MADISON, Wis. (WRCO/WRCE) – A bill approved Wednesday by the Wisconsin Senate would designate State Highway 80 as a memorial highway for military veterans.

2023 Senate Bill 249 would make Highway 80 the Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial
Highway.

The bipartisan bill was introduced by Sens. Joan Ballweg, Mary Felzkowski, Jesse James, Howard Marklein, Stephen Nass, Mark Spreitzer, Lena Taylor, Patrick Testin and Van Wanggaard. The bill is also co-sponsored by 33 members of the Assembly, or one-third of that part of the legislature. Registering in support of the bill was the American Legion Department of Wisconsin.

S.B. 249 would instruct the Wis. Department of Transportation to make Highway 80 a living memorial to and in honor of all Wisconsin veterans, living and dead, of both Operation Desert Storm and Operation Desert Shield. Signs would be placed along the highway, which begins at Highway 10 in the Town of Cameron near Marshfield and travels almost due south to the Wisconsin-Illinois State line near Hazel Green.

Sen. Howard Marklein and Rep. Tony Kurtz testified in favor of the bill. The bill unanimously passed the Committee on Transportation and Local Government.

The DOT said that it could absorb the costs of placing highway markers into its budget.

The highway is about 175 miles long and passes through Wood, Juneau, Vernon, Richland, Grant and Iowa counties, including municipalities such as Pittsville, Necedah, New Lisbon, Elroy, Union Center, Hillsboro, Richland Center, Muscoda, Cobb, Montfort, Platteville and Hazel Green.

You can read the full bill text on the Wisconsin State Legislature website.