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Regional Boards => Great Lakes and Ohio Valley => Topic started by: OCGuy81 on March 06, 2014, 09:59:24 AM

Title: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: OCGuy81 on March 06, 2014, 09:59:24 AM
 I was curious about the Wisconsin county trunk system, and how designations are assigned.   I recall, a few years back while there, seeing a triple letter county trunk (I want to say UUU, but that may not be correct) and I can't recall where exactly.

Are the 3 letter highways fairly rare?  I think I've only seen one, though there is a lot of Wisconsin I haven't traveled. Is each county given a certain set of letters and if they run out of 2 letter combos, they go to the 3?

Always found it interesting how WI and MO are the only states that use letters in this fashion, and just wondering if the 3 letters are rare or not.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: Big John on March 06, 2014, 10:13:21 AM
3 letters are not too common, with most counties having 0-2 of them (Fond du Lac the exception of having more).  Most common of these is HHH. Policy is that triple letters are 3 of the same letter, but 2 letters can have different letters so their supply is ample for the number of county routes in the county.  Not sure why ne is picked over the other when naming the highways.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: nexus73 on March 06, 2014, 10:30:35 AM
I wonder if there ever was a XXX Root Beer stand on a XXX road?

Rick
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: Jardine on March 06, 2014, 11:44:48 AM
Quote from: nexus73 on March 06, 2014, 10:30:35 AM
I wonder if there ever was a XXX Root Beer stand on a XXX road?

Rick

Indeed, and Karen's Kut and Kurl Beauty Salon . . .
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: agentsteel53 on March 06, 2014, 11:51:14 AM
reminds me of the Krusty Khristmas Klassic.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: triplemultiplex on March 06, 2014, 02:07:16 PM
Quote from: Big John on March 06, 2014, 10:13:21 AM
3 letters are not too common, with most counties having 0-2 of them (Fond du Lac the exception of having more).

Most counties don't have any.
Triple letter county highways have always seemed unnecessary to me.  No county is anywhere near using up every two-letter combo at their disposal (frankly, it'd be a practical impossibility).  I think it's silly to cram three letters into a county shield when it would be way easier to grab two random letters instead.

The most absurd and delicious example being CTH MMM in Shawano County.  Way to pick the widest letter you can when tripling one up!

Almost all the triple letter county roads seem to have been chosen as 'spurs' of existing county roads.  This is silly since there is no rhyme or reason to any other distribution of county road letters.  (With the a few modern exceptions where a two-letter CTH was chosen based on something in the area; like CTH CP in Marinette County that is the former US 141 between Coleman and Pound.)
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: OCGuy81 on March 06, 2014, 05:34:11 PM
Quotereminds me of the Krusty Khristmas Klassic.

Live from the Apollo, wasn't it?  LOL! Poor Krusty.

Sorry for being off topic, but I can't resist responding to an old school Simpsons reference.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: SSOWorld on March 07, 2014, 07:42:05 PM
Quote from: Big John on March 06, 2014, 10:13:21 AMMost common of these is HHH.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.bleacherreport.net%2Fimages_root%2Farticle%2Fmedia_slots%2Fphotos%2F000%2F837%2F163%2FTriple-H-Returns-2013_original.jpg%3F1367252520&hash=283fc51d65a684c5b3f1a07a78cd8aeaaab645a0)
That it is... :happy:

(He doesn't look right without the hair either) :|

There are two of them along US 151 between Madison and Dubuque alone... Ridgeway and Kieler

For the two letter ones - they have unique patterns.  CTH VK on Lombardi Ave (Green Bay), CTH CA from US-41 to the Appleton <International> Airport, there's a CTH EW (to which I thought ewww!), a CTH AH (sigh), a CTH OK.... ok! etc.

What fits best?  CTH KR - Racine-Kenosha County Line Road.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: Milepost61 on March 08, 2014, 12:03:28 AM
Quote from: triplemultiplex on March 06, 2014, 02:07:16 PM
Most counties don't have any.
Triple letter county highways have always seemed unnecessary to me.  No county is anywhere near using up every two-letter combo at their disposal (frankly, it'd be a practical impossibility).  I think it's silly to cram three letters into a county shield when it would be way easier to grab two random letters instead.

