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Highway 17 (Wisconsin)
Encyclopedia
State Trunk Highway 17 is a state highway in the U.S. state
of Wisconsin
. The highway is a secondary route in northeastern Wisconsin that directly connects Rhinelander
, Eagle River
and the central and eastern parts of Michigan
's Upper Peninsula with Wausau, Wisconsin
and points south and west.
near Merrill
. From there, WIS 17 heads northeast, passing the Prairie Dells area and crossing several county routes in Bloomville and Gleason
. The highway briefly crosses over out of Lincoln County
into Langlade County, Wisconsin
The highway then passes through Parrish
and turns northwestward and returns to Lincoln County, briefly cutting through Oneida County
in the process. The route then turns north for seven miles (11 km) and enters Oneida County heading north another five miles (8 km) and joining US 8 east and WIS 47 south just south of Rhinelander.
The two and a half mile concurrency is actually a "wrong-way" concurrency between WIS 17 North and WIS 47 south. WIS 17 turns north off the concurrency as the other two highways continue east. WIS 17 passes east of Rhinelander on an urban arterial then continues north, passing through Sugar Camp
. WIS 17 then joins WIS 70 east, continuing into Eagle River. in the downtown area, WIS 17 leaves concurrency with WIS 70 and follows US 45
/ WIS 32 north and out of the city. Four miles north, WIS 17 turns east off US 45/WIS 32 and heads northeast, entering the Nicolet National Forest and passing through Phelps
. WIS 17 then heads east of Phelps, becoming Forest Route 16 upon entering Michigan.
, Racine
, and into Milwaukee
via present day WIS 32 to Whitefish Bay
, then along WIS 57 through Cedarburg
, Grafton
and Saukville
(along what is now CTH O). The route in Milwaukee was realigned to run along Lake Michigan
in 1920. The route then headed north to Sheboygan and Manitowoc along present day WIS 42 and up the Lake Michigan
Shoreline to Sturgeon Bay
and Sister Bay
. The route's southern terminus became Manitowoc when US 141 debuted in 1926. The remainder was replaced with WIS 42 in 1932.
The portion the current WIS 17 between Merrill and Eagle River was previously WIS 63. This route began at WIS 10 in Merrill and ended at WIS 70 west of Eagle River. The portion northeast of Eagle River was numbered as WIS 70. This route was removed in 1934 when .S. Route 63 was opened into Wisconsin. The WIS 17 number was available at the time and applied to the route. the route was extended in 1947 when WIS 70 was changed to its current alignment. The southern terminus was relocated to its present location on WIS 64 in the late 1980s.
WIS 17 originally passed through Rhinelander. In 2004, The 3.25 miles (5.2 km) long bypass east of the city was opened. The route was rerouted along US 8/WIS 47 south of the city to reach the new bypass route. The old alignment through Rhinelander followed Boyce Drive to Kemp Street, turning east on to Kemp for 1200 feet (365.8 m), then turning onto Arbutus and Pelham Streets and Stevens Street. This alignment was removed from the state trunkline books when the new route was opened and is now a city street.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. The highway is a secondary route in northeastern Wisconsin that directly connects Rhinelander
Rhinelander, Wisconsin
Rhinelander is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States. Its population was 7,735 at the 2000 census.-Claim to fame:...
, Eagle River
Eagle River, Wisconsin
Eagle River is a city in Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,443 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Vilas County. The city is known for being a popular "Northwoods" vacation town...
and the central and eastern parts of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's Upper Peninsula with Wausau, Wisconsin
Wausau, Wisconsin
Wausau is a city in and the county seat of Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. The Wisconsin River divides the city. The city is adjacent to the town of Wausau.According to the 2000 census, Wausau had a population of 38,426 people...
and points south and west.
Route description
WIS 17 begins at WIS 64, about a half mile east of WIS 64's interchange with US 51U.S. Route 51 in Wisconsin
In the U.S. state of Wisconsin, U.S. Route 51 runs north–south down the central part of the state...
near Merrill
Merrill, Wisconsin
Merrill is a city in Lincoln County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,728 at the 2010 census. The city is located to the south of and adjacent to the Town of Merrill....
. From there, WIS 17 heads northeast, passing the Prairie Dells area and crossing several county routes in Bloomville and Gleason
Gleason, Wisconsin
Gleason is an unincorporated community located in Lincoln County, Wisconsin, United States. Gleason is located on Wisconsin Highway 17 northeast of Merrill, in the town of Russell. Gleason has a post office with ZIP code 54435.-Popular culture:...
. The highway briefly crosses over out of Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Wisconsin
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 29,641. Its county seat is Merrill.-Geography:According to the U.S...
into Langlade County, Wisconsin
Langlade County, Wisconsin
Langlade County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 20,740. Its county seat is Antigo.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and is water...
The highway then passes through Parrish
Parrish, Wisconsin
Parrish is a town in Langlade County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 108 at the 2000 census. The unincoporated community of Parrish is located in the town.-Geography:...
and turns northwestward and returns to Lincoln County, briefly cutting through Oneida County
Oneida County, Wisconsin
Oneida County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 36,776. Its county seat is Rhinelander.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,236 square miles , of which 1,124 square miles is land and 111 square...
in the process. The route then turns north for seven miles (11 km) and enters Oneida County heading north another five miles (8 km) and joining US 8 east and WIS 47 south just south of Rhinelander.
The two and a half mile concurrency is actually a "wrong-way" concurrency between WIS 17 North and WIS 47 south. WIS 17 turns north off the concurrency as the other two highways continue east. WIS 17 passes east of Rhinelander on an urban arterial then continues north, passing through Sugar Camp
Sugar Camp, Wisconsin
Sugar Camp is a town in Oneida County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,781 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Sugar Camp is located in the town-Geography:...
. WIS 17 then joins WIS 70 east, continuing into Eagle River. in the downtown area, WIS 17 leaves concurrency with WIS 70 and follows US 45
U.S. Route 45 in Wisconsin
In the U.S. state of Wisconsin, U.S. Route 45 runs north–south through the eastern and northern portions of the state.-Route description:...
/ WIS 32 north and out of the city. Four miles north, WIS 17 turns east off US 45/WIS 32 and heads northeast, entering the Nicolet National Forest and passing through Phelps
Phelps, Wisconsin
Phelps is a town in Vilas County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,350 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Phelps is located in the town.-Geography:...
. WIS 17 then heads east of Phelps, becoming Forest Route 16 upon entering Michigan.
History
WIS 17 originally began at the Illinois state line and passed through KenoshaKenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
, Racine
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
, and into Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
via present day WIS 32 to Whitefish Bay
Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
Whitefish Bay is a village in Milwaukee County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 13,508 as of the 2005 census.-Geography:Whitefish Bay is located at ....
, then along WIS 57 through Cedarburg
Cedarburg, Wisconsin
Cedarburg is a city in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States with Cedar Creek running through it. The city is bordered by the Village of Grafton to the east and the Town of Cedarburg elsewhere...
, Grafton
Grafton, Wisconsin
Grafton is a village in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 10,312 at the 2000 census. The village is adjacent to the Town of Grafton and the City of Cedarburg.-History:...
and Saukville
Saukville, Wisconsin
-External links:* *...
(along what is now CTH O). The route in Milwaukee was realigned to run along Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
in 1920. The route then headed north to Sheboygan and Manitowoc along present day WIS 42 and up the Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
Shoreline to Sturgeon Bay
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay is a city in and the county seat of Door County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 9,437 at the 2000 census. It is located at the natural end of Sturgeon Bay, although the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal was built across the remainder of the Door Peninsula.-Geography:Sturgeon Bay is...
and Sister Bay
Sister Bay, Wisconsin
Sister Bay is a village in Door County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 886 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sister Bay is located at ....
. The route's southern terminus became Manitowoc when US 141 debuted in 1926. The remainder was replaced with WIS 42 in 1932.
The portion the current WIS 17 between Merrill and Eagle River was previously WIS 63. This route began at WIS 10 in Merrill and ended at WIS 70 west of Eagle River. The portion northeast of Eagle River was numbered as WIS 70. This route was removed in 1934 when .S. Route 63 was opened into Wisconsin. The WIS 17 number was available at the time and applied to the route. the route was extended in 1947 when WIS 70 was changed to its current alignment. The southern terminus was relocated to its present location on WIS 64 in the late 1980s.
WIS 17 originally passed through Rhinelander. In 2004, The 3.25 miles (5.2 km) long bypass east of the city was opened. The route was rerouted along US 8/WIS 47 south of the city to reach the new bypass route. The old alignment through Rhinelander followed Boyce Drive to Kemp Street, turning east on to Kemp for 1200 feet (365.8 m), then turning onto Arbutus and Pelham Streets and Stevens Street. This alignment was removed from the state trunkline books when the new route was opened and is now a city street.