange at Weyauwega.

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.

Southern Terminus:

US-8 two miles east of Catawba

Northern Terminus:

STH-13 four miles south of Phillips

Length:

10.61 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-111

Notes:

STH-111 is essentially a "cut-off" route for traffic between US-8 and STH-13.

Site contributor Matthew Salek wrote in with "a quick note about WI 111 (my grandparents live on it, so that's why I know this)" in c.2000:

According to my grandfather WisDOT was considering turning back WI 111 to Price County, and then Price County probably would have turned it back to the townships (the same thing happened to the east section of WI 194). WisDOT put out a counter, and in the words of my grandfather, "damn near wore the thing out." That's exaggerating a little bit, of course, but there is quite a bit of traffic on it. I don't what the data they got is, but WisDOT apparently dropped the idea after doing the count. I definitely noticed more traffic on it compared to when I was there [around 1994], and it probably has to do with some new companies and stores that have moved into Phillips recently, among other things. —Thanks much, Matt!

History:

STH-111 debuted in 1919 and has existed generally along its present alignment ever since, although originally it did continue north for an additional three miles along present-day STH-13 when that highway followed the CTH-A, CTH-K and CTH-D route from Prentice to Phillips. STH-111 was scaled back to its present terminus in 1930 when STH-13 was routed onto its present alignment.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Southern Terminus:

STH-13 two miles northwest of Marengo

Northern Terminus:

STH-137 in Ashland, west of downtown (cnr of Sixth St & Sanborn Ave)

Length:

12.58 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-112

Notes:

While always existing in the Greater Ashland vicinity since being first commissioned in 1919, STH-112 has gone through more reroutings and realignments than many highways twenty times its length! See the "History" section below for more details.

History:

At its debut in 1919, the route began at STH-24 (which at that time ran along the present-day US-63 corridor north of STH-64) east of Benoit at the modern day jct of US-63, STH-118 & CTH-F, continuing via today's CTH-F westerly through Benoit, turning northerly toward what is now US-2. There, STH-112 turned northeasterly to follow Janecek Rd and Old US-2 (which was not to be part of US-2 for seven years), Hnath Rd and Colby Rd to approximately the present-day jct of US-2 & STH-137. From there, STH-112 continued easterly via STH-137, then northerly along State Farm Rd to Ashland Junction, northerly paralleling the former C&NW RR grade along a now-abandoned roadway, then via Terwilliger Rd northerly to Cherryville Rd and easterly via Cherryville to STH-13 where it terminated. At this time, a short connecting trunkline, STH-125, ran from STH-112 at Ashland Junction easterly via a now-abandoned roadway paralleling the C&NW RR grade to the north before turning easterly via Junction Rd and into the City of Ashland.

The first rerouting of this highway came in the c.1921-23 timeframe when the routes of STH-112 and STH-125 west of Ashland were swapped. Instead of turning northerly at Ashland Junction, STH-112 now continued easterly via what had been STH-125 into Ashland, while STH-125 was transformed into a short connector from Ashland Junction northerly to STH-13 and STH-10. In 1925, however, STH-10 (soon to become US-2) was itself rerouted from Ashland to follow the new route of STH-112 (formerly STH-125) to Ashland Junction, then westerly via STH-112 to the modern-day intersection of Old US-2 & Janecek Rd, where STH-10 then continued westerly via today's Old US-2. With this change, STH-112 was again routed northerly out of Ashland Junction supplanting the STH-125 designation which replaced STH-112 via Terwilliger & Cherryland Rds. STH-112 once again terminated at STH-13 as it had from 1919 to c.1921-23.

A mere year later in 1926, the US Highway System debuted in Wisconsin and the portion of STH-10 running through the Ashland area became part of US-2, with the concurrent STH-10/STH-112 segment becoming US-2/STH-112. In addition, a US-110 route was commissioned in east-central Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Highway Commissioned decided the existing STH-110 south of Ashland needed to be removed so there would be no duplication of route numbers in the state. Thus, STH-112 was extended easterly from its "southern" terminus near Benoit concurrently with STH-24 to the present day jct of STH-112 & STH-118, then southerly via the former route of STH-110 to Sanborn and then easterly to a new terminus at STH-13 near Marengo. At that point, both termini were at STH-13 and STH-112 functioned as an out-of-the-way, roundabout "bypass" of Ashland, of sorts. In c.1929, US-2 was realigned to run south of the C&NW RR tracks along present-day STH-137, thus shortening the US-2/STH-112 concurrency by nearly a mile. Then, in 1934, much of STH-24 in Wisconsin was replaced by the US-63 designation with the former STH-24/STH-112 concurrency from just east of Benoit easterly for seven miles became US-63/STH-112.

