U.S. Route 151

U.S. Highway 151
Route information
Auxiliary route of US 51
Length:	337 mi[1] (542 km)
Existed:	1926 – present
Major junctions
South end:	I-80 near Williamsburg, Iowa
	US 6 at the Amana Colonies US 30 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa US 20 in Dubuque, Iowa US 61 from Dubuque to Dickeyville, Wis. US 51 in Madison, Wis. I-39 / I-90 / I-94 in Madison, Wis. I-41 / US 41 in Fond du Lac, Wis. I-43 in Manitowoc, Wis.
North end:	US 10 in Manitowoc, Wis.
Location
States:	Iowa Wisconsin
Counties:	Iowa Iowa Benton Linn Jones Dubuque Wisconsin Grant Lafayette Iowa Dane Columbia Dodge Fond du Lac Calumet Manitowoc
Highway system
United States Numbered Highways List Bannered Divided Replaced Iowa Primary Highway System Interstate U.S. State Secondary Scenic Wisconsin State Trunk Highway System Interstate U.S. State Byways Rustic ← Iowa 150 IA Iowa 152 → ← WIS 150 WI WIS 152 →

U.S. Highway 151 (US 151) is a US Highway that runs through the states of Iowa and Wisconsin. The southern terminus for US 151 is at a junction with Interstate 80 in Iowa County, Iowa, and its northern terminus is at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The route, from south to north follows a northeasterly path through Iowa and Wisconsin.

Approximately seven miles (11 km) south of Dubuque, Iowa, US 151 joins with US 61. The two highways share a route from there to Dickeyville, Wisconsin. Three miles (4.8 km) south of Dubuque, US 61 / US 151 join with US 52, and share a route with US 52 until the White Street exit in Dubuque.

In Wisconsin, US 61/151 joins with WIS 35 about one mile (1.6 km) north of the Iowa–Wisconsin border. At Dickeyville, US 151 splits off and heads northeast to Platteville. US 61 and WIS 35 continue north. US 151 later joins with US 18 near Dodgeville. The two highways share a route all the way to Madison.

Route description

Iowa

U.S. Highway 151 starts at an intersection with Interstate 80 (I-80), in an isolated part of Iowa near both Williamsburg and Conroy.^[2] It then continues through the area around the Amana Colonies,^[3] where it has a brief overlap with US 6. Once meeting up with US 30 and US 218, the route cuts around the city of Cedar Rapids, while the business route 151 goes through the city. The route splits from the other roads and continues toward Dubuque as an expressway. This 65-mile (105 km) stretch crosses many major rivers including both the Wapsipinicon and the Maquoketa. The road eventually goes into the Driftless Area where it meets up with US 61 around the Dubuque Regional Airport.^[4] The combined road then heads into the state of Wisconsin where it continues with the US 151 name.^[5]

Dubuque to Madison

US 151, concurrent with US 61, crosses the Mississippi River into Wisconsin via the Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge from Dubuque, Iowa and passes through a cut in the river ridge before turning northward to the western terminus of WIS 11 after one mile (1.6 km) of due east travel. WIS 35 and the Great River Road join the route at that interchange, heading north. The highway at this point is limited access highway with two lanes in each direction. The northward trek of the route passes through mixed residential and farmland as it crosses Badger Road and merges with Eagle Point Road. Eagle Point road merges with US 151 from the left side of the road. The limited access portion ends at this interchange. Another pair of half diamond interchanges connect the highway with CTH HHH and CTH H as it bypasses Kieler to the northwest. At Dickeyville, US 61, WIS 35 and the Great River Road route exit north off of US 151 into town. US 151 passes Dickeyville to the east and descends into a valley cut northeast of the village, paralleling the Little Platte River and Blockhouse Creek within the valley for a one-mile (1.6 km) stretch before climbing back onto the ridgetop on the other side of the valley.^[6] US 151 then approaches Platteville and enters a section of limited access at CTH D (US 151 Business). The limited access stretch ends after three interchanges and 6-mile (9.7 km) to the east. The last of the interchanges being WIS 126/CTH G with access to Belmont. The route turns northeastward from this point, crosses the Cottage Inn Branch and begins the first of several descents into valleys, two of which are prior to passing Mineral Point^[7] and another two while passing the city.^[8]

