U.S. Route 151
U.S. Highway 151 (US 151) is a United States Numbered Highway that runs through the states of Iowa and Wisconsin. The southern terminus for US 151 is at a junction with Interstate 80 (I-80) in Iowa County, Iowa, and its northern terminus is at Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The route, from south to north follows a northeasterly path through the two states.
U.S. Highway 151 | |||||||||
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US 151 highlighted in red | |||||||||
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 | ||||||||
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North end | US 10 in Manitowoc, Wis. | ||||||||
Location | |||||||||
States | |||||||||
Counties | |||||||||
Highway system | |||||||||
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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. Five miles (8.0 km) south of Dubuque, US 61/US 151 joins with US 52 and shares a route with US 52 until it veers south in Key West.
In Wisconsin, US 61/US 151 joins with Wisconsin Highway 35 (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/WIS 35 continues north. US 151 later joins with US 18 near Dodgeville. The two highways share a route all the way to Madison.
Route description
Iowa
US 151 starts at an intersection with I-80 in an isolated part of Iowa near both Williamsburg and Conroy. It then continues through the area around the Amana Colonies,[2] 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 Business US 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.[3] US 52 briefly joins the two routes, concurrently, for two miles south of Dubuque. The combined road then heads into the state of Wisconsin.[4]
Dubuque to Madison
US 61/US 151 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 County Trunk Highway HHH (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 ridge top on the other side of the valley.[5] 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 six miles (9.7 km) to the east. The last of the interchanges is 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[6] and another two while passing the city.[7]
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/US 151 heads eastbound past that interchange.[7]
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 an interchange and a surface intersection with a short business route on CTH-HHH. The interchange was previously an intersection; 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. The new interchange on the western end of town opened in late 2018. 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 Avenue) 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 continues into Fitchburg and provides access to two interchanges at CTH-PD (McKee Road) and Williamsburg Way. The freeway then ends. The road continues as an urban multilane highway known as Verona Road as it enters Madison. Verona Road passes through a residential and commercial 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.[7]
Madison metropolitan area
The four US Highways run concurrently for about three miles (4.8 km) to Park Street.[8] 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 Avenue for about 1,500 feet (460 m) 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 western terminus of WIS 30 meets US 151 about three miles (4.8 km) northeast of the South Blair Street turn.[9] and US 51 crosses US 151 one mile (1.6 km) further northeast.[7]
Madison to Fond du Lac
At a cloverleaf interchange with I-39/I-90/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 northeastern 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, bypassing 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/US& 41 and WIS 23.[7] 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.[10] The second study is examining freeway upgrades to the route from WIS 73 in Columbus to WIS 49 in Waupun.[11]
Fond du Lac to 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 concurrently 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 car ferry dock.[7]
History
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
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 US 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
State | County | Location | mi[12] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Iowa | 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 | ||||
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 | |||
184 | US 52 north – Peosta, Waterloo | Southern end of US 52 overlap | ||||||
Dubuque | 102.639 | 165.181 | — | US 52 south – Bellevue | Northern 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 | — | 9th Street / 11th Street | |||||
106.713 | 171.738 | — | Kerper Boulevard / Eagle Point District | Northbound exit and southbound entrance only | ||||
106.925 | 172.079 | — | Kerper Boulevard / Eagle Point District | Northbound entrance and southbound exit only | ||||
Mississippi River | 107.661 0 | 173.264 0.0 | Dubuque–Wisconsin Bridge; Iowa–Wisconsin state line | |||||
Wisconsin | Grant | Town of Jamestown | 1 | WIS 11 west / WIS 35 south / Great River Road 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 | ||||||
Town of Ridgeway | 52 | CTH-BB south (Ridgevue Road) / CTH-HHH – Ridgeway | ||||||
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 / Alt. US 151 / Alt. US 18 – Paoli, Oregon | Alternate US 151 / Alternate US 18 only signed northbound | ||||||
Town of Verona | 81 | Bus. US 18 (E. Verona Avenue) / Bus. US 151 / CTH-MV – Verona | Southbound exit and northbound entrance only | |||||
Fitchburg | 83A | CTH-PD (McKee Road) | ||||||
83B | Williamsburg Way | |||||||
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 / Alt. US 151 / Alt. US 18 | Northern end of US 12 / US 14 / US 18 overlaps; Alternate US 151 / Alternate US 18 only signed southbound | ||||||
WIS 113 north (First Street) | ||||||||
WIS 30 | ||||||||
US 51 (Stoughton Road) | ||||||||
97 | I-39 / I-90 / I-94 – Milwaukee, Chicago, Wisconsin Dells | 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, Marshall | |||||||
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, Juneau, 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 | 160 | CTH-D (Military Road) – Oakfield | ||||||
Fond du Lac | 161 | CTH-VVV (Hickory Street) | County VVV unsigned on exit ramps or exit signs | |||||
— | WIS 175 south (Main Street) | |||||||
— | I-41 / US 41 / US 45 north – Oshkosh, Green Bay, Milwaukee | Southern end of US 45 overlap | ||||||
Town of Fond du Lac | 164 | US 45 south (Fond du Lac Avenue) / CTH-V – Eden | Northern end of US 45 overlap | |||||
Fond du Lac | 168 | WIS 23 (Johnson Street) – Sheboygan | ||||||
Calumet | Town of Stockbridge | WIS 55 north – Sherwood, Kaukauna | ||||||
Chilton | WIS 32 north / WIS 57 north (Madison Street) – Green Bay | Southern end of WIS 32 / WIS 57 overlap | ||||||
WIS 32 south / WIS 57 south (E. Chestnut Street) – Milwaukee | Northern end of WIS 32 / WIS 57 overlap | |||||||
Manitowoc | Town of Eaton | WIS 67 south – Kiel | ||||||
Manitowoc | WIS 42 south – Howards Grove, Osman | Southern end of WIS 42 overlap | ||||||
I-43 / WIS 42 north / LMCT – Green Bay, Milwaukee | Northern end of WIS 42 overlap | |||||||
US 10 (10th Street, 8th Street) / LMCT | ||||||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Related routes
See also
- U.S. Roads portal
References
- American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (December 2009). "U.S. Route Number Database". American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
- Amana Colonies Convention & Visitors Bureau (2008). "How to Find Us". Amana Colonies Convention & Visitors Bureau. Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved October 21, 2008.
- Dubuque Regional Airport (2000). "Frequently Asked Questions". Dubuque Regional Airport. Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved October 21, 2008.
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation Office of Public Affairs (August 16, 2010). "Exit Numbers on US 151". Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on March 2, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- Google (January 26, 2009). "River Valley northeast of Dickeyville, WI" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
- Google (January 26, 2009). "Mineral Point, WI Valleys section 1" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
- Google (January 26, 2009). "Mineral Point, WI Valleys section 2" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
- Google (January 26, 2009). "Madison Beltline" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 26, 2009.
- Google (February 9, 2009). "Madison: US 30 Terminus from Downtown" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation Northeast Region (October 15, 2008). "US 151 Fond du Lac Bypass Corridor Preservation Study". Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on March 18, 2009. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation Southwest Region (May 27, 2014). "US 151 Freeway Conversion Study Columbus–Waupun, Dodge County". Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 22, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- 2009 Volume of Traffic on the Primary Road System of Iowa (PDF) (Report). Iowa Department of Transportation. January 1, 2009. Retrieved November 26, 2010.