In 1939, several realignments and reroutings further changed the configuration of state trunklines in the Ashland area. US-2 was removed from 6th St and Vaughan Ave in Ashland and routed westerly from the city with STH-13 via Front St (now Lakeshore Dr) to the present western jct of US-2 & STH-13, then southwesterly via the present-day alignment of US-2 toward Iron River. At the same time, a new alignment for US-63 was completed from the western jct of US-63 & STH-112 east of Benoit due northerly to the brand-new alignment of US-2. US-63 was then routed due northerly from STH-112 east of Benoit to the new US-2 route, then concurrently with US-2 along its new path into Ashland where it terminated. In the wake of these changes, the former route of STH-112 from STH-13 northwest of Ashland (south of Barksdale) southerly through Ashland Junction to the modern-day route of STH-137 was either turned back to local control or obliterated altogether. STH-112 was rerouted to run easterly via present-day STH-137 (former US-2) into Ashalnd along 6th St to a terminus at STH-13 at the cnr of 6th & Vaughn. Farther to the west, the former route of US-2/STH-112 from the present-day western terminus of STH-137 southwesterly and the former route of STH-112 from former US-2 southerly through Benoit and easterly to US-63 was turned back to local control, with the portion from the new route of US-2 southerly through Benoit and back easterly to US-63 later being designated as CTH-F. STH-112 was routed concurrently along the new alignments of US-2/US-63 and US-63 in this area. The former US-63/STH-112 from east of Benoit for seven miles became just STH-112, while the former US-63 from STH-112 northerly into Ashland was redesignated as STH-118. (whew) STH-112 now featured a very oddly-shaped highway route...

After over three decades of stability along the (rather odd) route of STH-112, major change came in 1971 when what was STH-118 from STH-112 six miles south of Ashland to STH-112 on the west side of Ashland was redesignated as part of STH-112 itself, while the segment of what had been STH-112 from US-63 east of Benoit easterly for seven miles was received the STH-118 designation. What had been STH-112 from the former STH-118 at the cnr of Sixth St & Sanborn Ave in Ashland westerly to US-2/US-63 west of the city was then redesignated as STH-137. The concurrent US-2/US-63/STH-112 and US-63/STH-112 segments retained their other designations. At this point, the route of STH-112 was much simplified. It is unclear at present whether STH-137 also supplanted STH-112 from Sixth & Sanborn into downtown Ashland in 1971 or whether this change occurred later.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Southern Terminus:

US-151/Washington Ave in Madison at cnr First St & E Washington Ave

Northern Terminus:

Jct STH-33 & STH-123 in downtown Baraboo at cnr Broadway St & 8th Ave

Length:

40.34 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-113

Notes:

A one-of-a-kind on the state trunk highway system, STH-113 uses the Merrimac Ferry to cross the Wisconsin River at Merrimac. From WisDOT's "Wisconsin Highways 1945-1985" history:

The Merrimac Ferry... survived, since 1844, while some 500 other ferries that once operated in the state disappeared. In 1924, Columbia and Sauk counties (the name of the ferry, 'Colsac,' is a phonetic shortening of the two names) took over its operation as a toll facility. The state assumed responsibility in 1933 and abolished the toll. It has been free ever since. The ferry [is] officially part of the State Trunk System. Each year it carries up to 1,200 vehicles daily."

Until 2000, WisDOT's "Official State Trunk Highway System Maps" publication featured a so-called "mapped corridor" relocation for STH-113 between Merrimac and Devils Lake State Park in southeastern Sauk Co. Running northwesterly from Merrimac roughly along the line of Cemetery St and Marsh Rd, the proposed realignment would have rejoined the existing route of STH-113 near the South lake Rd intersection in the northern part of the Town of Merrimac. Existing STH-113 from that point southerly to STH-78 would have been turned back to local control. However, in 2000 this corridor was removed from the books and it appears WisDOT no longer has any plans to relocate the highway in this area.

