# U.S. Route 51 in Wisconsin

U.S. Highway 51 (US 51) in the U.S. state of Wisconsin runs north–south through the central part of the state. It enters from Illinois at Beloit, and runs north to its northern terminus in Hurley at a roundabout junction with US 2. Some of the route of US 51 runs concurrently with Interstate 39 (I-39).

## Route description
### Beloit to Stevens Point

US 51 enters Wisconsin in Beloit on Broad Street as a four-lane divided highway but immediately merges into a two-lane urban road. The route turns right onto Pleasant Street and begins running along the Rock River. The road passes Beloit College and crosses Wisconsin Highway 81 (WIS 81) before leaving Beloit and going toward Janesville. Along the way, it goes under the Wisconsin and Southern railroad and turns away from the river and passes Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport. US 51 becomes a four-lane undivided highway as it crosses WIS 11.
As US 51 enters Janesville, it crosses the Rock River and runs on Center Street. The road turns northeast, running parallel to the WSOR railroad before crossing the river again and turning onto North Parker Drive. US 51 passes under the railroad and temporarily becomes a four-lane divided highway as it parallels the Rock River again. US 51 leaves Janesville as a two-lane road and crosses US 14 as it makes its way to Edgerton. Along the way it crosses the Rock River. US 51 passes through Edgerton. A few miles north of Edgerton, joins with I-39/I-90 for about five miles (8.0 km) before splitting off and heading west to Stoughton. In Stoughton, US 51 turns north and passes Lake Kegonsa and goes through McFarland, where it becomes an expressway. The expressway enters Madison and crosses the Beltline (US 12/US 18) and continues through the east side of Madison as a side route, known locally as Stoughton Road, paralleling to the west of I-39/I-90. The expressway crosses WIS 30 and US 151, where it downgrades to an urban four-lane road. Between WIS 30 and US 151, the highway is crossed by a railroad track at the surface. US 51 passes Madison Area Technical College and Dane County Regional Airport before going under the Interstate.
North of Madison, US 51 parallels the Interstate on the east side passing through De Forest, Leeds, North Leeds, Poynette and Portage. In North Leeds, US 51 intersects WIS 22 and WIS 60 at a roundabout; US 51 heads west a bit with WIS 60 before splitting back north toward Poynette. The route joins I-39 north of Portage. There is a short concurrency with WIS 23 from Endeavor to WIS 82 near Oxford. US 51 stays joined with I-39 until the Interstate ends at WIS 29. Along the way, the route bypasses the small communities of Endeavor, Packwaukee, Westfield, Coloma, Hancock, Plainfield, Plover, and Whiting prior to arriving at Stevens Point. In Stevens Point, the route runs concurrently with US 10.

### Stevens Point to Merrill

Proceeding north from Stevens Point, the highway bypasses Knowlton, Mosinee, and Rothschild where I-39 terminates at the WIS 29 east interchange. Along the way, US 10 turns to go west toward Minneapolis. US 51 continues on with WIS 29 for five miles (8.0 km) bypassing Schofield, then proceeding into Wausau where WIS 29 splits to the west.
After Wausau, US 51 continues as a freeway to Merrill. Along the way, it passes Brokaw. For much of this stretch, the highway follows the Wisconsin River. The highway passes an exit with County Trunk Highway Q (CTH-Q) just before crossing the Wisconsin River. It then passes Merrill, with exits at WIS 64 and CTH-K.

### Merrill to Hurley

A few miles north of Merrill, the freeway downgrades to an expressway for nine miles (14 km). Within the expressway exists six grade intersections at Lincoln Drive, CTH-K (Nelson Avenue), CTH-J, CTH-V, a private road, Tamarack Lane; as well as several private driveways. The highway resumes as a freeway and passes three Tomahawk exits, CTH-S. WIS 86/CTH-D, and CTH-A. Between WIS 86 and CTH-A, the highway crosses the Wisconsin River. Just before the freeway ends again it passes an exit with US 8.
Just after the US 8 exit, at the Oneida County line, the freeway ends again and merges into a two-lane rural road. The highway passes through Hazelhurst and becomes a four-lane undivided highway. The highway then passes through Minocqua and Woodruff. WIS 70 runs concurrently with US 51 for a few miles in Woodruff. For much of this stretch the highway runs parallel to the old Milwaukee Road right-of-way, now the Bear Skin State Trail.
North of Woodruff, the highway becomes a two-lane road again. North of Woodruff, the highway turns northwest and passes through Manitowish Waters, and Mercer. Shortly after Mercer, the highway turns to go straight north and goes through Hurley. Just after Hurley, US 51 ends at a roundabout with US 2 just a couple hundred feet west of the Michigan border.

## History

Prior to 1926, what is now US 51 was State Trunk Highway 10.
US 51 was widened to a full freeway over a period of 25 years from Merrill to Portage. The freeway continues around Portage to the west as I-39 (originally 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 widened to an expressway up to CTH-S. In addition, a super-two freeway from CTH-S to US 8 was widened to a four-lane freeway. In 2009 the grade intersection of Star Drive north of Merrill was removed, shortening the 11-mile expressway to nine miles.
The Wisconsin segment of US 51 is designated as the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway.

## Exit list

| County | Location | mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
| Rock | Beloit | 0.00 | 0.00 | | US 51 south – South Beloit, Rockford | Continuation into Illinois |
| Rock | Beloit | 1.49– 1.50 | 2.40– 2.41 | | WIS 81 to I-39 / I-90 | |
| Rock | Town of Rock | 10.69– 10.70 | 17.20– 17.22 | | WIS 11 – Brodhead, Monroe, Delavan | |
| Rock | Janesville | 14.36 | 23.11 | | WIS 26 north (Centerway Street) | Southern terminus of WIS 26 |
| Rock | Janesville | 13.39 | 21.55 | | Bus. US 14 east | Southern end of Bus. US 14 concurrency |
| Rock | Janesville | 13.75 | 22.13 | | Bus. US 14 west | Northern end of Bus. US 14 concurrency |
| Rock | Town of Janesville | 17.49 | 28.15 | | US 14 / Alt. I-39 south / Alt. I-90 east – Evansville, Chicago | Southern end of Alt. I-39/Alt. I-90 concurrency |
| Rock | Edgerton | 25.39 | 40.86 | | WIS 59 – Evansville, Milton | |
| Dane | Town of Albion | 28.20– 28.61 | 45.38– 46.04 | | I-39 south / I-90 east – Chicago WIS 73 north / Alt. I-39 north / Alt. I-90 west – Deerfield | Northern end of Alt. I-39/Alt. I-90 concurrency; southern end of I-39/I-90 concurrency |
| Dane | Town of Albion | 32.07 | 51.61 | | I-39 north / I-90 west – Madison | Northern end of I-39/I-90 concurrency |
| Dane | Stoughton | 39.86 | 64.15 | | WIS 138 south – Cooksville | Southern end of WIS 138 concurrency |
| Dane | Town of Dunkirk | 40.83 | 65.71 | | WIS 138 north – Oregon | Northern end of WIS 138 concurrency |
| Dane | McFarland | 49.67 | 79.94 | | Siggelkow Road | Interchange |
| Dane | Madison | 51.22– 51.23 | 82.43– 82.45 | | US 12 / US 18 / Alt. I-39 south / Alt. I-90 east | Southern end of Alt. I-39/Alt. I-90 concurrency; US 12 exit 266 |
| Dane | Town of Blooming Grove | 53.75 | 86.50 | | CTH-BB (Cottage Grove Road) | Interchange |
| Dane | Town of Blooming Grove | 54.93 | 88.40 | | Milwaukee Street / Corporate Drive | Interchange; Corporate Dr. not signed northbound |
| Dane | Town of Blooming Grove | 55.40 | 89.16 | | WIS 30 east / Alt. I-94 east WIS 30 west (Aberg Avenue) | Southern end of Alt. I-94 concurrency; WIS 30 exit 1C |
| Dane | Madison | 56.28– 56.29 | 90.57– 90.59 | | US 151 (Washington Avenue) | |
| Dane | Town of Burke | 60.61– 60.63 | 97.54– 97.57 | | I-39 / I-90 / I-94 – Janesville, Wisconsin Dells | I-90 exit 132 |
| Dane | Town of Burke | 61.70– 61.74 | 99.30– 99.36 | 61 | WIS 19 – Sun Prairie, Waunakee | South end of freeway |