The highway is limited access between the two interchanges that provide access to Mineral Point: CTH O and WIS 23. WIS 23 joins US 151 heading northbound at that point until the first interchange at Dodgeville. This interchange begins another short stretch of freeway to the point where US 18 joins the route. US 18 and US 151 head eastbound past that interchange.^[8]

The section of expressway past Dodgeville passes through rolling hills populated with farmland mixed with small woodlands. The highway passes Ridgeway and Barneveld. Access to Ridgeway is by surface intersections with a short "business route" on CTH HHH. However, it was announced in 2011 that the first intersection would be closed, and an exit would be constructed, due to the numerous fatal accidents that happen at the intersection each year. Access to Barneveld is at an interchange with CTH ID and an at-grade intersection with CTH K. CTH ID parallels US 18/US 151 for the entire stretch between Barneveld and Mount Horeb. A section of freeway begins at WIS 78 and ends at the other end of CTH ID as the highway bypasses Mount Horeb just to the south of the city's passing residential subdivisions. A mix of grade separation and level intersections cross the winding highway as it continues eastward until the interchange with CTH MV (Verona Ave) begins a section of freeway that bypasses Verona to the south. This section provides access to four interchanges including the two endpoints of CTH MV. The freeway ends and the route enters an urban multilane highway known as Verona Road as it passes through Fitchburg and into Madison. Verona Road passes through a commercial sector at CTH PD and past a residential area on the Southwest Side of Madison. US 18 and US 151 merge east on the West Beltline Highway — joining US 12 and US 14.^[8]

Madison metropolitan area

The four US Routes run concurrently for about three miles (4.8 km) to Park Street.^[9] At this interchange, US 14 turns south off the Beltline towards Oregon and US 151 turns north and into central Madison, US 151 passes Monona Bay to the west along South Park Street. US 151 turns northeast onto West Washington Ave for about 1500 feet, then follows Proudfit Street and North Shore Drive — paralleling the Monona Bay shore — and turns north onto John Nolen Drive. The street passes under the Monona Terrace Convention Center as it passes to the south and east of downtown Madison. US 151 turns northwest onto South Blair Street for three city blocks to East Washington Avenue — where it turns northeast and follows East Washington Avenue, bisecting the Madison Isthmus, and leading out of the city to the east. The left terminus of WIS 30 meets US 151 about three miles (4.8 km) northeast of the South Blair Street turn.^[10] and US 51 crosses US 151 one mile (1.6 km) further northeast.^[8]

Madison to Fond du Lac

US 45 exit ramp in Fond du Lac

At a cloverleaf interchange with I-39, I-90 and I-94, a section of freeway begins and continues along US 151 northeast through commercial zones into residential areas. The route bypasses Sun Prairie on the west and north sides through the city's residential zones. After Sun Prairie, US 151 passes through farmland, heading toward Columbus. The highway bypasses the city via a partial beltline to the north and east, completely clearing the city. WIS 16 and WIS 60 crosses under US 151 about midway along the Columbus bypass. US 151 becomes an expressway with level intersections after the interchange with WIS 73 at the end of the bypass portion. The route becomes a freeway at Beaver Dam, bypassing the city to the southeast. The route follows the edge of residential zones of the city before passing an industrial area at the northeast end of the bypass. Within this freeway section exists a level railroad crossing near CTH E (East Burnett Street). US 151 crosses at-grade intersections after the interchange with CTH A northeast of Beaver Dam and encounters one more freeway section at Waupun, bypasses the city to the east. The Waupun bypass also includes a level railroad crossing halfway between the CTH M and WIS 26 interchanges.The four-lane expressway of US 151 continues east, bypassing Fond du Lac to the south and east. This expressway provides a mixture of at-grade intersections and grade-separated interchanges at I-41 and WIS 23.^[8] WisDOT currently is studying upgrades to two sections of US 151. The first study would preserve the Fond du Lac Bypass from I-41 to WIS 23, with the ultimate goal being freeway conversion.^[11] The second study is examining freeway upgrades to the route from WIS 73 in Columbus to WIS 49 in Waupun.^[12]