History:

The first iteration of STH-113 began as a short connector route in Clark and Taylor Cos in 1919. STH-113 began at STH-16 (later STH-29, now CTH-X) in Thorp and ran northerly via present-day STH-73 to STH-64 (at present-day jct STH-73 & CTH-S) south of Gilman. This first STH-113 routing came to a rather swift end in c.1923 when STH-73 was extended northerly and supplanted the entire route.

Students of Wisconsin highway history or those with long memories likely know STH-13 once ran southerly from Wisconsin Dells through Baraboo and Madison, ending in Janesville, later Beloit. However, the route of present-day STH-113 was never the earlier route of STH-13, as logical as it may seem. Logical both due to the location of the route and also due to the fact that modern-day STH-213 was part of this earlier route of STH-13 running toward the Illinois state line. In fact, the original 1918 southern terminus for STH-13 was Kilbourn (now known as Wisconsin Dells), but that highway was extended southerly in c.1923 to continue on through Baraboo toward Madison and on to Janesville. For the portion of the route from Kilbourn (Wisconsin Dells) to Baraboo, the extended STH-13 ran concurrently with STH-12 (now US-12), but instead of utilizing the route of modern-day STH-113 from there into Madison, it continued southerly, co-signed with STH-12 (now US-12) all the way into Madison before striking off on its own again toward Janesville. Oddly enough, though, at this same time the route from Baraboo through Merrimac, Lodi, Dane and Waunakee to Madison was also assumed into the state trunkline system (c.1923), but designated STH-113. Why the state transportation commission chose to route STH-13 via such a lengthy concurrency with STH-12 and not utilize the newly-added parallel route is unclear and somewhat perplexing. No other major route changes were made to STH-113 until the 1990s.

Until 1998, STH-113 entered Baraboo from the southeast via Water St to Walnut St, northerly on Walnut for one block, jogging westerly at 1st Ave and northerly again via Ash St for four blocks, turning westerly via 5th Ave-St for two blocks to STH-123/Broadway St then northerly with STH-123 along Broadway to a common terminus at STH-33/8th Ave. That year the northerly turn at Walnut was removed and STH-113 was designated to continue westerly via Water St to STH-123/Broadway, then concurrently with STH-123 for the eight blocks to the joint terminus at STH-33. It is unclear whether these changes were ever signed in the field as official sources from the very next year, 1999, show the route restored to its previous Water-Walnut-1st-Ash-5th-Broadway route.

A portion of STH-113 in northern Dane Co was realigned in 2001 between Waunakee and Dane. From the cnr of STH-113 and Cuba Valley Rd approximately two miles north of downtown Waunakee, the highway was routed northerly via McChesney Rd for two miles to CTH-V, then westerly for one mile via CTH-V toward Dane, where it rejoined the former route. The three miles of former STH-113 were transferred back to local control and is now a town road named "Old 113 Rd."

In 2003, the 12-vehicle Colsac II automobile ferry operating across Lake Wisconsin at Merrimac was retired and replaced by the brand-new 15-vehicle Colsac III ferry. The new ferry was dedicated by Governor Doyle and first lady Jessica Doyle on May 16, 2003. At present, the ferry carries approximately 200,000 vehicles across the lake each year.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

NHS:

Intermodal Connector: From cnr Packers Ave & Amberg Ave northerly 1/2 mile to cnr Packers Ave & International Ln in Madison. [Note: Intermodal Connectors provide access between major intermodal facilities and the other four subsystems making up the National Highway System. A listing of all official NHS Intermodal Connectors.]

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• Merrimac Ferry links:

• Merrimac Ferry - official site from WisDOT. Includes answers to frequently asked questions, a history and information on ferry operations.
• SmartWays real-time traffic information: Merrimac Ferry - from WisDOT: "The Merrimac Ferry Traveler Information System provides travelers with an estimate of their wait time to use the ferry service."
• The Merrimac Ferry - from the Town of Merrimac website.
• Wisconsin Projects: Merrimac Free Ferry - from Northwestern University's Infrastructure Technology Institute, which studied the previous Merrimac Ferry, the Colsac II, which had developed fatigue cracks in its hull. Information from this study was used by WisDOT in the design of the current ferry, the Colsac III.
• Unusual Propulsion System For Wisconsin Ferry - a short page on the Colsac III by marine photographer and writer Alan Haig-Brown.
• Merrimac Free Ferry - a photo gallery featuring the ferry from Barri Olson.
• Colsac III: Wisconsin's Only Free Ferry - from the Town of West Point website.
• Colsac III: Columbia County's Navy - from the ColumbiaCountyTourism website.
• Merrimac Ferry - website by Merrimac Communications; includes a live webcam.
• Merrimac Free Ferry - from the Baraboonow.com website.