The most absurd and delicious example being CTH MMM in Shawano County.  Way to pick the widest letter you can when tripling one up!

Almost all the triple letter county roads seem to have been chosen as 'spurs' of existing county roads.  This is silly since there is no rhyme or reason to any other distribution of county road letters.  (With the a few modern exceptions where a two-letter CTH was chosen based on something in the area; like CTH CP in Marinette County that is the former US 141 between Coleman and Pound.)

Trempealeau County has only one that I've seen, TTT north of Galesville. It's a short spur of T and I guess TT was already taken. Dumb.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: DaBigE on March 08, 2014, 01:02:23 AM
Quote from: SSOWorld on March 07, 2014, 07:42:05 PM
There are two of them along US 151 between Madison and Dubuque alone... Ridgeway and Kieler

For the two letter ones - they have unique patterns.  CTH VK on Lombardi Ave (Green Bay), CTH CA from US-41 to the Appleton <International> Airport, there's a CTH EW (to which I thought ewww!), a CTH AH (sigh), a CTH OK.... ok! etc.

What fits best?  CTH KR - Racine-Kenosha County Line Road.

Your two-letter CTHs remind me of one I pass in Dodge County on the way to my parent's house: CTH AY. I've nicknamed that one "The Fonz" Hwy. :)

Back on the topic, can't forget to mention the infamous, but since renamed CTH Triple K (Fond du Lac County) that was mentioned in an earlier thread. Fondy's also home to CTH OOO
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: SSOWorld on March 08, 2014, 09:22:55 AM
Quote from: DaBigE on March 08, 2014, 01:02:23 AM
Quote from: SSOWorld on March 07, 2014, 07:42:05 PM
There are two of them along US 151 between Madison and Dubuque alone... Ridgeway and Kieler

For the two letter ones - they have unique patterns.  CTH VK on Lombardi Ave (Green Bay), CTH CA from US-41 to the Appleton <International> Airport, there's a CTH EW (to which I thought ewww!), a CTH AH (sigh), a CTH OK.... ok! etc.

What fits best?  CTH KR - Racine-Kenosha County Line Road.

Your two-letter CTHs remind me of one I pass in Dodge County on the way to my parent's house: CTH AY. I've nicknamed that one "The Fonz" Hwy. :)

Back on the topic, can't forget to mention the infamous, but since renamed CTH Triple K (Fond du Lac County) that was mentioned in an earlier thread. Fondy's also home to CTH OOO
Hmm - where I work that would be the highway to being Out of Office.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: DaBigE on March 08, 2014, 01:26:05 PM
Quote from: SSOWorld on March 08, 2014, 09:22:55 AM
Quote from: DaBigE on March 08, 2014, 01:02:23 AM
Quote from: SSOWorld on March 07, 2014, 07:42:05 PM
There are two of them along US 151 between Madison and Dubuque alone... Ridgeway and Kieler

For the two letter ones - they have unique patterns.  CTH VK on Lombardi Ave (Green Bay), CTH CA from US-41 to the Appleton <International> Airport, there's a CTH EW (to which I thought ewww!), a CTH AH (sigh), a CTH OK.... ok! etc.

What fits best?  CTH KR - Racine-Kenosha County Line Road.

Your two-letter CTHs remind me of one I pass in Dodge County on the way to my parent's house: CTH AY. I've nicknamed that one "The Fonz" Hwy. :)

Back on the topic, can't forget to mention the infamous, but since renamed CTH Triple K (Fond du Lac County) that was mentioned in an earlier thread. Fondy's also home to CTH OOO
Hmm - where I work that would be the highway to being Out of Office.

