U.S. Route 51 in Wisconsin

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U.S. Highway 51

Formed:

1926 (1917 as WIS 10)

South end:

US 51 in South Beloit, IL

Major
junctions:

US 12/US 18 in Madison

US 151 in Madison
I-39 I-90 I-94 near Madison
I-39 near Portage
US 10 in Stevens Point
WIS 29 in Wausau
US 8 near Tomahawk

North end:

US 2 near Hurley

Wisconsin highways
< WIS 50	WIS 52 >
< US 10		WIS 11 >
County - Bannered - Rustic

In the U.S. state of Wisconsin, U.S. Route 51 (normally called U.S. Highway 51, Highway 51 or US 51) runs north-west down the central part of the state. It enters from Illinois at Beloit, and runs north to its northern terminus in Hurley where it junctions with US 2 (WI).

[edit] History

Prior to 1926, what is now US 51 was State Trunk Highway 10.^[1]

US 51 was upgraded to a full freeway over a period of 25 years from Merrill to Portage. The freeway continues around Portage to the West as (Then as WIS 78) to connect with I-90 and I-94 while US 51 continues along surface roads into and through Portage. In the 1990s, US 51 was designated as I-39 from its junction with WIS 29 eastbound in Wausau to where it left the freeway at Exit 92 in Portage. US 51 remained cosigned with I-39 along this entire stretch of road. Further expansion of the highway northward took place in 2000 when the highway was upgraded to an expressway up to US 8.^[1]

[edit] See also

U.S. Route 151, diagonal route that runs from Dubuque, IA to Manitowoc
Interstate 39, Cosigned from Wausau to Portage - also contains an Exit list which includes this portion.