Western Terminus:

US-41 at Exit 131 on the west side of Neenah

Eastern Terminus:

STH-32/STH-57/8th St in Hilbert at cnr W Main St & 8th St

Length:

21.03 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-114

Notes:

The route of STH-114 has changed relatively little over the years. From its beginnings as a highway linking Menasha to Hilbert via Sherwood, today it runs from Neenah via Menasha and Sherwood, ending in Hilbert.

History:

STH-114 debuted in c.1919 along its current routing, beginning at STH-15 (later US-41) in downtown Menasha, heading easterly via Sherwood to a terminus at STH-57 in Hilbert. By 1924, STH-114 was extended south via STH-57 then easterly along what had been previously part of STH-57 (present-day CTH-PP) through Potter and ending at STH-18 (now US-10) in Brillion. With the completion of the original US-41 bypass of Appleton in 1937, STH-114 was extended southwesterly along the former US-41 from jct STH-47 (the former route of US-41 northerly into Appleton) through the downtowns of Menasha and Neenah to end at US-41 (present-day Green Bay Rd) west of downtown.

In 1954, SR-114 was extended southwesterly from US-41 for three miles via the pre-1948 route of US-41 (present-day CTH-JJ/Breezewood Ln), ending at US-45 (now STH-76). In c.1986, STH-114 was shortened at both ends; on the west, it was scaled back from US-45 to its present terminus at US-41 with the old route becoming CTH-JJ, while on the east, the route was scaled back to its present terminus at Hilbert with the former route becoming CTH-PP.

Freeway/Expwy:

None, although the segment of US-10/STH-114 from Firelane 2 (east of the western US-10 & STH-114 jct at Menasha) easterly to the eastern US-10 & STH-114 jct is a "near-expressway" quality route.

NHS:

From western terminus at US-41 to eastern jct of US-10 & STH-114 in northwest Calumet Co.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Former
Southern Terminus:

STH-60 three miles west of Hustisford

Former

Northern Terminus:

STH-26 in Juneau at cnr of Oak Grove St & Main St

Former Length:

5.87 miles

Map:

Route Map of Former STH-115

Notes:

STH-115 is no longer a state trunk highway. From a Public Notice from the Dodge Co Highway Dept, "On June 21, 2005, the Dodge County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to transfer jurisdiction of STH 115 from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to Dodge County after reconstruction is complete and to rename the road CTH DJ. The resolution also called for renaming the section of CTH J from its intersection with CTH DJ north to STH 60 as CTH DJ." The reconstruction mentioned is a 2005 project by WisDOT to reconstruct the roadway and provide 24 feet of pavement and six foot shoulders. The transfer of control took place on January 1, 2006 and all signage along the highway was noted changed in early January 2006.

The former STH-115 essentially functioned as a "cut-off" route between the east-west STH-60 west of Hustisford and the north-south STH-26 at Juneau.

As can be noted in the "History" section below, each of the three iterations of STH-115 over the decades has had a terminus at STH-60. A very interesting coincidence, indeed...

History:

The first iteration of STH-115 debuted in c.1919 along the present-day route of STH-80 from STH-60 near Muscoda northerly to STH-11 (now US-14) in Richland Center. This first version of the route would last only a few years, being replaced by STH-80 in c.1923.

The second iteration immediately debuted in southern Washington Co in c.1923, however, beginning at STH-15/STH-60 in Ackerville (at the time, STH-60 ran easterly from Ackerville via Sherman Rd toward Jackson approximately one mile south of its present route between Slinger and Jackson) and continued southeasterly via modern-day STH-175 through Richfield to STH-15/STH-55 (later US-41/US-45) at the present-day intersection of STH-175 & Hilltop Dr in Germantown. In 1923, STH-15, the predecessor to US-41, ran northwesterly from Menomonee Falls (concurrently with STH-55) along present-day STH-175, but turned northerly via today's CTH-Y, northwesterly via STH-145, northerly along CTH-P and westerly via Sherman Rd back to present-day STH-175 at Ackerville where it turned northerly again via it's "classic" route along STH-175. While the new STH-115 route was shorter, it was also gravel-surfaced, while the roundabout route of STH-15 was hard-surfaced throughout. With the paving of STH-115 in 1925, however, the STH-15 "through route" was rerouted to use STH-115 and the second iteration of STH-115 came to a close.