I'd think it was the highway to one of two extremes, something amazing that will make you go "Oooooo" or the highway to nothingness (as it's commonly interchanged with Hwy Triple Zero).
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: halork on March 09, 2014, 06:10:39 AM
CTH-PP in Sheboygan always makes me giggle...  :-D
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: NE2 on March 09, 2014, 06:12:32 AM
Quote from: halork on March 09, 2014, 06:10:39 AM
CTH-PP in Sheboygan always makes me giggle...  :-D
<---
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: The High Plains Traveler on March 09, 2014, 01:07:05 PM
From when I lived in the Twin Cities, I remember 3M Company having a small facility near Menomonie WI and being served by CTH MMM.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: mgk920 on March 10, 2014, 09:53:04 PM
Yes, College Ave between US(I)-41 and the terminal area of ATW (the Outagamie County Regional Airport, soon to be renamed to 'Appleton Airport', as per the Outagamie County Board a couple of weeks ago) is indeed 'County 'CA''.  The main north-south road past that terminal area is 'County 'CB''.

In the Green Bay area, Lambeau Field is at the intersection of Lombardi Ave (County 'VK') and Oneida St (County 'AAA').  Until the mid-1970s, Lombardi Ave was US 41.

Right by the Brown/Outagamie County line along US(I)-41 is an interchange with County 'U'.  Branching off of that, right by the interchange, is County 'DD' and County 'DDD' (imagining the photo ops that present themselves by those roads...  :-o ).

Mike
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: DaBigE on March 11, 2014, 02:26:26 PM
Quote from: mgk920 on March 10, 2014, 09:53:04 PM
Branching off of that, right by the interchange, is County 'DD' and County 'DDD' (imagining the photo ops that present themselves by those roads...  :-o ).

Sounds like a good location for a Hooters restaurant.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: mrose on July 17, 2014, 03:02:45 AM
Near Dodgeville, there's a junction on US 18-151 with a "Y" and a "YZ", which, as a huge Rush fan always made me giggle. I actually use a screen capture of it as my avatar on a Rush forum.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: Rushmeister on July 17, 2014, 11:31:42 AM
Quote from: mrose on July 17, 2014, 03:02:45 AM
Near Dodgeville, there's a junction on US 18-151 with a "Y" and a "YZ", which, as a huge Rush fan always made me giggle. I actually use a screen capture of it as my avatar on a Rush forum.


I gotta visit that spot someday.  (I'm a huge Rush fan, too, but I'm trying to lose weight.)
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: hbelkins on July 17, 2014, 12:52:29 PM
I have photos of signage at the intersection of routes YY and Z in Missouri.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: Big John on July 17, 2014, 04:42:44 PM
Quote from: mrose on July 17, 2014, 03:02:45 AM
Near Dodgeville, there's a junction on US 18-151 with a "Y" and a "YZ", which, as a huge Rush fan always made me giggle. I actually use a screen capture of it as my avatar on a Rush forum.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Dodgeville,+WI/@42.972472,-90.039872,3a,75y,230.73h,92.06t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sY0tnPRFzTTTu9nOLpab3zg!2e0!4m7!1m4!3m3!1s0x87fd65960d4da019:0x9e7c721d0e5f86a4!2sDodgeville,+WI!3b1!3m1!1s0x87fd65960d4da019:0x9e7c721d0e5f86a4
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: SEWIGuy on July 17, 2014, 08:34:38 PM
I believe 'YZ' is the original US-18 routing correct?
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: mrose on July 18, 2014, 04:59:51 PM
Yes, I believe that is an old 18-151 alignment.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: SSOWorld on July 19, 2014, 11:18:57 AM
There are two CTH HHHs in SW Wisconsin...  Keiler and Ridgeway - TIME TO PLAY THE GAME!!!!

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/TripleH-Sledgehammer.jpg)

Both in part or in whole are former alignments of 151/61/18 (where applicable)

A county MMM follows Wis 29 Business from the mainline into Shawano from the west.  Tasty?

AAA exists in Brown County near DePere. I wonder if there is an office of the club on the road?

