Wisconsin Highway 34

State Trunk Highway 34 (often called Highway 34, STH-34 or WIS 34) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It runs north–south as a shortcut route in central Wisconsin connecting Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids. In 2012, WIS 13 was added as a concurrency between US Highway 10 (US 10) west of Junction City and WIS 34's southern terminus in Wisconsin Rapids. The highway ends at Interstate 39 (I-39) in Knowlton on the north end, and at WIS 13 in Wisconsin Rapids on the south end.

State Trunk Highway 34
WIS 34 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by WisDOT
Length29.57 mi[1] (47.59 km)
Major junctions
South end WIS 13 / WIS 73 in Wis. Rapids
  US 10 / WIS 13 in Junction City
North end I-39 / US 51 in Knowlton
Location
CountiesWood, Portage, Marathon
Highway system
← WIS 33→ WIS 35

Route description
The northern terminus for WIS 34 at Knowlton, Wisconsin (I-39)

Starting at WIS 13/WIS 73 in Wisconsin Rapids, WIS 34 begins as a brief five-lane divided highway (three lanes northbound; two lanes southbound). Also, WIS 13 follows WIS 34 before reaching US 10. In the meantime, after crossing High Street at a four-way intersection, the road becomes a four-lane divided highway (two lanes in both directions). As both routes reach the city limit, the road downgrades into a two-lane undivided highway. Then, both reach WIS 66 at a three-way intersection. Just west of Junction City, they meet US 10 at a diamond interchange. WIS 34 turns east while WIS 13 turns west on the US 10 expressway. At the next exit, WIS 34 turns back north at another diamond interchange. Continuing north, it crosses the Wisconsin River. After crossing the Wisconsin River, it curves east to meet I-39/US 51 at a diamond interchange. At that diamond interchange, WIS 34 ends there.[2]

History

Initially, WIS 34 traveled from WIS 45 in Ellsworth to WIS 37 in Mondovi roughly on present-day US 10.[3] In 1920, WIS 34 extended west to Prescott.[4] In 1924, WIS 34 moved to a new route (Berlin to Butte des Morts) as WIS 18 acquired the entirety of old WIS 34.[5] In 1927, the WIS 116 designation moved to use the Berlin to Butte des Morts route. As a result, WIS 34 moved back onto its old route. This time, it used its old route and then traveled eastward to US 10/US 12 in Fairchild (the extension is also now part of US 10).[6] In 1935, WIS 34 moved onto its current route except for the US 10 expressway. This relocation happened in favor of replacing WIS 45 (which duplicated US 45 since 1935) and relocating US 10 southward (which superseded what used to be WIS 34).[7][8]

Between July 2010 and October 2011, the US 10 expressway was being built. After its opening, WIS 34 moved onto part of the expressway.[9]

Major intersections
CountyLocationmi[2]kmDestinationsNotes
WoodWisconsin Rapids0.000.00 WIS 13 south / WIS 73 (Grand Avenue) – Wisconsin Dells, Wautoma, MarshfieldSouthern terminus of WIS 34; southern end of WIS 13 concurrency
2.994.81 WIS 66 / CTH-P east – Stevens PointWestern terminus of WIS 66
Rudolph5.278.48 CTH-DD east
Portage7.2811.72 CTH-C – Vesper, Business District
9.3415.03 CTH-M
Junction City14.2622.95 CTH-P – Milladore, Junction City
14.4223.21 US 10 west / WIS 13 north – Milladore, MarshfieldNorthern end of WIS 13 concurrency; southern end of US 10 concurrency
18.8530.34 US 10 east / CTH-P west / CTH-HH east – Stevens Point, Junction CityNorthern end of US 10 concurrency
20.8833.60 CTH-H
23.8638.40 CTH-E east
MarathonDancy25.1040.39 CTH-C westSouthern end of CTH-C concurrency
Knowlton25.1040.39 CTH-C east / CTH-DB south – KnowltonNorthern end of CTH-C concurrency
29.5747.59 I-39 / US 51 – Stevens Point, MosineeNorthern terminus of WIS 34
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also
  •  U.S. Roads portal

References
  1. Bessert, Chris. "Wisconsin Highways: Highways 30-39 (Highway 34)". Wisconsin Highways. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  2. Google (November 28, 2020). "Overview Map of WIS 34" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
  3. Wisconsin Highway Commission (1918). Official Map of the State Trunk Highway System of Wisconsin (Map). [c. 1:1,010,000]. Madison: Wisconsin Highway Commission. OCLC 38871736, 69119995. Retrieved November 28, 2020 – via American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection.
  4. Wisconsin Highway Commission (1920). Official Map of the State Trunk Highway System of Wisconsin (Map). Scale not given. Madison: Wisconsin Highway Commission. OCLC 5673515.
  5. Wisconsin Highway Commission (1924). Official Highway Map of Wisconsin: 'The Playground of the Middle West' (Map). c. 1:950,400. Madison: Wisconsin Highway Commission. OCLC 560719947. Retrieved November 28, 2020 – via American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection.
  6. Wisconsin Highway Commission (1927). Official Highway Map of Wisconsin, 'The Playground of the Middle West' (Map). 1:950,400. Madison: Wisconsin Highway Commission. Retrieved November 28, 2020 – via American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection.
  7. Wisconsin Highway Commission (1934). Official Highway Map of Wisconsin (Map). 1:887,040. Madison: Wisconsin Highway Commission. Retrieved November 28, 2020 – via American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection.
  8. State Highway Commission of Wisconsin (January 1935). Official Highway Map of Wisconsin (Map). 1:887,040. Madison: State Highway Commission of Wisconsin. Retrieved November 28, 2020 – via American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection.
  9. "Highway Construction Projects in Our Area". Wausau, Wisconsin: WAOW-TV. May 19, 2011. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
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