South Dakota Highway 15

Infobox road
state=SD
marker_

highway_name=Highway 15
length_mi=78
established=1926 (approx.)
direction_a=South
starting_terminus= West of Toronto
direction_b=North
ending_terminus= west of Wilmot
cities=Clear Lake, Milbank, Wilmot
previous_type=US
previous_route=14A
next_type=SD
next_route=15A

South Dakota Highway 15 is a state route that largely runs north to south across northeastern South Dakota. The northern terminus is at the junction with Interstate 29 west of Wilmot (exit 213) and the southern terminus is at I-29 west of Toronto (exit 150). It is 78 miles (129 kilometers) in length.

History

South Dakota 15, when designated in the mid 1920's, ran north to south across the entire state, on the road known as the King of Trails. The extension of U.S. Highway 77 in 1930 largely replaced the numbering of SD 15, from Milbank to Sioux City. The northern portion of the route, from U.S. Highway 12 to the North Dakota border north of Claire City, remained in place.

In the early 1950's, changes were made to the southern end. SD 15 was rerouted so the south end was at Milbank; it then went north to Hartford Beach, then west through Wilmot to U.S. Highway 81, before heading north again. The old alignment from Wilmot to U.S. 12 was designated at South Dakota Highway 15A.

In 1976, the segment of SD 15 from the North Dakota border to Claire City was made part of a realigned South Dakota Highway 25, and the segment from Claire City to U.S. 81 near Claire City was designated as South Dakota Highway 106. At that point, the northern terminus was located at U.S. 81 west of Wilmot.

After U.S. 77 was deleted in the early 1980's, SD 15 was extended south along the former's alignment from Milbank, to the present end at I-29 west of Toronto. One little known fact is that highway 77 starts in Milbank, South Dakota and ends in downtown Dallas, Texas. It ends at the railroad overpass where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

List of Counties

Present day South Dakota 15 is contained within Grant and Deuel Counties.

Legal Definition

The route of SD 15 is defined in South Dakota Codified Laws § 31-4-137. [http://legis.state.sd.us/statutes/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=31-4-137]

External resources

* [http://www.northernplainshighways.org/sdakota/sd1-30.html#SD-15 South Dakota Highways Page: Highways 1-30]