Wisconsin Highway 26

Infobox road
state=WI
type=WI
route=26
length_mi=98.15
length_ref=cite web | last = Bessert | first = Chris | title =Wisconsin Highways: Highways 20-29 (Highway 26) | work =Wisconsin Highways | url =http://www.wisconsinhighways.org/listings/WiscHwys20-29.html#STH-026 | accessdate = 2007-03-20]
length_round=2
direction_a=South
direction_b=North
starting_terminus=jct|state=WI|US|51 in Janesville
junction=jct|state=WI|I|39|I|90 near Janesville
jct|state=WI|I|94 in Johnson Creek
jct|state=WI|US|151 in Waupun
ending_terminus=jct|state=WI|US|41 near Oshkosh
previous_type=WI
previous_route=25
next_type=WI
next_route=27
commons=category

State Trunk Highway 26 (often called Highway 26, STH 26 or WIS 26) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The route is generally two-lane with the exception of a few urban multi-lane arterials. WIS 26 provides direct access from Janesville and Oshkosh to Waupun, Watertown and Fort Atkinson.

Route description

WIS 26 begins in downtown Janesville, Rock County at US 51 (North Parker Drive), and follows East Centerway Street, to turn northeast on Milton Ave.cite map|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Janesville,+WI,+United+States+of+America&ie=UTF8&ll=42.684044,-89.020672&spn=0.020474,0.040169&z=15&om=1 | title=Janesville, WI, United States of America - Google Maps | publisher=Google | cartography=NAVTEQ | accessdate=2008-01-10] WIS 26 crosses US 14 and I-39 / I-90 on the northeast side of the city. WIS 26 then passes through Milton at about five miles northeast of the Interstates. WIS 59 crosses WIS 26 in Milton. WIS 26 crosses over to Jefferson County about five miles north of Milton.cite map|url=http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/maps/docs/counties/rock.pdf | format=pdf | title=Rock Co | publisher=Wisconsin Department of Transportation | accessdate=2008-01-15] the highway turns northeast at the county line and approaches Fort Atkinson, but turns northwestard prior to entering the city, and bypasses it to the west along a two-lane road with interchanges. direct access is provided to WIS 106 and US 12. WIS 89 crosses the route, but no direct access is provided. WIS 26 then continues north for four miles into Jefferson, where it crosses US 18. The highway passes through Johnson Creek at the interchange with I-94. After crossing WIS 19 in Watertown, the highway crosses into Dodge Countycite map|url=http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/maps/docs/counties/jefferson.pdf | format=pdf | title=Jefferson Co | publisher=Wisconsin Department of Transportation | accessdate=2008-01-15]

On the Dodge County side of Watertown, WIS 26 joins WIS 16 west. The concurrency continues for eight miles to Clyman where WIS 16 turns westward onto WIS 60 west, and WIS 60 East joins WIS 26 for one mile before turning eastward. WIS 26 passes through Juneau then crosses WIS 33 three miles north of Juneau. After eleven more miles, WIS 26 crosses US 151 and passes through Waupun. WIS 26 joins US 151 crosses into Fond du Lac County at its junction with WIS 49 in Waupun.cite map|url=http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/maps/docs/counties/dodge.pdf | format=pdf | title=Dodge Co | publisher=Wisconsin Department of Transportation | accessdate=2008-01-15] . WIS 26 joins US 151 for one mile then turns north off the US route. After ten miles, the highway crosses WIS 23 in Rosendale. The highway then angles northeastward over the remaining seven miles before entering Winnebago Countycite map|url=http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/maps/docs/counties/fonddulac.pdf | format=pdf | title=Fond du Lac Co | publisher=Wisconsin Department of Transportation | accessdate=2008-01-15] Four more miles into the county the route terminates at its interchange with US 41, about two miles south of the Wittman Regional Airport, site of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.cite map|url=http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/maps/docs/counties/winnebago.pdf | format=pdf | title=Winnebago Co | publisher=Wisconsin Department of Transportation | accessdate=2008-01-15]

History

The original 1917 alignment of WIS 26 mostly followed the current alignment south of Juneau, but the segment north of Juneau was directed towards Theresa. 1921 saw WIS 26 extended via Kewaskum and Waldo to end at Sheboygan - via present-day south of Janesville. 1934 saw the debut of US 45, which replaced WIS 26 from Oshkosh northward. The route was truncated on the southern end to end at Janesville in the late 1940s.

One bypass was constructed for WIS 26 - around Fort Atkinson to the west - in the 1990s. Milton, Jefferson, and Watertown have also plans and designs initiated for bypasses.

Major intersections

Jctint
state=WI
county=Rock
cspan=4
location=Janesville
lspan=3
type=
road=jct|state=WI|US|51
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=
lspan=
type=
road=jct|state=WI|US|14
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=
lspan=
type=
road=jct|state=WI|I|39|I|90
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=Milton
lspan=1
type=
road=jct|state=WI|WI|59
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=Jefferson
cspan=8
location=Fort Atkinson
lspan=5
type=
road=Jefferson Ave
notes=IntechangeJctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=
lspan=
type=
road=jct|state=WI|WI|106
notes=InterchangeJctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=
lspan=
type=
road=jct|state=WI|US|12
notes=InterchangeJctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=
lspan=
type=noaccess
road=jct|state=WI|WI|89
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=
lspan=
type=
road=North High Street
notes=InterchangeJctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=Jefferson
lspan=1
type=
road=jct|state=WI|US|18
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=Johnson Creek
lspan=1
type=
road=jct|state=WI|I|94
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=Watertown
lspan=2
type=
road=jct|state=WI|WI|19
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=Dodge
cspan=6
location=
lspan=
type=mplex
road=jct|state=WI|WI|16|dir1=East
notes=WIS 16 West follow WIS 26 NorthJctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=Clyman
lspan=2
type=mplex
road=jct|state=WI|WI|16|WI|60|dir1=West|dir2=West
notes=WIS 16 East follow WIS 26 South
WIS 60 East follow WIS 26 NorthJctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=
lspan=
type=mplex
road=jct|state=WI|WI|60|dir1=East
notes=WIS 60 West follow WIS 26 SouthJctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=Juneau
lspan=1
type=
road=jct|state=WI|WI|33
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=Waupun
lspan=4
type=mplex
road=jct|state=WI|US|151
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=
lspan=
type=
road=jct|state=WI|WI|49
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=Fond du Lac
cspan=3
location=
lspan=
type=mplex
road=jct|state=WI|US|151|dir1=South
notes=WIS 26 North follow US 151 NorthJctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=
lspan=
type=mplex
road=jct|state=WI|US|151|dir1=North
notes=WIS 26 South follow US 151 SouthJctint
state=WI
county=
cspan=
location=Rosendale
lspan=1
type=
road=jct|state=WI|WI|23
notes=Jctint
state=WI
county=Winnebago
cspan=1
location=Oshkosh
lspan=1
type=
road=jct|state=WI|US|41
notes=

References