The Highway Commission had its beginnings as a division of the Geological and Natural History Survey in 1907, partially as a result of pioneering work done by State Geologist W.O. Hotchkiss and publication by him in 1906 of a survey of Wisconsin roads. In 1908 the State Constitution was amended to permit Wisconsin to engage in building roads. State aid for road building was authorized in 1911, and a State Highway Commission was created to administer aids and to engineer construction (Chapter 337, laws of 1911). In 1917 a state trunk highway (STH) system was established, and in 1929 the Highway Commission was re-organized and transformed from a five person, part-time agency to a three person, full-time agency. The three member Commission directed the highway department and managed the state highway fund and federal aid. The highway department maintained the highway system, provided engineering and consultation services, made surveys and acquired rights-of-way, and distributed aids to local governments.
With the reorganization of state government agencies in 1967 (Chapter 75), the Highway Commission was placed under the newly created Department of Transportation. It was abolished in 1979, and its duties were consolidated with the Division of Highways to form the Division of Highways and Transportation Facilities. The Division of Highways was a distinct entity in the Department of Transportation and exercised its powers independently of the department head except for program budgeting, coordination, and related management functions. The Division of Highways was responsible for all matters pertaining to the expenditure of state and federal funds for the design, construction, and improvement of highways. The Division of Highways of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation became the Division of Highways and Transportation Facilities in 1979. In 1985 this division merged with the Department of Transportation Districts to become the Division of Highways and Transportation Services. The Division of Highways and Transportation Services coordinates and provides direction in the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the State Trunk Highway System and the Federal Aid System of Highways and other departmental facilities programs.
See each Agency's History in the catalog:
