Highways 130 through 139

STH-130 | STH-131 | STH-133 | STH-134 | STH-136 | STH-137 | STH-138 | STH-139 | Jump to Bottom

Southern Terminus:

STH-23 six miles north of Dodgeville in central Iowa County

Northern Terminus:

STH-154 at jct CTH-G three miles west of Hill Point in western Sauk Co

Length:

31.40 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-130

Notes:

This highway is a secondary route beginning in north-central Iowa Co, crossing the Wisconsin River at Lone Rock before running along the Richland/Sauk Co line before coming to an end in rural, west-central Sauk Co.

History:

STH-130 was designated generally along its present route in c.1923, from STH-23 to STH-41/STH-60 (now US-14/STH-60) near Lone Rock. In 1948, STH-130 was extended northerly from Lone Rock along CTH-J to CTH-N north of Bear Valley, then easterly along CTH-N to CTH-G, then north again along CTH-G to STH-154 at Hill Point. Approximately one year later in 1949, STH-130 was shifted to its present alignment in Sauk Co, running directly from CTH-N to STH-154. The former route of STH-130 (1948-49) along CTH-N and CTH-G was turned back to county control, with the segments again signed as parts of CTH-N and CTH-G again.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Southern Terminus:

STH-60 two miles east of Wauzeka

Northern Terminus:

Jct US-12 & STH-16 on the south side of Tomah (cnr Superior Ave & Clifton St)

Length:

79.01 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-131
Map of STH-131 Corridor in the Kickapoo River Valley (LaFarge-Ontario)

Notes:

While STH-131 is a relatively minor state trunk highway for much of its length in southwestern Wisconsin, it was dragged into a very controversial flood control and recreational enhancement project in the 1960s and 70s which was to require a wholescale realignment of the highway between LaFarge and Ontario in Vernon Co. The dam got underway and the first segment of STH-131 from LaFarge to Rockton was relocated in the mid-1970s when the entire project ground to a halt, including the highway improvements. After undergoing major revision in the 1990s, the final improvements from Rockton to Ontario were completed in August 2003. See the detailed and in-depth article STH-131 in the Kickapoo Valley for complete details and a map.

Regarding the above project, a September 8, 1998 story in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel article provides more information about the $12 million reconstruction project scheduled for STH-131. The article quotes Mark Kastel, a historic preservationist "who supports maintaining the highway's bucholic character" as saying, "Sure, that road is a pain in the ass. It is a bad road. We just want the scope of its new design limited. What the state wants to do could ruin this area." WisDOT, however, has made several changes to the design of the new highway. The article added, "The design, says Gary Bolstad, the department's manager for the project, makes several accommodations for environmental, aesthetic and recreation concerns. A bridge would span Winchel Valley, avoiding wetlands and the huge rock that juts from a bluff. Bridges would be built with lower profiles than is usual for highway reconstructions, shoulders would be paved for bicycles, and canoe landings would be established. 'It will be straighter than it is now, but it still will be pretty curvy,' Bolstad says. 'We've made numerous exceptions to make sure it lays as gently on the land as possible.'"

History:

Ironically, STH-131 was originally designated in c.1923 along a route tangent to its current route at Gays Mills in Crawford Co. STH-131 began at STH-35 southeast of Ferryville and continued easterly via Mount Sterling, ending at STH-11 (now STH-131) in Gays Mills. Within approximately a year, in 1924, STH-11 was relocated to a different routing in the state, resulting in the extension of STH-131 northerly from Gays Mills along STH-11's former route to STH-27 (now US-61) at Soldiers Grove. In 1939, STH-131 was extended northeasterly from Readstown replacing CTH-M to STH-82 at LaFarge. In 1943, what had been county-maintained CTH-M from STH-131 at Gays Mills southerly to STH-60 was turned over to the state and designated STH-171.

In 1947, the routings of STH-131 and STH-171 from Gays Mills westerly and southerly were swapped to their current configurations; STH-131 was moved to continue southerly from Gays Mills to STH-60, while STH-171 was moved to run westerly to STH-35 near Ferryville. A year later in 1948, STH-131 was extended northerly, adding 37 miles to its route. From LaFarge, STH-131 was routed north along CTH-M to Wilton, then easterly via STH-71 for three miles, then northerly again supplanting the STH-142 routing for 12 miles to Tomah.

In more modern times, a new route for STH-131 was chosen in the early 1970s to avoid the proposed flooding of the Kickapoo River valley between LaFarge and Ontario. The first half of this new alignment was completed and opened to traffic in c.1976, while the remainder of the projected route from Rockton to Ontario was never constructed. (See STH-131 in the Kickapoo Valley for complete details.) Instead, after decades of contention and reworking of plans, the existing STH-131 alignment between Rockton and Ontario was upgraded while retaining an environmentally-sensitive design. The newly-upgraded route was dedicated on August 15, 2003.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

NHS:

Concurrently with US-61 between Soldiers Grove and Readstown.

Photographs:

• STH-131 Photos: Rockton-Ontario, 1999/2005 - a set of five photographs illustrating some of the improvements made to STH-131 between Ontario and Rockton.

Weblinks:

• STH-131 in the Kickapoo Valley - in-depth article on the long-running project to relocate and improve the STH-131 corridor from LaFarge to Ontario.

• Kickapoo River Flood Damage Reduction, La Farge, Wisconsin - overview page from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District.

• The Kickapoo Valley Reserve - The Kickapoo Valley Reserve is an 8,569 acre tract of land located between the villages of La Farge and Ontario in southwestern Wisconsin. Its history, resources, administration, and recreational diversity make it unique - a place like no other.

• "STH 131: Mobility in Harmony With Environmental Stewardship" - article from "Wisconsin Transportation Builder," Fall 2004 edition (the official publication for the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association). Article itself is on pages 8 through 13. Includes photos.

• Kickapoo Valley Stewardship Alliance - the website for a group of local residents, environmentalists, business owners, and outdoor sports enthusiasts which banded together to oppose WisDOT's plans to upgrade STH-131 between Rockton and Ontario. The site has not been updated since 2000, however, and does not reflect the project changes implemented by WisDOT.

• Groups Comment On Kickapoo River Highway 131 Reconstruction - the New Transportation Alliance, Sierra Club, Wisconsin's Enviromental Decade and Citizens for a Better Environment, on Dec. 17, 1999, submitted a comment letter on the Highway 131 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).

• Kickapoo Valley Scenic Route in Jeopardy; State Highway 131: Quaint Road or Speedway? - an article by Dave Ebbert in the Spring 2000 edition of Wisconsin Bicyclist.

Southern Terminus:

US-61/STH-35 at jct CTH-O in Tennyson

Northern Terminus:

Jct US-14/STH-60 & STH-130 on the north side of Lone Rock

Length:

91.07 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-133

Notes:

The route of STH-133, when followed end-to-end, forms a U-shape with two segments running east-west on the "top" (north) and "bottom" (south) sides, with a north-south component in between (west). Even though almost two-thirds of the route run in an east-west direction (61 miles east-west versus 30 miles north-south), WisDOT officially classifies STH-133 as a "north-south" highway.

One could state that STH-133 is a jumble of several different routes thrown together as one meandering highway. Conservatively, STH-133 can be separated into two distinct portions: south of Bloomington and north of Mount Hope, as the highway has to run concurrently for six miles with STH-35 from Bloomington to US-18, then easterly six more miles to Mount Hope. Instead of trying to replace so many other state trunk highway designations with one route number (see History section below), it may have been better to allow STH-132 to remain along the northern portion of this highway.

History:

In the early c.1923, STH-133 was comissioned as a 14-mile route from STH-61 (now STH-81) at Cassville to STH-35 at Bloomington. In 1947, STH-133 was extended easterly 17 miles along CTH-O to Potosi Station, then northeasterly three miles supplanting the STH-129 designation to US-61/STH-35 at Potosi. A new alignment for STH-133 was opened to traffic in 1952 from its jct with CTH-A southwest of Bloomington northerly and easterly into that community with the former route via Spruce Rd being turned back to local control.

In 1968, STH-133 was extended by 52 miles; it was routed northerly via STH-35 and easterly along US-18 to Mount Hope, then northeasterly supplanting the STH-132 designation to Boscobel. From there, STH-133 was extended easterly via CTH-C to Muscoda which was transferred to state control, then continued easterly supplanting STH-137 to STH-130, then northerly with STH-130 to US-14/STH-60 at Lone Rock. (Interestingly, the STH-132 designation survived until c.1992 as a very short spur route from US-18 into Mount Hope!)

In the fall of 1997, WisDOT's Bob Spoerl wrote in saying, "STH-133 in Potosi was relocated...onto CTH-O and the existing STH-133 became a village street and CTH-U was extended out to US-61. STH-133 still ends at US-61 in Tennyson. The change eliminated two sharp turns as well as a myriad of other problems." — Thanks for the info, Bob!

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

NHS:

Two segments of STH-133 are on the National Highway System:

1. Concurrently with US-18 for 5.8 miles between Patch Grove and Mount Hope.
2. Concurrently with US-61 for 12 blocks (0.8 mile) through Boscobel.

Great River Road:

Great River Road runs along STH-133 from the southern terminus at US-61/STH-35 to jct CTH-VV on the north edge of Cassville.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Southern Terminus:

US-12/US-18 at Cambridge

Northern Terminus:

London at cnr Main St & CTH-O

Length:

2.85 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-134

Notes:

STH-134 is a short spur route leading into downtown London from US-12/US-18

History:

This highway is somewhat unique that over the 80 years it has been in a state trunk highway, it has existed in the same place between the same termini! (Although when it was commissioned in c.1923, the highways at its southern terminus were STH-12 and STH-41, which are now US-12 and US-18, respectively!) No significant changes have occurred to the routing of STH-134 since.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Western Terminus:

STH-23/STH-33 three miles east of downtown Reedsburg

Eastern Terminus:

Jct US-12 & STH-33 at cnr Linn St & Pine St in West Baraboo

Length:

13.05 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-136

Notes:

This highway is a relatively minor route in north-central Sauk Co running along the original alignment of STH-33 between Reedsburg and Baraboo. Both of STH-136's termini still lie at STH-33 to this day.

It has been rumored WisDOT wants to turn back all or a certain portion of STH-136 to Sauk Co, which tenatively will designate the highway as CTH-H. This is in conjuction with a proposed plan to swap the current CTH-H and STH-23 between Reedsburg and Wisconsin Dells. That plan would make the current CTH-H a state trunkline highway, with the STH-23 designation applied to it. The current STH-23 between STH-33 and Lake Delton would be turned back to the county, much like STH-136 is proposed to be, and, like STH-136, is tenatively planned to become CTH-H. If only the north-south portion of STH-136 is transferred, it is unclear whether STH-154 will be redesignated STH-136 or vice versa. If, however, STH-136 is transferred in its entirety, STH-154 east of STH-23 would likely be transferred as well.

History:

Historically, STH-136 was originally designated in c.1923 along a route immediately tangent to its current route in Sauk Co. The original STH-136 began at STH-12/STH-13 (now US-12) in Prairie du Sac and continued west, then north, then northeast along present-day CTH-PF, ending at STH-33 (now STH-136) near North Freedom. In 1934, when STH-33 was relocated to its current routing from Baraboo to Reedsburg, all of the former routing of that highway between the two cities was redesignated STH-136, with the existing STH-136 routing from Prairie du Sac to North Freedom being turned back to county control as CTH-PF.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Western Terminus:

US-2 seven miles west of downtown Ashland (three miles east of jct US-2 & US-63)

Eastern Terminus:

STH-13 at cnr 6th St & Ellis Ave in Ashland

Length:

6.25 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-137

Notes:

STH-137 is a short parallel route to US-2 on the west side of Ashland.

History:

The first iteration of STH-137 in the state debuted in c.1923 as a short connector route running along modern-day CTH-D in Iowa Co from STH-39 east of Mineral Point to STH-23 (later US-118, then US-151, now CTH-YD) northeast of Mineral Point. In 1934, all of STH-137 was turned back to local control, though the second iteration began soon after when a nine-mile route from STH-80 through Avoca to STH-130 near Lone Rock was transferred to the state and was assigned the STH-137 designation in 1935. That second iteration lasted until 1968, when STH-133 supplanted STH-137 in its entirety. While the first two routings of STH-137 were both in Iowa Co, the third iteration of this highway exists on the opposite side of the state at Ashland.

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. 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:

STH-59 in Cooksville

Northern Terminus:

US-14 interchange on the southeast side of Oregon

Length:

13.23 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-138

Notes:

STH-138 is an "L"-shaped route with nearly-equal length "legs" and exists almost exclusively in Dane Co, although the southernmost portion crosses into Rock Co for a short distance at Cooksville.

While WisDOT considers STH-138 to be a north-south highway, it can also be argued that it is an east-west highway, since the east-west component of the route (Oregon to Stoughton) is 6.9 miles long and the north-south component (Stoughton to Cooksville) is only 6.1 miles in length.

History:

The southern "half" of STH-138 has existed in the same place since its debut in c.1923, beginning at STH-59 in Cooksville, ending at STH-10/STH-106 in Stoughton. (STH-10 ran along what is now US-51, while STH-106 ran concurrently from Albion, where it ends today, with STH-10 to Stoughton, then westerly over modern-day STH-138 to a terminus at STH-13, now US-14, near Oregon.)

In 1962, when STH-106 was scaled back to its current western terminus, the portion of highway formerly numbered STH-106 from Stoughton west to Oregon was redesignated as a westerly extension of STH-138. Until the late-1970s, STH-138 angled southerly as it approached Oregon running along Hill Rd to its terminus at US-14 southeast of the village. When the current US-14 bypass of Oregon was completed in late-1978, the present alignment of STH-138 from Hill Rd westerly to the Janesville St interchange was also opened to traffic and Hill Rd was turned back to local control.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

Southern Terminus:

US-8 just west of Cavour in eastern Forest County

Northern Terminus:

Michigan state line at a connection with M-189, five miles north of Tipler

Length:

24.83 miles

Map:

Route Map of STH-139

Notes:

STH-139 bears the highest state trunk highway designation to approach the Michigan state line and connect with another highway in that state.

History:

Commissioned in c.1923, STH-139 originally ran only as far north as Tipler along a slightly different course. From STH-14 (to become US-8 in three years) at Cavour, STH-139 ran northerly along Ross Lake Rd, westerly on Aschenbrenner Rd, continued west on CTH-O, then northerly along a now-abandoned road, Shaddock Rd and then via its present route into the Newald area. From north of Newald, STH-139 continued northerly via its present-route, then along Old 139 Rd, easterly via Long Lake and Settlement Rds into Long Lake. From there, STH-139 continued northeasterly via its present route then via Pine River Rd, northerly along Fay Lake Rd and westerly via Dream Lake Rd to its terminus in Tipler.

In c.1928-29, STH-139 was rerouted from Popple River to Long Lake by turning easterly from Old 139 Rd via Popple River Rd, northerly along Sheldon Rd and the highway's current route at Long Lake. The former route was turned back to county control as CTH-N. Then in 1931, CTH-F from Tipler northerly to the Michigan state line at the Brule River was transferred to the state to become a northerly extension of STH-139. A year later in 1932, the highway was realigned onto its present-day angling route between Cavour and Newald (except where the highway ran along present-day Kalata Rd) with the former route being turned back to local control.

In 1937, the route of STH-139 was straightened to run along its present routing from Long Lake northerly toward the Michigan state line. The former route via Pine River and Fay Lake Rds is turned back to local control while the portion through Tipler via Dream Lake Rd and modern-day STH-70 becomes part of CTH-A. Two years later in 1937, the present angling route of STH-139 from north of Newald to northeast of Popple River is completed with the former route (Old 139 Rd, Popple River Rd, Sheldon Rd) being turned back to local control. Then in c.1942, STH-139 is routed out of "downtown" Newald and onto its existing alignment as well as seeing the completion of the direct route northwest of Cavour with Kalata Rd being turned back to local control as well. The last portions of STH-139 to be hard-surfaced are completed in 1946.

Freeway/Expwy:

None.

Continue on:

M-189 north into Michigan - via the Michigan Highways website.

Photographs:

Weblinks:

• None.

STH-130 | STH-131 | STH-133 | STH-134 | STH-136 | STH-137 | STH-138 | STH-139 | Up to Top