Fond du Lac to Manitowoc

The northeast terminus at US 10 in Manitowoc

The multi-lane section of US 151 ends after turning north away from Fond du Lac and the route follows the east shore of Lake Winnebago for about half the length of the shoreline. US 151 then turns east at the intersection with WIS 55 and follows two-lane surface roads and briefly running concurrent with WIS 32 and WIS 57 in Chilton. The roadway passes through farmland throughout this section until it crosses over I-43 and enters Manitowoc. The route follows surface streets into Manitowoc and terminates in the downtown area at US 10 just blocks prior to the SS Badger carferry port.^[8]

History

US 151, approximately eight miles (13 km) south of Dubuque, Iowa. A scene from the movie Field of Dreams was filmed on this particular segment of the highway.

US 151 was one of the original U.S. Highways from 1926. At the time, it only ran from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin to Madison. Originally, the highway ended at Western Avenue and Main Street in Madison. In 1934, the highway was extended southwest to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, incorporating the full length of former U.S. Highway 118 (Dodgeville to Dickeyville) and part of former U.S. Highway 161 (Dubuque to Cedar Rapids; US 161 from Cedar Rapids south to Keokuk became US 218). At the time, the southern end of the route was at Williams Blvd SW and 16th Ave SW, what was then US 30 and US 218. In the 1940s, the highway was extended northeast to Manitowoc.

Illinois

The Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge, Dubuque, Iowa. The bridge crosses the Mississippi River between Dubuque and Grant County, Wisconsin. The bridge is part of the US 61 / US 151 route.

In 1969, the Eagle Point Bridge, which connected US 151 and US 61 with Wisconsin, was closed, and those highways were rerouted over the Julien Dubuque Bridge with U.S. Highway 20 from Dubuque to East Dubuque, Illinois. The route then followed Illinois Route 35 and WIS 35 north to what is now the current highway. In 1982, the Dubuque-Wisconsin Bridge opened, the old Eagle Point Bridge was demolished, and US 151 and US 61 were rerouted onto the new bridge. This is the only instance of US 61 and US 151 entering Illinois.

Routings

In 1981, the southern terminus of the highway was extended once again when the US 30 bypass was built. The southern terminus was at the US 151 and 30 interchange. By 1986, the main US 151 was rerouted onto state highway 13 and US 30 to bypass Cedar Rapids. The previous route through Cedar Rapids was renamed US 151 Business (though the official state designation for it is Iowa 922). Finally, in 1989, US 151 was extended to its current southern end at exit 225 along I-80. This extension followed the old route of Iowa 149. As a result, US 151 became the main route through the Amana Colonies.

