 "How diverse can a road get in 25 miles? Let's find out."
Click here for a map overview
Northern terminus: Washington County, at U.S. Highway 41 in Richfield
Southern terminus: Milwaukee County, at U.S. Highway 18 (Wells Street) along 6th Street in downtown Milwaukee
Mileage: about 25 miles
Counties along the way: Washington, Waukesha, Milwaukee
Sample towns along the way: Richfield, Germantown, Menomonee Falls, Milwaukee
Bypass alternates at: Milwaukee, but it kinda defeats the purpose
Quickie Summary: State “Trunk” Highway 145 is about every kind of road one can possibly be in Wisconsin. It's a two-lane road winding past farm fields, a multi-lane suburban sprawl connector, a six-lane freeway heading into a major city, a boulevard in city neighborhoods, a city street cutting through areas that have seen better days but may again soon, a new boulevard built to replace a torn-down freeway, and a downtown throughfare serving major attractions... all within 25 miles.
The Drive (North to South): Highway 145 follows U.S. 45's former path from Richfield into Milwaukee. Starting at the U.S. 41/45 interchange in Washington County (now known as the "where Cabela's is" place), if you need a compass to help with your State Trunk Tour trips, well, I'm pretty sure they'll have some available, Highway 145 meanders through the countryside for its first few miles. Open spaces and farms adorn either side, but on certain hill crests the distant - but not for long - skyline of downtown Milwaukee beckons.
After the brief start in the town of Richfield, Highway 145 enters Germantown (pop. 20,100), rated by Money Magazine in July 2007 as the 30th most appealing city, town or village to live in the United States. Much of Germantown is newer, developing city but it retains history in a downtown area that began as the settlement of Dheinsville in 1842. Much of the historic museums, including Wisconsin's largest bell collection, reside in the Dheinsville Historic District along Highway 145, which serves as Germantown's original "downtown" area approaching Holy Hill Road. Stop in Jerry's Old Towne Tavern and karaoke if you have the courage. The Germanic tradition of Germantown is reflected in some of the cross-street names like Freistadt Road.
From Germantown, Highway 145 darts down growing suburban streets and cross the corner of Waukesha County in Menomonee Falls (pop. 32,647), Wisconsin's largest "village" (they haven't gotten around to applying for city status yet.) "The Falls", as locals call it, serves as corporate headquarters for the Kohl's Corporation, Cousins Subs, and even Strong Funds before Eliot Spitzer got his hands on them. It's also home to a major Harley-Davidson engine plant. Highway 145 grazes Menomonee Falls' northeast corner and briefly meets up with Highway 100 before heading down the Waukesha-Milwaukee county line on a new alignment designed to accommodate the growth from new suburban-style office buildings that are sprouting up in this area.
From there, Highway 145 hooks up with U.S. 41/45 and enters Milwaukee (pop. 578,887), Wisconsin's largest city and 22nd largest in the United States. This route hits a cross-section of the city and includes some of its best - and worst - parts.
**History Note**
Highway 145 from the Menomonee Falls-Milwaukee city limit was originally slated to be a freeway all the way to downtown Milwaukee and the lakefront. It would southeasterly from the Granville Interchange (today's U.S. 41/45/Highway 145/Good Hope Road interchange at Park Place) to the Capital Court Shopping Center - now called Midtown Center. It would then turn southerly along 60th Stret to Appleton Avenue and follow Appleton and Lisbon Avenues to the northern end of the Stadium Freeway (U.S. 41) at 47th & Lisbon. From there, it would run easterly as the Park West Freeway between North and Meinecke Avanues from 46th Street to 20th before heading southeast along Fond du Lac Avenue again to 12th, where it intersects with I-43. It was to continue as the Park East Freeway along the northern edge of downtown Milwaukee to the lakefront, and then turn south to meet up with I-794 and the Hoan Bridge. The section from the Granville Interchange to 68th Street & Hampton Avenue was completed in 1967 and remains to this day; the Park East segment from I-43 (then U.S. 141) to Jefferson Street was completed in 1971 and was torn down in 2002. Today, Highway 145 follows the freeway segment to 68th & Hampton and then Fond du Lac Avenue to downtown, where it becomes McKinley Avenue. Highway 145 was adjusted to head south on 6th Street from there to end at Wells. |
The twin office buildings amidst a sprawling complex of restaurants, hotels and parkland are part of the Park Place development, where A.O. Smith moved their corporate headquarters and a number of emerging companies have set up shop. A suburban-like office complex set in the City of Milwaukee, Park Place was originally designed in 1980s and after a period that saw little growth, has recently expanded like donuts on a jelly injector. Dretzka Park, which lies to the north of the complex, covers a huge area of real estate and serves as a great place to relax or play golf - and that includes frisbee golf, since Dretzka has one of the better courses for that growing activity.
The exchange Highway 145 has with U.S. 41/45 and Good Hope Road is called the Granville Interchange, named after the Town of Granville, which no longer exists. Granville was the last holdout from the City of Milwaukee's aggressive annexation campaign in the 1950s.
The rest of Highway 145 through Milwaukee is coming... watch for the complete description and pictures shortly!
Upcoming events in places along Highway 145:
Polish Fest, Milwaukee, June 20-22, 2008
Summerfest, Milwaukee, June 26-July 6, 2008
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