Wisconsin Highway 73

State Trunk Highway 73
Route information
Maintained by WisDOT
Length:	265.84 mi[1] (427.83 km)
Major junctions
South end:	I-39 / I-90 / US 51 in Edgerton
	US 12 / US 18 in Deerfield I-94 in Deerfield US 151 in Columbus I-39 / US 51 in Plainfield US 10 in Neillsville
North end:	US 8 in Ingram
Location
Counties:	Dane, Columbia, Dodge, Green Lake, Marquette, Waushara, Adams, Portage, Wood, Clark, Taylor, Rusk
Highway system
Wisconsin State Trunk Highway System Interstate U.S. State Scenic Rustic ← WIS 72 WIS 74 →

State Trunk Highway 73 (often called Highway 73, STH 73 or WIS 73) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It runs north–south across central Wisconsin from Ingram to near Edgerton, with the exception of Wood and Adams counties, where this route runs east–west. It is one of the longer Wisconsin state highways at 265.8 miles.

Routing

WIS 73 starts in Dane County at an interchange with Interstate 39, Interstate 90 (Exit 160), US 51 north of the city of Edgerton. US 51 South goes into Edgerton. Also near this junction, WIS 106 meets WIS 73 east of Albion. 73 heads north 9 miles to US 12 and US 18. After a brief cosigning heading west, 73 splits north and heads 1 mile to Deerfield. About 4 miles north of Deerfield, it meets Interstate 94 at Exit 250, and continues north another 4 miles to Marshall where it has a brief cosigning with WIS 19.

It continues north about 10 miles to the city of Columbus. Just before it goes under an overpass of US 151, it crosses into Columbia County. 73 crosses US 151, WIS 89, WIS 16 & WIS 60 and US 151 again, in that order, as it travels northeast through Columbus on Park Avenue and Ludington Street. It also crosses into Dodge County just after WIS 16 & 60.

WIS 73 then continues north for 13 miles to Randolph. Just north of town, it crosses WIS 33. 73 will continue to go back and forth between both sides of Columbia-Dodge County Line until it crosses into Green Lake County at Hwy AW, 5 miles north of 33. WIS 73 continues to head north for 4 miles to a junction with WIS 44. Wis 44 North heads to Markesan. The two routes head west, forming a wrong-way concurrency through the unincorporated town of Manchester for 2 miles before 44 South splits off to head to Kingston.

A wrong-way concurrency of Wisconsin state highways 44 and 73, just west of Manchester, Wisconsin. Actual direction of travel is east.

WIS 73 heads north another 10 miles to a junction with WIS 23, 3 miles east of Princeton. Wis 23 East heads to Green Lake. WIS 23 and 73 are cosigned to Princeton using Fulton Street and Main Street before WIS 23 splits southwest to Montello. WIS 73 then heads north-northwest, crossing into Marquette County at Eagle Rd, to Neshkoro. Neshkoro is 10 miles north of Princeton. 73 will then cross into Waushara County just north of Hwy E, north of Neshkoro. 73 continues north-northwest 6 miles to Wautoma where it meets WIS 21. WIS 21 East heads to Oshkosh. 21 and 73 are cosigned through downtown before WIS 21 West splits off to head to Necedah.

WIS 73 heads northwest for about 15 miles to Plainfield where 73 crosses I-39 (Exit 136) and US 51 west of town. It continues now heading west, crossing in Adams County at Hwy D. 73 straddles the Adams-Portage County Line for about 4 miles. It then enters Wood County before 73 continues west-northwest to WIS 13, where it has a brief cosign with 13. WIS 73 continues west for 4 miles to the Wisconsin River where it enters the city of Nekoosa. In Nekoosa, 73 has a junction with WIS 173. 73 follows roughly along the west bank of the Wisconsin River into Port Edwards where it meets with WIS 54. WIS 54 West heads to Black River Falls. Wis 54 East is cosigned with WIS 73 along the west bank of the Wisconsin River as they enter Wisconsin Rapids's southwest side.

At Riverview Expressway (which is a regular boulevard), they meet with WIS 13. WIS 54 East heads to Plover while 73 and WIS 13 North are cosigned briefly before they split at WIS 34 (4th Avenue) and Grand Avenue. 73 heads west-northwest out of town. It crosses WIS 186. 73 meets WIS 80 in Pittsville where 73 and 80 are cosigned for about 2 miles before 80 heads north to Marshfield.

WIS 73 heads west 7 miles to where it crosses into Clark County. It continues west about 17 miles to WIS 95 before it turns north and enters Neillsville where it has a 1 block cosign with US 10 before heading north out of town. 73 heads north to Greenwood and Withee. Just before Withee, WIS 73 meets with the WIS 29 Expressway, cosigns with 29 West for about 10 miles to Thorp, where 73 exits and heads north once again. It crosses into Taylor County about miles 5 north of WIS 29.

Looking downstream from the wayside where the highway crosses the Jump River

It goes north another 7 miles to WIS 64. They are cosigned heading north before 64 splits just east of Gilman. 73 continues north to Jump River before entering Rusk County. It continues north for 9 miles to Ingram, where 73 ends at US 8.

References

1. Bessert, Chris. "Wisconsin Highways: Highways 70-79 (Highway 73)". Wisconsin Highways. Retrieved 2007-03-20.