These are numerous, but not as numerous as double-lettered routes with different letters - which some of which can be funny references or describe the area)
* AH (what a relief)
* EW (SBD)
* OK (alright)
* KS (Kill Stealing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kill_stealing))
* OW (it hurts)
* CW (some TV anyone?)
* LO (or HI)
* KR (Kenosha/Racine County line road)
* CA (Outagamie County Airport access)
* CB (Next in line or Breaker Breaker - no chicken coups on county roads, but plenty of bears)

These mostly follow a pattern of "connecting routes using single letter of the respective routes (by observation) but there are inconsistencies throughout.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: Big John on July 19, 2014, 11:28:20 AM
others:
HHH also in Shawano and Fond du Lac counties

EB (Green Acres farmboy)
BE (exist)
ID (yourself)

Weirdest one:  VK in front of Lambeau Field.  Why have the best 2-letter abbreviation of Vikings there?
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: SSOWorld on July 26, 2014, 07:28:26 PM
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3909/14729679076_cdd52a73ee_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/orBsq5)

:ded: <-- pretty much sums it up.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: Big John on July 26, 2014, 07:48:56 PM
Speaking of dead, a banned substance: https://www.google.com/maps/@44.408725,-89.233931,3a,75y,326.1h,95.3t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sBBjuD-58UwvtetjQK-vhuQ!2e0
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: merrycilantro on August 15, 2014, 09:37:48 AM
I can tell ya, I live in Fond du Lac County and Frequenly venture to Sheboygan County; my in-laws live in Sheboygan Falls...so at least twice a month I travel on CTH PPP. I want to say that C is the old routing for Wis 23 but then there's PP, Old PP, and PPP...and TT which gets you there from Wis 23...Tell me that the intersection of TT and PP wouldn't make a good spot for a toilet paper factory. But no, it's Bemis Headquarters....now to convince them to start manufacturing Toilet Paper...
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: SEWIGuy on August 15, 2014, 10:18:07 AM
Quote from: merrycilantro on August 15, 2014, 09:37:48 AM
I can tell ya, I live in Fond du Lac County and Frequenly venture to Sheboygan County; my in-laws live in Sheboygan Falls...so at least twice a month I travel on CTH PPP. I want to say that C is the old routing for Wis 23 but then there's PP, Old PP, and PPP...and TT which gets you there from Wis 23...Tell me that the intersection of TT and PP wouldn't make a good spot for a toilet paper factory. But no, it's Bemis Headquarters....now to convince them to start manufacturing Toilet Paper...


I believe the original routing of WI-23 is indeed County C through Plymouth and Sheboygan Falls.  But exiting Sheboygan Falls, it went on Greenfield Drive (actually the Upper Road portion that still exists), across what I believe now is part of the Kohler Company property, to Erie Avenue. 

County PPP and County PP into Sheboygan Falls and from there to Sheboygan on Indiana Avenue is actually the original routing original routing of WI-28.  (Ironically, the current routing of WI-28 used to be County PP.)

I believe these two were swapped when US-141 was moved to the new freeway and WI-28 was moved to its old routing through Sheboygan on what is now Business Drive.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: Big John on August 15, 2014, 11:35:07 AM
^^ WI 28 was on the current County PP alignment until 1989 when the I-43 interchange to it was removed as it was substandard for 65 MPH that I-43 was changed to then. (I-43 by Sheboygan was still 55 MPH when other parts of the freeway was changed to 65 MPH in 1987.)
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: SEWIGuy on August 15, 2014, 01:53:41 PM
Quote from: Big John on August 15, 2014, 11:35:07 AM
^^ WI 28 was on the current County PP alignment until 1989 when the I-43 interchange to it was removed as it was substandard for 65 MPH that I-43 was changed to then. (I-43 by Sheboygan was still 55 MPH when other parts of the freeway was changed to 65 MPH in 1987.)


