 U.S. Route 18 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US 18 highlighted in red | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Length | 1,046 mi (1,683 km) | |||
| Existed | 1926[citation needed]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |     I-25 /US 20 /US 26 /US 87 atOrin, WY | |||
| Major intersections | ||||
| East end | Lincoln Memorial Drive inMilwaukee, WI | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| States | Wyoming,South Dakota,Iowa,Wisconsin | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
U.S. Highway 18 (US 18) is an east–westUnited States Numbered Highway in theMidwestern United States. The western terminus is inOrin, Wyoming, at an interchange withInterstate 25 (I-25). Its eastern terminus is inDowntown Milwaukee, Wisconsin.[1] US 18, however, runsconcurrent with other U.S. Highways from its western terminus toMule Creek Junction, Wyoming. US 18 is one of the original U.S. Highways of 1926. The US 18 designation was originally proposed for a road inMichigan fromGrand Haven east toDetroit. This roadway was eventually designated asUS 16.
| mi | km | |
|---|---|---|
| WY | 100 | 160 |
| SD | 452 | 727[2] |
| IA | 312 | 502[3] |
| WI | 182 | 293[4] |
| Total | 1,046 | 1,683 |
InWyoming, US 18 runs concurrent withUS 20 fromI-25 toLusk, where US 18 branches off to run concurrently withUS 85. At the unincorporated community ofMule Creek Junction in northeasternNiobrara County, US 18 leaves US 85. This 10-mile (16 km) stretch from US 85 to the South Dakota border is the only segment of US 18 in Wyoming which is not cosigned with another highway. Running for nearly 100 miles (160 km), US 18 has a speed limit of 70 mph (110 km/h) with the exception of its ending terminus at Orin and the portion throughout Lusk.[5]
US 18 entersSouth Dakota west ofEdgemont. It passes throughHot Springs, thePine Ridge Indian Reservation, theRosebud Indian Reservation,Winner, andGregory before crossing theMissouri River nearPickstown overFort Randall Dam. East of the Missouri River, US 18 passes through (or near)Lake Andes andTripp before a brief concurrency withI-29 nearWorthing. East of I-29, US 18 passes throughCanton before crossing theBig Sioux River into Iowa.[citation needed]
The Oyate Trail is one of the names given (in the late 1990s) to the section of US 18 traveling across South Dakota from I-29 east ofVermillion toMaverick Junction.[6]
Named in an attempt to encourage more tourism traffic through the lands of variousIndigenous peoples in southern South Dakota, it passes through or near theYankton Sioux, Rosebud, and Pine Ridge Indian reservations, crossing the James River Valley, the Missouri River near Fort Randall Dam, portions of Pine Ridge, and theHigh Plains of South Dakota, connecting the urban areas of the middle Missouri River with theBlack Hills.[citation needed]
Portions of the road were known as the Grant Highway, Black Hills Sioux Trail, and part of the Omaha, Rosebud and Black Hills Highway, as well as the Custer Battlefield Trail.[citation needed]
Towns along the road include Gregory, Winner,Olivet,Mission,Martin,Batesland, andPine Ridge. Nearby towns and locales of interest includeRosebud (capital of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe) andWounded Knee.[citation needed]
The South Dakota section of US 18, other than the concurrency with I-29, is defined at South Dakota Codified Laws § 31-4-141.[7]
US 18 entersIowa via a Big Sioux River crossing northeast ofBeloit. It overlapsUS 75 for a mile (1.6 km) nearHull andUS 59 for a mile (1.6 km) nearSanborn. It then overlapsUS 71 throughSpencer. US 18 passes throughEmmetsburg before intersectingUS 169 atAlgona. US 18 then continues east throughGarner before intersectingI-35 inClear Lake. After a brief concurrency with I-35, US 18 continues as afreeway, bypassingMason City to the south. AtCharles City, US 18 becomes a rural two-lane highway again, except for a brief concurrency with theUS 63 bypass ofNew Hampton. After passing throughWest Union, it turns northeast and joinsUS 52 atPostville, then leaving US 52 about seven miles (11 km) east ofMonona before crossing theMississippi River into Wisconsin via theMarquette–Joliet Bridge in the city ofMarquette.[citation needed]
US 18 is the designated route of theAvenue of the Saints between Clear Lake and Charles City.[citation needed]
Upon entry intoWisconsin atPrairie du Chien, US 18 is the terminus forState Trunk Highway 60 (WIS 60). The two routes are then concurrent untilBridgeport where WIS 60 splits off to the east and US 18 crosses theWisconsin River and turns east on the other side. The route joins theUS 151 expressway inDodgeville and the two remain concurrent east toMadison. US 18 followsUS 12 south of Madison and passes through or aroundCambridge,Jefferson, andWaukesha before terminating in Milwaukee at the junction of East Michigan Street and Lincoln Memorial Drive in downtown.[citation needed]
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I-25 /US 20 /US 26 /US 87 inOrin. US 18/US 20 travel concurrently toLusk.
US 85 inLusk. The highways travel concurrently to the northeastern part ofNiobrara County.
US 385 inHot Springs. The highways travel concurrently toOelrichs.
US 83 west ofMission. The highways travel concurrently to Mission.
US 183 southeast ofWitten. The highways travel concurrently toColome.
US 281 east-southeast ofFairfax. The highways travel concurrently to south ofArmour.
US 81 east ofMenno
I-29 south-southwest ofWorthing. The highways travel concurrently for approximately 3.02 miles (4.86 km).
US 75 inLincoln Township. The highways travel concurrently through the township.
US 59 inSanborn. The highways travel concurrently toFranklin Township.
US 71 inSpencer. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
US 169 inAlgona
US 69 inGarfield Township. The highways travel concurrently toGarner.
I-35 inClear Lake. The highways travel concurrently toLake Township.
US 65 inMason City
US 218 inFloyd. The highways travel concurrently toCharles City.
US 63 inNew Hampton. The highways travel concurrently toDresden Township.
US 52 inPost Township. The highways travel concurrently toGiard Township.
US 61 inFennimore. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
US 151 east ofDodgeville. The highways travel concurrently toMadison.
US 12 /US 14 inMadison. US 12/US 18 travel concurrently toCambridge. US 14/US 18 travel concurrently through Madison.
US 51 in Madison
I-39 /I-90 in Madison
I-94 northeast ofWaukesha
I-41 /US 41 /US 45 inWauwatosa. A southbound entrance allows access to
I-894.
| Browse numbered routes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
← US 16 | WY | →US 20 | ||
← SD 17 | SD | → SD 19 | ||
← Iowa 17 | IA | →US 20 | ||
← WIS 17 | WI | → WIS 19 | ||
Routes initalics are no longer a part of the system. Highlighted routes are considered main routes of the system. |