The third iteration of STH-115 owed its existence to the US Highway System, which debuted in 1926, as well as Wisconsin's insistence for many decades that no route number would appear more than once in the state, even between "types" of highways (e.g. US vs State). As the US Highway System was commissioned, what is now US-151 from Dodgeville southwesterly into Iowa at Dubuque was originally designated US-118, resulting in the state transportation commission's redesignating of STH-118 from Juneau southeasterly to STH-60 as STH-115. The route changed very little from that time until its "decommissioning" on January 1, 2006 and transfer to county control as CTH-DJ.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• Road Name Change by the Dodge County Highway Department - from the Dodge County Highway Department.

Southern Terminus:

STH-91 at jct CTH-M on the south side of Waukau

Northern Terminus:

US-45 (formerly STH-110) near the community of Butte des Morts, three miles east of Winneconne

Length:

14.19 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-116

Notes:

In 1996, 9.1 miles of STH-116 were replaced by a newly-reconstituted STH-91 designation from Waukau westerly to Berlin. Prior to this, STH-116 had generally been an east-west route with a lengthy north-south segment in the middle and, as such, was considered by WisDOT to be an east-west highway. However, since the truncation back to Waukau, the route generally runs north-south except for the final three miles from Winneconne easterly to US-45, which run east-west. Even so, WisDOT still considers this highway to be an east-west route instead!

History:

The original route of STH-116 debuted in Racine Co in c.1919, beginning at STH-50 near Salem and continued southerly via present-day STH-83, terminating at the Illinois state line. By 1924, though, this short route had been supplanted by an extension of STH-83. The second iteration of this highway was immediately inaugurated along an all-new state trunkline route from STH-11 (later US-53) in Chippewa Falls westerly via Elk Mound, Menomonie, Spring Valley, Martell and River Falls, ending at STH-18 (now US-10) in Prescott. This new route for STH-116 was a de facto extension of the existing STH-16 route from Manitowoc through Green Bay, Shawano, Wausau and Abbotsford to Chippewa Falls. As for why the STH-16 designation was not simply extended westerly along this new route from Chippewa Falls to Prescott is not clear, however.

The third iteration of STH-116 came into being during the great shifting of route designations in 1926 due to the debut of the US Highway System. As the "16" route designation was required for a new US Highway elsewhere in the state, most of the existing STH-16 was redesignated as STH-29. Since STH-29 would have ended at the beginning of STH-116 in Chippewa Falls, the transportation commission simply extended the STH-29 designation westerly to Prescott, supplanting STH-116 in its entirety. The designation was immediately relocated to the former route of STH-34 from Berlin to Butte des Morts via Waukau, Omro and Winneconne. (STH-34 itself was relocated onto what had been STH-18 in the western part of the state, a route which later became part of US-10.)

In 1996, CTH-X from Oshkosh westerly to STH-116 at Waukau was transferred to state control and given the designation STH-91. All of STH-116 from Waukau westerly to Berlin was then redesignated as STH-91 with STH-116 itself scaled back to end at Wauaku, a loss of 9.1 miles. Then in late 2003, STH-116 was elongated by several hundred yards when the new US-45 expressway was completed between Oshkosh and CTH-G north of Butte des Morts, just to the east of the former route of STH-110 at this location.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

NHS:

Concurrently with STH-21 for a short distance in Omro.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Southern Terminus:

Jct STH-29/STH-55 & STH-47 on the south edge of Bonduel

Northern Terminus:

STH-22 in Cecil

Length:

5.79 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-117

Notes:

STH-117 is a short, connector highway acting essentially as a northerly extension of the route STH-47 uses heading north from the Appleton and Fox Cities area, while STH-47 itself makes a lateral move westerly into Shawano via STH-29.

History:

The STH-117 designation debuted in c.1919 along a new state trunkline highway route beginning at the Illinois state line near Warren, Illinois and proceeding generally northerly via present-day STH-78 to STH-20 (today's STH-11) at Gratiot. This first iteration of STH-117 lasted only a few years and by 1924 had been replaced by an extension of STH-81, which was later itself redesignated as STH-78.

The second iteration of this route debuted soon after the demise of the first. By 1924, a short connector route between the jct of STH-16 (later STH-29) and STH-47/STH-55 at Bonduel northerly to the present-day jct of STH-117 & CTH-E became a state trunkline and was designated as the new STH-117. At that time, STH-22 ran southerly out of Cecil via modern-day STH-117 to CTH-E, then westerly via CTH-E toward Shawano, thus this second iteration of STH-117 only clocked in at a little over 2.5 miles in the beginning.

Then in 1953, STH-22 was realigned onto its present route between Cecil and Shawano, more closely following the south shore of Lake Shawano and the portion of what had been STH-22 from CTH-E south of Cecil northerly to STH-22 in Cecil became a northerly extension of STH-117. A southerly extension of the route came in 1998 when the STH-29/STH-47/STH-55 freeway bypass of the Shawano/Bonduel area was completed. As with the STH-22 situation 45 years earlier, the portion of former STH-47 from downtown Bonduel southerly to the new freeway interchange became an extension of STH-117, bringing the route to its present length.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Western Terminus:

Jct US-63 & CTH-F just east of Benoit

Eastern Terminus:

STH-112 six miles south of downtown Ashland

Length:

6.86 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-118

Notes:

Part of STH-118 was washed out during heavy rains on July 24, 2005. Repairs were quickly made and the highway was reopened to traffic on August 26, 2005.

History:

The first iteration of STH-118 was commissioned in c.1919 along a route beginning at STH-29 (present-day STH-60) west of Hustisford and continued northerly via today's STH-115 to Juneau, then northerly with STH-26 to Minnesota Junction, turned westerly with via modern-day STH-33 to Beaver Dam and continued northwesterly, still following today's STH-33 route to Fox Lake, where it terminated at STH-33. (At the time, STH-33 continued northeasterly from Fox Lake toward Waupun.) In c.1923, STH-118 was drastically scaled back to a new northern terminus at STH-26 in Juneau. The portion from Fox Lake to Beaver Dam was redesignated as STH-68 with the portion from there easterly to Minnesota Junction designated as STH-28/STH-68.

STH-118 came to an end with the coming of the US Highway System in 1926. In their effort to avoid the duplication of route numbers, STH-118 was redesignated as STH-115 in its entirety as US-118 was commissioned along modern-day US-151 from US-18 at Dodgeville southwesterly via Mineral Point and Platteville to US-61 at Dickeyville. However, after less than a decade in existence, US-118 was supplanted in its entirety by an extended US-151, thus freeing up "118" to be again used as a state trunk highway route designation.

In 1939, several realignments and reroutings changed the configuration of state trunklines in the Ashland area. A new alignment for US-63 was completed from the western jct of US-63 & STH-112 east of Benoit due northerly to a brand-new alignment of US-2. US-63 was then routed due northerly from STH-112 east of Benoit to the new US-2 route, then concurrently with US-2 along its new path into Ashland where it terminated. The former US-63/STH-112 from east of Benoit for seven miles became just STH-112, while the former US-63 from STH-112 northerly into Ashland was redesignated as STH-118. After over three decades, major change came in 1971 when what was STH-118 from STH-112 six miles south of Ashland to STH-112 on the west side of Ashland was redesignated as part of STH-112 itself, while the segment of what had been STH-112 from US-63 east of Benoit easterly for seven miles was received the STH-118 designation in exchange.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Western Terminus:

I-94/I-41/US-41/North-South Frwy at Exit 318 in southern Milwaukee

Eastern Terminus:

STH-38/Howell Ave at the entrance to General Mitchell International Airport

Length:

1.89 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-119

Notes:

STH-119, the Airport Spur Freeway, commonly just called the "Airport Spur," is a 1.89-mile long freeway in the southernmost portion of the City of Milwaukee. It serves as the primary connection between General Mitchell International Airport and theI-94/I-41/US-41/North-South Frwy. It begins at the Airport Interchange onI-94/I-41/US-41 and continues a short distance to the east into the airport itself. State-maintenance ends at STH-38/Howell Ave.

While officially a state trunk highway and fully a part of the state highway system, STH-119 was, for nearly three decades, an unsigned route. WisDOT, however, denoted STH-119 on their official state highway maps for most of that time and most commercial mapmakers (Rand McNally, Seeger, Milwaukee Map, Hedberg, Hudson, Mapquest, etc.) did so as well. Until April 2007, signs along I-94/US-41 at the STH-119 exit only pointed toward "Gen Mitchell Int'l Airport." New signs along the North-South Frwy now point to STH-119 as well as the airport. WisDOT officials have noted STH-119 route markers will be posted along the Airport Spur itself in the future as well. It was one of only a handful of unsigned state trunklines around Wisconsin and one of three in Milwaukee Co; the others are STH-341 and SPUR STH-794.

History:

It was in c.1919 when the first STH-119 iteration debuted as a short connector trunkline along the present-day route of STH-83 linking STH-29 (now STH-60) at Hartford northerly to STH-15 (later US-41, now STH-175) near St Lawrence. However, within a few years, this routing of STH-119 would be replaced by STH-83 and a second iteration, in place by 1924, was commissioned in Waukesha and Milwaukee Counties. Beginning at STH-19 (later STH-16) in Pewaukee, the new STH-119 proceeded easterly along Capitol Dr into Milwaukee Co, turning southeasterly via Lisbon Ave to a terminus in downtown Milwaukee.

During the late-1920s, Capitol Dr from Lisbon Ave easterly to US-141 (present-day STH-32) in Shorewood is assumed as a state trunkline highway and signed as STH-119. However, the original route of STH-119 via Lisbon Ave from Capitol Dr southeasterly into downtown Milwaukee also seemed to remain signed as STH-119, resulting in a three-legged route for this highway. In 1930, however, STH-119 in its entirety is "decommissioned": the Capitol Dr route from Pewaukee to Shorewood becomes part of the route of US-16, while the Lisbon Ave route from Capitol Dr to Appleton Ave is turned back to local control.

A third iteration of STH-119 debuted in the Manitowoc area as a result of trunkline route changes in the area in 1931. Formerly entering Manitowoc from the northwest via Plank Rd and Menasha Ave, US-10/US-141 was rerouted in 1931 to continue southerly via N Rapids Rd (present-day CTH-R), then easterly into the city via Waldo Blvd. Meanwhile, STH-42, which previous ran northerly from STH-31 (later US-151, now CTH-CS/Custer St) via Rapids Rd to a terminus at US-10/US-141, was rerouted through downtown Manitowoc and northerly through Two Rivers and on toward Door Co via the former route of STH-17. The remaining segment of state trunkline without a designation—Rapids Rd from Custer St northerly to Waldo Blvd, was assigned the STH-119 designation. In 1956, the US-141 western bypass of Manitowoc was completed, supplanting much of STH-119 in the process, with a short segment of what had been STH-119 being transferred to local control.

STH-119 Mark IV was commissioned in 1968 along the former route of US-41 in Green bay from Lombardi Ave near the "Military Ave curve" just northwest of Lambeau Field running northeasterly via Military Ave to US-141/Velp Ave northwest of downtown. It is unclear whether this fourth version of STH-119 was ever signed in the field, as it was replaced on the 1970 official Wisconsin highway map with the BUS US-41 designation, although the route may have remained designated STH-119 officially for some time.

Construction on the Airport Spur Freeway connecting General Mitchell International Airport with I-94 less than two miles to the west began during the late 1970s. Official highway maps of that time denoted the freeway spur as STH-119 prior to its completion, however it was not until the 1983-84 official Wisconsin highway map that the completed freeway was again labeled as STH-119. (The 1980-81 and 1982 maps show the freeway as complete, but with no route designation.) For 30 years, STH-119 was not posted along the Airport Spur in the field, however signs along the I-94/US-41/North-South Frwy denoting the STH-119 designation were erected in April 2007 with actual STH-119 route markers to be posted along the Airport Spur itself reportedly forthcoming.

Freeway:

Entire length.

NHS:

Entire length.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• I-94 north-south corridor project - from WisDOT: "The...corridor stretches from the Illinois state line through Kenosha and Racine counties to the Mitchell Interchange...[and] also includes the WIS 119 Airport Spur to General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee."

• Airport Spur Freeway - in-depth article from the Milwaukee Freeways section of this website.

• Wisconsin Highway 119 - photos of the new STH-119 exit signs off I-94/US-41 from Mark Hintz' website.

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