Exit list

County	Location	mi[13]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Iowa	Iowa Township	0.000	0.000		I-80 / CR W21 south – Davenport, Des Moines
		5.645	9.085		US 6 west – Marengo	Southern end of US 6 overlap
	Amana Colonies	7.587	12.210		US 6 east – Coralville	Northern end of US 6 overlap
		10.500	16.898		Iowa 220 west – High Amana, Middle Amana, East Amana
Benton	No major junctions
Linn	Cedar Rapids	24.474	39.387	248	US 30 west / US 218 north / US 151 Business north (Williams Boulevard SW) – Cedar Rapids, Tama	Southern end of US 30 and US 218 overlaps
		25.845	41.593	250	Edgewood Road SW
		28.029	45.108	252A	6th Street SW
		28.362	45.644	252B-C	I-380 / US 218 south / Iowa 27 – Cedar Rapids, Iowa City	Northern end of US 218 overlap; signed as exits 252B (southbound) and 252C (northbound)
		29.039	46.734	253	Bowling Street SW, Kirkwood Boulevard SW
		30.036	48.338	254	CR W6E (C Street SW) – Ely
	Bertram Township	34.957	56.258	259	US 30 east / Iowa 13 begins – Mount Vernon	Northern end of US 30 overlap; southern end of Iowa 13 overlap
	Marion	41.579	66.915		Iowa 100 west / CR E45 – Marion
		42.671	68.672		US 151 Business south / Iowa 13 north – Marion, Central City	Northern end of Iowa 13 overlap
Jones	Fairview	54.206	87.236	49	Iowa 1 south / CR E34 – Martelle, Mount Vernon
	Anamosa	59.272	95.389	54	Iowa 64 east / CR E28 – Anamosa	Access to Jones Regional Medical Center
	Monticello	67.999	109.434	63	US 151 Business / CR X44 – Monticello	US 151 Business only signed northbound
		70.203	112.981	65	Iowa 38 – Monticello, Hopkinton
	Lovell Township	72.124	116.072		US 151 Business – Monticello	US 151 Business only signed southbound
	Richland Township	79.278	127.586		US 151 Business – Cascade	US 151 Business only signed northbound
Dubuque	Cascade	80.250	129.150	75	Iowa 136 – Cascade, Dyersville
		81.790	131.628	77	US 151 Business – Cascade, Farley	US 151 Business only signed southbound
	Table Mound Township	99.545	160.202	—	US 61 south – Maquoketa	Southern end of US 61 overlap
	Dubuque	102.639	165.181		US 52 south – Bellevue	Southern end of US 52 overlap
		103.794	167.040	—	Grandview Avenue
		104.343	167.924	—	To US 20 (Locust Street)	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
		105.275	169.424	—	To US 20 (via Locust Street)
		105.543	169.855	—	White Street, Port of Dubuque	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
		105.961	170.528	—	US 52 north / Iowa 3 west (9th Street, 11th Street)	Northern end of US 52 overlap
		106.713	171.738	—	Kerper Boulevard	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
		106.925	172.079	—	Greyhound Park Road	Northbound entrance and southbound exit only
Mississippi River		107.661 0	173.264 0	Dubuque–Wisconsin Bridge; Iowa–Wisconsin state line
Grant	Town of Jamestown			1	WIS 11 west / WIS 35 south – Janesville, East Dubuque	Southern end of WIS 35 overlap
				2	Badger Road, Eagle Point Road	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
				3	Badger Road, Eagle Point Road	Southbound exit and northbound entrance only; Old U.S. 151
	Kieler			5	CTH-HHH to CTH-H – Kieler, Louisburg
					CTH-H to CTH-HHH – Kieler, Louisburg
	Dickeyville			8	US 61 north / WIS 35 north / Great River Road north / CTH-HH – Dickeyville, Lancaster	Northern end of US 61 and WIS 35 overlaps
	Town of Platteville			18	Bus. US 151 / CTH-D – Platteville	US 151 Business only signed northbound; exit for UW-Platteville
	Platteville			19	WIS 80 / WIS 81 – Platteville, Darlington, Lancaster
				21	Bus. US 151 / CTH-XX – Platteville	US 151 Business only signed southbound
Lafayette	Belmont			26	WIS 126 south / CTH-G – Belmont, Rewey
Iowa	Town of Mineral Point			37	Bus. US 151 / CTH-O – Mineral Point	US 151 Business only signed northbound
	Mineral Point			40	Bus. US 151 south to WIS 23 / WIS 39 – Mineral Point, Darlington, Hollandale	US 151 Business only signed southbound; Southern end of WIS 23 overlap
