U.S. Route 151

Infobox U.S. Route
article_route=151

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length_mi=337Droz, Robert V. [http://www.us-highways.com/usbt.htm U.S. Highways : From US 1 to (US 830)] . URL accessed 02:55, 4 July 2006 (UTC).]
length_km=542
yrcom=1926
direction_a=South
direction_b=North
from=jct|state=IA|I|80 near Williamsburg, IA
junction=Jct|state=IA|US|30 in Cedar Rapids, IA
jct|state=IA|US|20 in Dubuque, IA
jct|state=WI|I|39|I|90|I|94 in Madison, WI
jct|state=WI|US|41 in Fond du Lac, WI
jct|state=WI|I|43 in Manitowoc, WI
to=Jct|state=WI|US|10 in Manitowoc, WI
spur_of=51
commons=category

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

Approximately seven miles (11 km) south of Dubuque, Iowa, U.S. 151 joins with U.S. Highway 61. The two highways share a route from there to Dickeyville, Wisconsin. Three miles (5 km) south of Dubuque, U.S. 61/151 join with U.S. Highway 52, and share a route with U.S. 52 until the White Street exit in Dubuque.

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

Route description

Iowa

U.S. 151 begins at Interstate 80 exit 225, approximately 20 miles (32 kilometers) west of Iowa City. The route traverses northeast through the Amana Colonies towards Cedar Rapids where it joins U.S. 30 eastbound and bypasses the city. The route passes Anamosa, Monticello and Cascade on the way to Dubuque, where it joins U.S. 61 and crosses the Mississippi River into Wisconsin.

Route upgrades

In 2000, construction began along the Iowa sections of U.S. 151 between Cedar Rapids and Dubuque. By the end of 2001, the four lane sections from Marion to Anamosa were completed. By 2002, the bypass around Cascade was completed. By the summer of 2004, the Monticello bypass was opened, as was most of the remaining segments of highway. The last major portion of the highway - a 16 mile (26 km) section between Cascade and about two miles (3 km) south of the intersection with U.S. 61 still under construction—was completed in the summer of 2004. The two new southbound lanes were opened on September 13, 2004.

Wisconsin

U.S. 151 enters at the corner of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin and heads northeastward towards Dodgeville. U.S. 61 leaves the route about 8 miles into Wisconsin at Dickeyville. U.S. 18 joins the route at Dodgeville and they continue eastward together into Madison. The route follows the Madison Beltline for 3 miles before turning of and through downtown Madison. Upon departure from Madison, U.S. 151 heads northeastward to Fond du Lac and Manitowoc where it ends in downtown Manitowoc.

History

U.S. 151 was one of the original 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 southwest extended to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, incorporating the full length of former U.S. Route 118 (Dodgeville to Dickeyville) and part of former U.S. Route 161 (Dubuque to Cedar Rapids; US 161 from Cedar Rapids south to Keokuk became U.S. Route 218). At the time, the southern end of the route was at Williams Blvd SW and 16th Ave SW, what was then U.S. Highways 30 and 218. In the 1940s, the highway was extended northeast to Manitowoc.

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

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

ee also

*List of U.S. Routes
*U.S. Route 51
*Bannered routes of U.S. Route 151

References

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