U.S. Route 41 in Wisconsin

Infobox road
state=WI
type=US
route=41
maint=WisDOT
length_mi=
length_ref=
length_round=
established=1926
direction_a=South
direction_b=North
starting_terminus=Illinois Border in Pleasant Prairie
junction=
ending_terminus=Michigan border in Marinette
previous_type=WI
previous_route=40
browse_route=
next_type=WI
next_route=41
commons=categoryIn the U.S. state of Wisconsin, U.S. Route 41 (normally called U.S. Highway 41, Highway 41 or US 41) runs north-south the eastern side of the state. It enters from Illinois (Concurrently with Interstate 94) at Pleasant Prairie, and runs north to its northern terminus at the Michigan border at Marinette.

Route description

US 41 is a freeway for nearly 70% of its route through Wisconsin. Exceptions being a stretch in Milwaukee (Lisbon and Appleton avenues) and an expressway section north of Green Bay. South of Milwaukee, the route is concurrent with I-94 all the way to the Illinois border.

US 41 leaves Milwaukee to the northwest and passes Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, and Appleton before heading to Green Bay. The route is a major access point for Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers Major League Baseball club, the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh air show in Oshkosh, and for Lambeau Field, the home of the Green Bay Packers NFL football team.

After leaving Green Bay, US 41 continues north to Abrams co-signed with US 141, and then it turns east off the co-signed route towards Marinette and into Michigan.

History

The original routing of US 41 followed the Stadium Freeway south of I-94 to National Ave and over to 27th Street. The route followed Layton Blvd to 27th street and 27th St to its interchange with I-94. WisDOT rerouted US 41 along I-94 East from the Stadium Interchange and gave Layton Blvd and 27th St a designation of WIS 241 in a compromise to avoid expansion of the original route. The old US 41 freeway section south of I-94 to National Ave (which was realigned to accommodate the construction of Miller Park) was designated WIS 341 but is unsigned. Trailblazer signs indicate it as Miller Park Way. In Green Bay, the road used to make a right turn west of De Pere, going onto Ashland Avenue to the Green Bay city limits. It then turned left onto Highland Avenue (after 1968, Lombardi Avenue), going past Lambeau Field and turning right to become Military Avenue. It then turned left at Velp Avenue, then went north. At the time, this was the outer highway for Green Bay, and the site for Lambeau Field was chosen because of highway access. The area now is urbanized.cite web
first=Chris
last=Bessert
coauthors =
title =Wisconsin Highways: US-41, The Complete History
work =
publisher =
date =2006
url =http://www.wisconsinhighways.org/indepth/US-41_history.html
format =
doi =
accessdate =2006-12-30]

Current status

US 41 is either undergoing major construction or in the planning stages for future construction between Milwaukee and Green Bay to upgrade it to Interstate standards. US 41 is also undergoing construction of 4 lane expressway between Oconto and Peshtigo, which includes freeway bypasses of both cities.

Future

Wisconsin Department of Transportation officials are studying what improvements need to be made to U.S. Route 41 in order for it to upgraded to Interstate status.cite web
first=Ben
last=Jones
coauthors =
title ="‘Interstate 41’ on near horizon"
work =
publisher =Appleton Post Crescent
date =2006-12-18
url =http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200661217022
format =
doi =
accessdate =2006-12-19Failed verification|date=March 2007] Necessary upgrades must be made before any signage changes can happen, but the entire length from Milwaukee to Green Bay is expected to become a new Interstate 41. The legislation was added to the 2005 federal highway bill () by Congressman Tom Petri. Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers reviewed the state traffic records, and found that the number of cars traveling on 41 in northeast Wisconsin has nearly doubled since 1994. It is unknown if the U.S. Route 41 shields will remain when I-41 signs are tentatively scheduled to go up in 2009. When complete, this will be only the second Interstate number to overlap its U.S. Route counterpart. The other is Interstate 74 & U.S. Route 74 in North Carolina.

Two expansion projects are scheduled for 2010. The first upgrades the old rural freeway west of Green Bay from CTH F(Scheuring Rd) past I-43 to CTH M(Lineville Rd) to a six-lane road with the rebuilding of all interchanges along the corridor; including a free-flow interchange with WIS 29.cite web
author=Wisconsin Department of Transportation
authorlink =Wisconsin Department of Transportation
coauthors =
title =US 41 Expansion - Brown County
work =
publisher =
date =
url =http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/us41expansion/brown-index.htm
format =
doi =
accessdate =2007-03-24] The second is an expansion of the highway from WIS 26 to Breezewood Lane around Oshkosh from 4 to 6 lanes - including rebuilds of 9 interchanges and the Lake Butte des Morts causeway. cite web
author=Wisconsin Department of Transportation
authorlink =Wisconsin Department of Transportation
coauthors =
title =US 41 Expansion
work =
publisher =
date =
url =http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/us41expansion/
format =
doi =
accessdate =2007-03-24] cite web
url=?
first=Doug
last=Zellmer
coauthors =
title ="Park-and-ride lots planned along 41"
work =
publisher =Appleton Post Crescent
date =2007-06-04
format =
doi =
accessdate =2006-06-04] The bridge over Lake Butte des Morts is scheduled to be expanded to eight lanes. The second plan has a $292 million budget, and is scheduled to include two additional park and ride lots at State Highways 26 and 76.

Exit list

References