Wisconsin Highway 164

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State Trunk Highway 164

Length:

43.5 mi^[1] (70 km)

North end:

WIS 60 near Slinger

Major
junctions:

WIS 175 near Slinger

WIS 167 near Richfield

WIS 190 (Capitol Drive) in Pewaukee

I-94 near Waukehsa

US 18 at Goerke's Corners, Wisconsin

WIS 59 in Waukehsa

I-43 near Big Bend

South end:

WIS 36 near Waterford

Wisconsin highways
< WIS 163		WIS 165 >
County - Bannered - Rustic

State Trunk Highway 164 (often called Highway 164, STH 164 or WIS 164) is a Wisconsin state highway running from Slinger, around the city of Waukesha, to Waterford.

1 Termini
2 Municipalities
3 History
4 Major Projects and Future Alignments
5 The Waukesha Bypass
6 References

[edit] Termini

The Northern terminus of Highway 164 is WIS 60, just to the east of Slinger.

The Southern terminus is the intersection of WIS 36 and County Highway K, northeast of Waterford. County Highway K continues to the East towards Racine.

[edit] Municipalities

Highway 164 travels through Washington, Waukesha and Racine Counties in Wisconsin. Highway 164 serves the following towns and cities:

[edit] History

Most of Highway 164's routing changes have occurred in and around the city of Waukesha. 164 originated as a state connecting highway between Waukesha and Pewakuee, according to Christopher Bessert. The routing was changed when a northern extension of St. Paul Avenue opened in 1967.

In the late 1980s, 164 was lengthened to the south to its current terminus in Waterford. The increase in length resulted in a new routing through Waukesha, as 164 ran alongside U.S. Highway 18 on Moreland Road north of downtown to the Waukesha Bypass. The Bypass was built in the 1980s with the intent of routing WIS 59 around the southern edge of the city, eventually connecting US 18 on both sides of Waukesha. The western leg between 59 and 18 was never built due to protest. 164 and 59 run south along the outer edge of Waukesha to South East Avenue, where 164 diverts to the South.

In the late 1990s, Highway 164's original northern terminus of Capitol Drive was extended to its current terminus in Slinger. The extension was a result of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation wanting to connect two major highways, WIS 60 and WIS 190. The routing change made 164 and 190 share their routing between 164's old terminus at WIS 74 and County Highway J.

A few years later, in 2004, 164 was re-routed again onto the former County Highway J south of Capitol Drive, when that section was changed to a multi-lane divided highway from Interstate 94 north. Highway 164 was then routed to run on Interstate 94 between Highway J and the Goerke's Corners interchange with U.S. Highway 18. The only other Wisconsin state highway to travel concurrently with I-94 is Highway 35, in Hudson.

[edit] Major Projects and Future Alignments

Highway 164 is undergoing widening and reconstruction between Capitol Drive (WIS 190) and the Waukesha-Washington county line, set to be completed by the end of 2006.

[edit] The Waukesha Bypass

The concept of a bypass highway around the perimeter of the city of Waukesha was first floated in the 1950s,^[2] as part of the first freeway plans in the state.

The main reason for such a bypass is due to the traffic congestion in the northern part of Waukesha, especially at the intersection of West Moreland Boulevard, East North Street and East Saint Paul Avenue, on the west side of the Fox River from Frame Park. The heavy-traffic intersection also has a railroad crossing just over the river along Frame Park, and also has the intersection of Moreland and White Rock Avenue.

In the early 1980s, the eastern section of the bypass was completed around the East side of the city of Waukesha, from Moreland Road and U.S. Highway 18 to South East Avenue. The route was designated as Highway 164 for the entire length, with Highway 59 running from Arcadian Avenue to South East Avenue, and then continuing west to Genesee Road. The section between East and Genessee was slowly upgraded, eliminating the at-grade railroad crossing just beyond West Avenue, until the current divided highway was completed by the late 1990s.

The bypass was renamed the Les Paul Parkway in the 1990s, in honor of the Waukesha native who was a key innovator of the solid-body electric guitar.

Waukesha County is again discussing a plan to complete the western section of the bypass by connecting Highway 59 with what is now County Highway TT. The problem with construction of that portion of the bypass is partially environmental; the routing would require road building through wetlands of the lower Fox River. There is also a rail spur and a large amount of semi-rural residential area that would be affected by new road construction.