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100 years of US routes: 1926-2026
Endpoints of
Neither of US 118's historic endpoints are widely-known locations, but when viewed in a more regional context, it becomes clear that US 118 functioned as part of the connection between Madison and Dubuque:
c. 1927, Rand McNally
Dodgeville
In this photo, we are looking north on WI hwy. 23 in Dodgeville -- this is the historic eastern terminus of US 118:
Sanderson, Aug. 2005
The cross street (now Iowa County Highway YZ) is the original routing of US 18 east of Dodgeville. US 118 came north on today's WI 23, and it ended at that intersection.
In 1937, when US 151 replaced US 118, it was dual-signed with US 18 east of Dodgeville to Madison (as it is yet today). At some point after that, US 18 was changed to its current alignment, which runs one block south of this intersection (behind the camera). Here, we are looking west on old US 18:
Sanderson, Aug. 2005
US 18 continued ahead, joining modern US 18 off in the distance. The east beginning of US 118 was to the left. Heading that direction today, one encounters US 18 after one block, and then the modern US 151 (a newer four-lane road) way off on the south side of town.
Dickeyville
These photos show the historic western terminus of US 118 in Dickeyville. Southbound US 61 and WI hwy. 35 come from the right and run straight ahead. Southbound US 151 came from behind the camera and continued that direction out of Dickeyville:
Enslin, 2001
Sanderson, Aug. 2005
This photo shows the west beginning from the perspective of northbound US 61, which angles off to the left. The west beginning of US 118 was to the right along US 151 (US 118 was decommissioned after it was subsumed by an extension of US 151):
Sanderson, Aug. 2005
At the time of that photo, the last remaining segment of US 151 that had not yet been four-laned between Madison and Dubuque was the portion through Dickeyville (the new alignment was under construction). But it was not long before the bypass was opened to traffic, so now that intersection is signed differently (US 151 traffic is no longer directed through there).
Research and/or image credits: Jon Enslin; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa
Page originally created 2001;last updated Sep. 4, 2025.
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