Interstate 90 in Wisconsin

Interstate 90 (I-90) runs east–west through the western, central and southern portions of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. About 187 miles (301 km) of I-90 lie in the state.

Interstate 90 marker
Interstate 90
Map
I-90 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by WisDOT
Length187.13 mi[1] (301.16 km)
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
West end I-90 at Minnesota state line
Major intersections
East end I-39 / I-90 at Illinois state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWisconsin
CountiesLa Crosse, Monroe, Juneau, Sauk, Columbia, Dane, Rock
Highway system
WIS 89 WIS 91

All 187 miles of I-90 in Wisconsin have a speed limit of 70 mph.[citation needed]

Route description

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The highway enters from Minnesota over the Mississippi River just northwest of La Crosse. The freeway passes north of La Crosse and south of Onalaska as it heads towards Tomah. Once there, it joins I-94. The two Interstates run concurrently for the next 91.76 miles (147.67 km) to Madison. The highway collects Interstate 39, 63 miles (101 km) southeast of Tomah (near Portage). This concurrency of about 30 miles (48 km) is one of only three triplex concurrencies of the Interstate Highway System existence, the other two being in both Milwaukee and Indianapolis. I-39 continues along I-90 for the remaining 78 miles (126 km) in Wisconsin.

I-94 breaks away eastward toward Milwaukee at what is commonly known as the Badger Interchange, where the three Interstates meet with WIS 30. The remaining routes continue south to Janesville and Beloit before exiting the state.

I-90 Mississippi River Bridge near La Crosse
I-90 and I-94 junction near Tomah

History

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In 1959, I-90 was extended north from Rockton Road, the Northwest Tollway's (now Jane Addams Memorial Tollway's) northern terminus, in Illinois to US 14 near Janesville, Wisconsin.[2][3][4][5] In 1961, another section of I-90 was opened. This section ran from US 12/US 18 (later moved slightly southward) near Madison to US 12/US 16 (now US 12/WIS 16) near Wisconsin Dells.[6][7] In 1962, a connection between both opened sections opened to traffic.[7][8] In 1964, I-90 was extended northwestward to US 12/US 16 (now US 12/WIS 16) near Tomah.[9][10]

The Dresbach Bridge, spanning the Mississippi River west of La Crosse, was dedicated and opened to traffic on October 12, 1967.[11] By 1969, another separate section of I-90 was opened, traveling from the Minnesota state line to US 16 (now WIS 16) near La Crosse.[12][13] Later, both opened sections were then connected together.[13][14]

The Dresbach Bridge was replaced by the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin in 2016 under the former's program to replace outdated bridge designs following the 2007 I-35W bridge collapse. The old bridge was closed in April 2016 and the new structure opened in October.[15]

Starting in 2015, the 45-mile (72 km), southernmost section of I-39/I-90 (from US 12/US 18 to the Illinois state line) underwent a major reconstruction project. This involved widening the corridor to six lanes (eight lanes in the Janesville area) and reconfiguring all interchanges, including the I-43/WIS 81 interchange. The overall project was completed in 2021.[16]

Exit list

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CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Mississippi River0.000.00 
 
I-90 west – Rochester, Albert Lea
Continuation into Minnesota
I-90 Mississippi River Bridge
La CrosseTown of Campbell1.963.152   CTH-B – French IslandAccess to La Crosse Regional Airport
La Crosse2.874.623 
 
  US 53 south / WIS 35 (Alt. I-90) – La Crosse, Onalaska
Western end of US 53 concurrency
Onalaska4.437.134 
 
  US 53 north / WIS 157 – La Crosse, Onalaska
Eastern end of US 53 concurrency
5.749.245  WIS 16 – Onalaska, West Salem
Town of Hamilton11.7818.9612  CTH-C – West Salem
Bangor15.5725.0615  WIS 162 – Bangor, Coon Valley
MonroeSparta24.9140.0925  WIS 27 – Sparta, Melvina
Town of Angelo28.1845.3528  WIS 16 – Sparta
Town of Tomah41.4266.6641  WIS 131 – Tomah, Wilton
Tomah43.3269.7243   US 12 / WIS 16 – Tomah
Town of Oakdale45.1072.5845 
 
I-94 west – Eau Claire, St. Paul
Western end of I-94 concurrency; I-94 exit 147
Oakdale48.6078.2148  CTH-PP – Oakdale
JuneauCamp Douglas55.0388.5655  CTH-C – Camp Douglas, Volk Field
New Lisbon61.4698.9161  WIS 80 – New Lisbon
Town of Lemonweir69.02111.0869  WIS 82 – Mauston, Oxford
Lyndon Station78.97127.0979  CTH-HH – Lyndon Station
Town of Lyndon85.40137.4485   US 12 / WIS 16 – Wisconsin Dells
SaukWisconsin Dells87.22140.3787 
 
WIS 13 north – Wisconsin Dells
Lake Delton89.80144.5289  WIS 23 – Lake Delton, Reedsburg
Town of Delton93.13149.8892  US 12 – Baraboo, Lake DeltonUS 12 exit 211
ColumbiaTown of Caledonia105.73170.16106  WIS 33 – Portage, Baraboo
108.16–
108.59
174.07–
174.76
108A 
 