	Town of Dodgeville			44	WIS 23 north – Dodgeville, Spring Green, Wisconsin Dells	Northern end of WIS 23 overlap
				47	US 18 west – Dodgeville, Prairie du Chien	Southern end of US 18 overlap
	Barneveld			58	CTH-ID west – Blue Mounds, Arena
Dane	Town of Blue Mounds			65	Bus. US 18 / Bus. US 151 / WIS 78 – Mount Horeb, Blanchardville	US 18 Business / US 151 Business only signed northbound
	Mount Horeb			69	Bus. US 18 / Bus. US 151 / CTH-ID – Mount Horeb	US 18 Business / US 151 Business only signed southbound
	Town of Springdale			70	CTH-PD to CTH-P – Cross Plains
	Town of Verona			75	CTH-G (Dairy Ridge Road) – Mount Vernon
	Verona			76	Bus. US 18 / Bus. US 151 / CTH-MV (W. Verona Avenue) / Epic Lane	US 18 Business / US 151 Business only signed northbound
				77	WIS 69 – Belleville, Monroe
				79	CTH-PB to CTH-M – Paoli, Oregon
	Town of Verona			81	Bus. US 18 (E. Verona Avenue) / Bus. US 151 / CTH-MV – Verona	Southbound exit and northbound entrance only
	Madison			258	US 12 west / US 14 west – Baraboo, La Crosse	Southern end of US 12 / US 14 overlap
				258A	Seminole Highway	Southbound exit and northbound entrance only
				259	Todd Drive
				260	CTH-D (Fish Hatchery Road) – Fitchburg	Signed as exits 260A (southbound) and 260B (northbound)
				261	US 12 east / US 14 east / US 18 east	Northern end of US 12 / US 14 / US 18 overlaps
					WIS 113 north (First Street)
					WIS 30
					US 51 (Stoughton Road)
				97	I-39 / I-90 / I-94	Signed as exits 97A (southbound) and 97B (northbound)
				98A	Nelson Road	Exits combined southbound
				98B	American Parkway
	Sun Prairie			100	CTH-C (Reiner Road)
				101	Bus. US 151 (Main Street)	US 151 Business only signed northbound
				102	WIS 19 (Windsor Street) – Waunakee
				103	Bus. US 151 (Bristol Street) / CTH-N	US 151 Business only signed southbound
	Town of Bristol			108	CTH-VV – East Bristol
	Town of York			111	CTH-V – East Bristol
Columbia	Town of Columbus			115	Bus. US 151 / WIS 73 – Columbus, Marshall	US 151 Business only signed northbound
	Columbus			118	WIS 16 / WIS 60 – Columbus, Portage, Fall River
Dodge	Town of Elba			120	Bus. US 151 / WIS 73 – Columbus, Randolph	US 151 Business only signed southbound
	Beaver Dam			129	Bus. US 151 / CTH-D – Beaver Dam	Left exit; US 151 Business Now complete as of 2013.
				130	CTH-G – Lowell, Beaver Dam
				132	WIS 33 – Beaver Dam, Horicon
				134	Industrial Drive	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
				135	Bus. US 151 / CTH-B – Beaver Dam, Burnett
				136	CTH-A – Fox Lake
	Town of Chester			142	Bus. US 151 / CTH-M – Waupun	Northbound exit and southbound entrance only
				144	WIS 26 – Waupun, Watertown
Dodge–Fond du Lac county line	Waupun			146	WIS 49 – Waupun, Brownsville
Fond du Lac	Town of Waupun			147	Bus. US 151 / WIS 26 south – Waupun	Southern end of WIS 26 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance only
				148	WIS 26 north – Rosendale, Oshkosh	Northern end of WIS 26 overlap
	Town of Fond du Lac			—	CTH-D (Military Road) – Oakfield
	Fond du Lac			—	CTH-VVV (Hickory Street)	County VVV unsigned on exit ramps or exit signs
				—	WIS 175 south (Main Street)
				—	I-41 / US 41
	Town of Fond du Lac			—	US 45 (Fond du Lac Avenue)
	Fond du Lac			—	WIS 23 (Johnson Street)
Calumet	Town of Stockbridge				WIS 55 north
	Chilton				WIS 32 north / WIS 57 north (Madison Street)	Southern end of WIS 32 / WIS 57 overlap
					WIS 32 south / WIS 57 south (E. Chestnut Street)	Northern end of WIS 32 / WIS 57 overlap
Manitowoc	Town of Eaton				WIS 67 south
	Manitowoc				WIS 42 south	Southern end of WIS 42 overlap
					I-43 / WIS 42 north	Northern end of WIS 42 overlap
					US 10 (10th Street, 8th Street)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

Related routes

• U.S. Highway 51

References

External links

Route map: Bing / Google

• Media related to U.S. Route 151 at Wikimedia Commons