| Dane | Town of Windsor | 63.25 | 101.79 | 63 | Windsor Road | Dumbbell interchange |
| Dane | DeForest | | | 65 | CTH-V – DeForest | North end of freeway |
| Columbia | Town of Leeds | 71.10 | 114.42 | | WIS 22 north – Wyocena, Pardeeville | Southern terminus of WIS 22 |
| Columbia | Town of Leeds | 71.54 | 115.13 | | WIS 60 east – Columbus | Eastern end of WIS 60 concurrency |
| Columbia | Town of Arlington | 73.48 | 118.25 | | WIS 60 west – Arlington, Lodi | Western end of WIS 60 concurrency |
| Columbia | Town of Dekorra | 84.76– 84.84 | 136.41– 136.54 | | WIS 16 east – Columbus | Southern end of WIS 16 concurrency |
| Columbia | Portage | 88.98 | 143.20 | | WIS 16 west (Wisconsin Street) / Alt. I-39 north / Alt. I-90 west / Alt. I-94 west – Wisconsin Dells | Northern end of WIS 16/Alt. I-39/Alt. I-90/Alt. I-94 concurrency |
| Columbia | Portage | 89.10 | 143.39 | | WIS 33 (Cook Street) – Baraboo, Fox Lake | |
| Columbia | Town of Fort Winnebago | 91.94 | 147.96 | | I-39 south – Madison | Southern end of I-39 concurrency; I-39 exit 92 |
| Marquette | Town of Moundville | 100.38 | 161.55 | 100 | WIS 23 west / CTH-P – Wisconsin Dells, Endeavor | South end of freeway section; southern end of WIS 23 overlap |
| Marquette | Town of Oxford | 104.56 | 168.27 | 104 | CTH-D – Packwaukee | Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Marquette | Town of Oxford | 106.72 | 171.75 | 106 | WIS 23 east / WIS 82 west – Oxford, Montello | Northern end of WIS 23 overlap |
| Marquette | Westfield | 113.27 | 182.29 | 113 | CTH-E / CTH-J – Westfield | |
| Waushara | Coloma | 124.24 | 199.94 | 124 | WIS 21 – Coloma, Necedah | |
| Waushara | Town of Hancock | 131.30 | 211.31 | 131 | CTH-V – Hancock | |
| Waushara | Town of Plainfield | 136.85 | 220.24 | 136 | WIS 73 – Plainfield, Wisconsin Rapids | |
| Portage | Town of Pine Grove | 140.02 | 225.34 | 139 | CTH-D – Almond | |
| Portage | Town of Pine Grove | 143.51 | 230.96 | 143 | CTH-W – Bancroft, Wisconsin Rapids | |
| Portage | Town of Plover | 150.85 | 242.77 | 151 | WIS 54 (Post Road) / Bus. US 51 – Wisconsin Rapids, Plover, Waupaca | Southern terminus of Bus. US 51 |
| Portage | Village of Plover | 153.45 | 246.95 | 153 | CTH-B (Plover Road) – Wisconsin Rapids, Plover, Amherst | |
| Portage | Village of Plover | 156.48 | 251.83 | 156 | CTH-HH (McDill Avenue) – Whiting, Stevens Point | |
| Portage | Stevens Point | 158.66 | 255.34 | 158 | US 10 east – Stevens Point, Waupaca, Appleton | Signed as exits 158A (east) and 158B (west) northbound; south end of US 10 overlap |
| Portage | Town of Hull | 159.84 | 257.24 | 159 | WIS 66 – Stevens Point, Rosholt | |
| Portage | Stevens Point | 161.71 | 260.25 | 161 | Bus. US 51 – Stevens Point | Northern terminus of Bus. US 51 |
| Portage | Town of Hull | 163.58 | 263.26 | 163 | Casimir Road | |
| Portage | Town of Hull | 165.70 | 266.67 | 165 | US 10 west – Marshfield | North end of US 10 overlap |
| Portage | Town of Dewey | 171.34 | 275.75 | 171 | CTH-DB – Knowlton, Lake DuBay | |
