State Trunk Highway 15
Wis 15 is a major commuter route between New London and Appleton. It was constructed as an expressway to bypass the Fox River Mall area and was completed in 1998. The route was cosigned with U.S. 45 between Greenville and New London in preparation for the route to be signed solely as Wis 15 after construction projects were completed on the relocated route of U.S. 45.
Wis 15 was formerly used along the entire length of the Rock Freeway between Beloit and Milwaukee, but was replaced with an extension of Interstate 43 in 1987.
An estimated $134.7 million project upgrades Wis 15 between New London and Greenville to four lanes with an expressway bypass of Hortonville. The preferred corridor for the realignment and expansion of Wis 15 was selected in June 2007. Work on the Hortonsville Bypass got underway in June 2021 and was finished in November 2023. Widening of Wis 15 between CTH-JJ and Lily of the Valley Drive was underway between April 2022 and November 2023.1
Construction for the West Segment of the Wis 15 Highway Expansion project upgrades the two lane route into a four lane expressway between U.S. 45 and CTH-T (Givens Road). Work commenced in April 2024 and extends to late 2024.1
East
Wis 15 curves around a hill east of New London and south of the Wolf River.
05/20/16
Wis 15 shifts east onto the Hortonville Bypass leading into a roundabout with CTH-JJ and CTH-T. CTH-JJ follows old Wis 15/historic U.S. 45 east into Hortonsville. CTH-T stems south to Wis 96 at Dale.
03/29/24
Construction on the Hortonville Bypass for Wis 15 started on June 2021 and was completed in November 2023.1 The expressway spans a CN Railroad just east of CTH T/JJ.
03/29/24
The Hortonville Bypass initially runs across rural areas northwest of the village limits.
03/29/24
The Hortonsville Bypass curves southeast beyond the crossing of Black Otter Creek.
03/29/24
There are no interchanges of intersections along the Hortonsville Bypass. Wis 15 enters the village ahead of the County M (N Olk Street) underpass.
03/29/24
Nash Street angles northeast from the Hortonville village center across Wis 15 to Grand View Road.
03/29/24
CTH-JJ returns to Wis 15 at a multi lane roundabout. CTH-JJ (Broadway Drive) runs along the north village limits of Greenville east to CTH-A en route to Kaukauna.
03/29/24
Wis 15 continues southeast from the Hortonville Bypass along Greenville Drive. Widening of Wis 15 east to Lily of the Valley Drive was completed in November 2023.1
03/29/24
The ensuing stretch of Wis 15 (Greenville Drive) falls within the village of Greenville.
03/29/24
The CN Railroad converges with Wis 15 east from Hortonville at an at-grade crossing.
03/29/24
Wis 15 east at Bennett Circle in Greenville.
03/29/24
Wis 15 (Greenville Drive) east at Julius Drive.
03/29/24
A center median lined with street lights separates the four lanes of traffic along Wis 15 at Lily of the Valley Drive. Traffic lights were added here after 2018.
03/29/24
Greenville was previously an unincorporated community. Incorporated of the village took place in 2021.
04/18/16
Wis 76 replaced US 45 south of Wis 15 and Greenville. East of this intersection, Wis 15 replaced Wis 76 after the mall bypass was complete.
04/18/16
Forthcoming Wis 76 stretches 43 miles overall from Bear Creek to Oshkosh.
04/18/16
Wis 15 (Greenville Drive) east at Wis 76 (Municipal Drive). Wis 76 is the main north south arterial through Greenville.
04/18/16
Wis 15 (Greenville Drive) advances southeast through a residential area. Driveways are limited and a 45 mile per hour speed limit is maintained.
04/18/16
A center turn lane provides access to some driveways as Wis 15 transitions into a five lane arterial.
04/18/16
Greenwood Road stems north from nearby School Road to intersect Wis 15 at this traffic light. The local road extends north by a number of subdivisions to Everglade Road.
04/18/16
STH-15 shifts east from Greenville Drive at CTH-CB. Old Wis 76 (Greenville Drive) continued straight before Wis 15 was constructed. The remaining old alignment begins at County CB just south of the Wis 15 intersection and is designated as County GV.
04/18/16
A multi lane roundabout replaced traffic signals at STH-15 and CTH-CB in 2012 for added capacity.
04/18/16
Wis 15 continues east on the "Mall Bypass" beyond County CB.
04/18/16
Access is restricted to signalized intersections between County CB and I-41.
04/18/16
Mayflower Drive meets STH-15 at the first of three traffic lights.
04/18/16
One mile east of Mayflower Drive, Wis 15 intersects Casaloma Drive. Casaloma Drive constitutes a four lane boulevard that provides access to Fox Cities Stadium and the western entrance to Fox River Mall.
04/18/16
Wis 15 ends at the upcoming exchange with Interstate 41 opposite from the beginning of County OO (Northland Avenue).
04/18/16
Both entrance ramps to Interstate 41 are on the left side of Wis 15 / County OO east. Construction underway to September 2025 rebuilds the parclo interchange into a DDI.
04/18/16
South from Appleton, Interstate 41 joins the Fox Cities with Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and Milwaukee.
04/18/16
County OO is the pre-freeway alignment of U.S. 41 before the current freeway was completed in the early 1960s.
04/18/16
Interstate 41 wraps around the Fox Cities east en route to De Pere, Ashwaubenon and Green Bay in Brown County.
04/18/16
Old East
Confirming marker for STH-15 formerly posted east of CTH-T south and Givens Road west.
05/20/16
Entering the village of Hortonville, CTH-JJ (old Wis 15) transitions to Main Street.
05/20/16
Charlie's is a classic drive in restaurant located along Main Street in Hortonville.
05/20/16
County JJ (Main Street) intersects County M (Nash Street) in the Hortonville business district. The county trunk highway travels between Medina and Wis 54 near Shiocton.
05/20/16
County M (Nash Street) is the main north south roadway in Hortonville.
05/20/16
CTH-JJ (old Wis 15) leaves Hortonville to the north of Black Otter Lake.
05/20/16
County JJ skirts across the northern end of the Fox Cities from Wis 15 to Wis 96 near Wrightstown. Development increases south of the roadway into the cities.
05/20/16
A multi lane roundabout was constructed as part of the Hortonville Bypass just east of the previous intersection joining Wis 15 and County JJ (Broadway Drive).
05/20/16
References:
- WIS 15 - Outagamie County - Highway Expansion & Hortonville Bypass. Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WISDOT), project web site. Accessed August 8, 2024.
Photo Credits:
- Peter Johnson: 04/18/16, 05/20/16, 03/29/24
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Page Updated Thursday August 08, 2024.