Thank you.  That's what I get for guessing!!
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: skluth on August 15, 2014, 10:14:22 PM
Quote from: Big John on August 15, 2014, 11:35:07 AM
^^ WI 28 was on the current County PP alignment until 1989 when the I-43 interchange to it was removed as it was substandard for 65 MPH that I-43 was changed to then. (I-43 by Sheboygan was still 55 MPH when other parts of the freeway was changed to 65 MPH in 1987.)

That may be. But the alignment in 1956 was along Fond du Lac Ave and Greenfield Drive thru Falls. You can see where there used to be a road at the east end of Greenfield to the 43/23 interchange on Google Maps imagery. You can see the earlier route at http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/68117/Sheboygan+County/Wisconsin+State+Atlas+1956+Highway+Maps/Wisconsin/ (http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/68117/Sheboygan+County/Wisconsin+State+Atlas+1956+Highway+Maps/Wisconsin/)
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: SEWIGuy on August 16, 2014, 09:48:12 AM
Quote from: skluth on August 15, 2014, 10:14:22 PM
Quote from: Big John on August 15, 2014, 11:35:07 AM
^^ WI 28 was on the current County PP alignment until 1989 when the I-43 interchange to it was removed as it was substandard for 65 MPH that I-43 was changed to then. (I-43 by Sheboygan was still 55 MPH when other parts of the freeway was changed to 65 MPH in 1987.)

That may be. But the alignment in 1956 was along Fond du Lac Ave and Greenfield Drive thru Falls. You can see where there used to be a road at the east end of Greenfield to the 43/23 interchange on Google Maps imagery. You can see the earlier route at http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/68117/Sheboygan+County/Wisconsin+State+Atlas+1956+Highway+Maps/Wisconsin/ (http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/68117/Sheboygan+County/Wisconsin+State+Atlas+1956+Highway+Maps/Wisconsin/)


That's the former routing of 23...not 28.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: skluth on August 17, 2014, 01:45:01 PM
Quote from: SEWIGuy on August 16, 2014, 09:48:12 AM
Quote from: skluth on August 15, 2014, 10:14:22 PM
Quote from: Big John on August 15, 2014, 11:35:07 AM
^^ WI 28 was on the current County PP alignment until 1989 when the I-43 interchange to it was removed as it was substandard for 65 MPH that I-43 was changed to then. (I-43 by Sheboygan was still 55 MPH when other parts of the freeway was changed to 65 MPH in 1987.)

That may be. But the alignment in 1956 was along Fond du Lac Ave and Greenfield Drive thru Falls. You can see where there used to be a road at the east end of Greenfield to the 43/23 interchange on Google Maps imagery. You can see the earlier route at http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/68117/Sheboygan+County/Wisconsin+State+Atlas+1956+Highway+Maps/Wisconsin/ (http://www.historicmapworks.com/Map/US/68117/Sheboygan+County/Wisconsin+State+Atlas+1956+Highway+Maps/Wisconsin/)


That's the former routing of 23...not 28.

You are correct. Duh!  :banghead:
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: Duke87 on August 21, 2014, 12:30:57 AM
So I have to ask - I recall hearing a rumor once about there being a county highway KKK somewhere. Does this exist? If not, did it exist at some point in the past?
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: Big John on August 21, 2014, 03:53:57 AM
Quote from: Duke87 on August 21, 2014, 12:30:57 AM
So I have to ask - I recall hearing a rumor once about there being a county highway KKK somewhere. Does this exist? If not, did it exist at some point in the past?
Just south of Rosendale off WI 26.  Now called Triple Kay.
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: on_wisconsin on August 22, 2014, 12:49:24 PM
How about lettered (and double lettered) township roads : https://goo.gl/maps/Gzcg6
Title: Re: Wisconsin triple letter highways. Are these pretty rare?
Post by: SEWIGuy on August 22, 2014, 01:36:36 PM
Quote from: on_wisconsin on August 22, 2014, 12:49:24 PM
How about lettered (and double lettered) township roads : https://goo.gl/maps/Gzcg6


Yep.  There is a "Town MM" in Dodge County that I assume is a former County Highway.