| Marathon | Town of Knowlton | 175.79 | 282.91 | 175 | WIS 34 – Knowlton, Wisconsin Rapids | |
| Marathon | Mosinee | 179.52 | 288.91 | 179 | WIS 153 – Mosinee, Elderon | |
| Marathon | Town of Kronenwetter | 181.34 | 291.84 | 181 | Maple Ridge Road | |
| Marathon | Rothschild | 185.47 | 298.49 | 185 | Bus. US 51 – Rothschild, Wausau, Schofield | Southern terminus of Bus. US 51 |
| Marathon | Town of Rib Mountain | 188.09 | 302.70 | 187 | WIS 29 east – Weston, Green Bay I-39 ends | Northern terminus of I-39; northern end of I-39 concurrency |
| Marathon | Town of Rib Mountain | 189.03 | 304.21 | 188 | CTH-N (Rib Mountain Drive) | |
| Marathon | Town of Rib Mountain | 190.64 | 306.81 | 190 | CTH-NN (North Mountain Road) | |
| Marathon | Stettin–Wausau line | 191.95– 192.49 | 308.91– 309.78 | 191A | WIS 29 west – Abbotsford, Chippewa Falls | Northern end of WIS 29 concurrency |
| Marathon | Stettin–Wausau line | 191.95– 192.49 | 308.91– 309.78 | 191B | Sherman Street | Northbound exit and southbound entrance only |
| Marathon | Stettin–Wausau line | 192.60 | 309.96 | 192 | WIS 52 (Stewart Avenue) | |
| Marathon | Wausau | 193.40 | 311.25 | 193 | Bridge Street | |
| Marathon | Wausau–Maine line | 194.52– 194.73 | 313.05– 313.39 | 194 | CTH-K / CTH-U (Merrill Avenue) / Bus. US 51 – Wausau | Signed as exits 194A (CTH-U/Merrill Ave.) and 194B (Bus. US 51/CTH-K) northbound; CTH-U (Merrill Ave.) signed northbound only; northern terminus of Bus. US 51 |
| Marathon | Maine | 196.43 | 316.12 | 197 | CTH-WW – Brokaw | |
| Lincoln | Town of Scott | 205.19 | 330.22 | 205 | CTH-Q – Merrill | |
| Lincoln | Town of Pine River | 208.39– 208.43 | 335.37– 335.44 | 208 | WIS 64 / WIS 17 – Merrill, Antigo | |
| Lincoln | Town of Bradley | 211.13 | 339.78 | 211 | CTH-K – Merrill | |
| Lincoln | Town of Bradley | 214.96 | 345.94 | | Lincoln Drive | At-grade intersection; north end of freeway |
| Lincoln | Town of Bradley | 225.99 | 363.70 | 225 | CTH-S – Tomahawk | South end of freeway |
| Lincoln | Town of Bradley | 229.86 | 369.92 | 229 | WIS 86 / CTH-D – Tomahawk | |
| Lincoln | Town of Bradley | 231.65 | 372.80 | 231 | CTH-A – Tomahawk | |
| Lincoln | Town of King | 234.22 | 376.94 | 234 | US 8 – Prentice, Rhinelander | North end of freeway |
| Oneida | Town of Minocqua | 260.71 | 419.57 | | WIS 70 west – Fifield | Southern end of WIS 70 concurrency |
| Oneida | Town of Woodruff | 261.39 | 420.67 | | WIS 47 – Lac du Flambeau, Rhinelander | |
| Vilas | Town of Arbor Vitae | 263.09 | 423.40 | | WIS 70 east – Eagle River | Northern end of WIS 70 concurrency |
| Iron | Town of Mercer | 288.96 | 465.04 | | WIS 47 south / WIS 182 west – Lac du Flambeau, Park Falls | Northern terminus of WIS 47; eastern terminus of WIS 182 |
| Iron | Hurley | 315.07 | 507.06 | | WIS 77 west (Silver Street) – Montreal, Mellen | Eastern terminus of WIS 77 |
| Iron | Town of Kimball | 316.44– 316.59 | 509.26– 509.50 | | US 2 / LSCT – Ashland, Superior, Ironwood | Roundabout; former interchange; northern terminus |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access |||||||