WIS 78 south – Merrimac
108B 
 
I-39 north – Wausau
Western end of I-39 concurrency
Town of Dekorra115.21185.41115  CTH-CS – Poynette, Lake Wisconsin
Town of Arlington119.20191.83119  WIS 60 – Lodi, Arlington
DaneTown of Vienna126.25203.18126  CTH-V – Dane, DeForest
Community of Windsor130.46209.96131  WIS 19 – Waunakee, Sun Prairie
Town of Burke131.98212.40132  US 51 – Madison, DeForest
Madison135.21–
135.24
217.60–
217.65
135A 
 
US 151 south – Madison
US 151 exit 97
135B 
 
US 151 north – Sun Prairie
135.45217.99135CHigh Crossing BoulevardWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
137.24220.87138A 
 
I-94 east – Milwaukee
Eastern end of I-94 concurrency; left exit and entrance eastbound; I-94 exit 240
137.59221.43138B 
 
WIS 30 west – Madison
Left exit and entrance westbound; serves Dane County Airport; WIS 30 exit 3 eastbound exit 240A westbound
Town of Blooming Grove141.43227.61142   US 12 / US 18 – Madison, CambridgeSigned as exits 142A (west) and 142B (east); US 12 exit 267
Town of Pleasant Springs146.80236.25147  CTH-N – Stoughton, Cottage Grove
Town of Christiana155.90250.90156 
 
 
 
US 51 north to CTH-A – Stoughton, Deerfield
Western end of US 51 concurrency
Town of Albion159.64256.92160 
 
US 51 south – Edgerton
 
 
 
 
WIS 73 north to WIS 106 – Deerfield
Eastern end of US 51 concurrency
RockTown of Fulton162.57261.63163  WIS 59 – Edgerton, Milton
Janesville170.81274.89171A  WIS 26 – Milton
171.52–
171.57
276.03–
276.12
171B 
 
 
  Alt. I-39 south / US 14 – Janesville
Formerly split into exits 171B (west) and 171C (east)
174.71281.17175 
 
 
 
 
Alt. I-39 north / WIS 11 east (Racine Street) – Delavan
Western end of WIS 11 concurrency; former Bus. US 14
Town of La Prairie177.22285.21177 
 
WIS 11 west – Janesville, Avalon
Eastern end of WIS 11 concurrency
Town of Turtle182.41293.56183  CTH-S (Shopiere Road)
Beloit184.70297.25185A  WIS 81 – Beloit
184.68297.21185B 
 
I-43 north – Milwaukee
I-43 exit 0
187.13301.16 
 
 
 
I-39 south / I-90 east – Rockford, Chicago
Continuation into Illinois
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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  1. ^ a b Southwest Region Staff (December 31, 2008). State Trunk Highway Log for Southwest Region (XLS). Madison, WI: Wisconsin Department of Transportation. 090E.
  2. ^ State Highway Commission of Wisconsin (1959). Wisconsin Highway Map (PDF) (Map). 1:887,040. Madison: State Highway Commission of Wisconsin. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  3. ^ Illinois Division of Highways; H.M. Gousha (1959). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:790,00]. Springfield: Illinois Division of Highways. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  4. ^ State Highway Commission of Wisconsin (1960). Wisconsin Highway Map (PDF) (Map). 1:887,040. Madison: State Highway Commission of Wisconsin. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  5. ^ Illinois Division of Highways; H.M. Gousha (1960). Illinois Official Highway Map (Map). [1:790,00]. Springfield: Illinois Division of Highways. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via Illinois Digital Archives.
  6. ^ State Highway Commission of Wisconsin (1961). Wisconsin Highway Map (PDF) (Map). c. 1:538,560. Madison: State Highway Commission of Wisconsin. OCLC 221945165, 506588105. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  7. ^ a b State Highway Commission of Wisconsin (1962). Wisconsin Highway Map (PDF) (Map). c. 1:538,560. Madison: State Highway Commission of Wisconsin. OCLC 12359573. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  8. ^ State Highway Commission of Wisconsin (1963). Wisconsin Highway Map (PDF) (Map). 1:823,680. Madison: State Highway Commission of Wisconsin. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  9. ^ State Highway Commission of Wisconsin (1964). Wisconsin Highway Map (PDF) (Map). 1:823,680. Madison: State Highway Commission of Wisconsin. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via Wikimedia Commons.
  10. ^ State Highway Commission of Wisconsin (1965). Wisconsin Highway Map (Map). 1:823,680. Madison: State Highway Commission of Wisconsin. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection.
  11. ^ Holmlund, James O. (October 13, 1967). "Many Drives Give New I-90 A Trial Spin". La Crosse Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved December 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ State Highway Commission of Wisconsin (1967). Wisconsin Highway Map (Map). 1:823,680. Madison: State Highway Commission of Wisconsin. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection.
  13. ^ a b State Highway Commission of Wisconsin (1969). Wisconsin Highway Map (Map). Scale not given. Madison: State Highway Commission of Wisconsin. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection.
  14. ^ Wisconsin Department of Transportation Division of Highways (1970). Wisconsin Highway Map (Map). 1:823,680. Madison: Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 27, 2021 – via American Geographical Society Library Digital Map Collection.
  15. ^ Hubbuch, Chris (October 21, 2016). "Minnesota, Wisconsin celebrate completion of I-90 bridge". La Crosse Tribune. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  16. ^ "I-39/90 Expansion Project: Illinois state line to Madison, Dane and Rock counties". Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on 2021-03-25. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
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  • I-90 at Wisconsin Highways


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