WisDOT: New Rustic Road approved for Oconto County

For more information, contact:

Jane Carrola, WisDOT Rustic Roads Coordinator

(608) 266-0649, jane.carrola@dot.wi.gov

Governor Jim Doyle has announced the addition of a new Rustic Road in Wisconsin, bringing the number of Rustic Roads in the state to 109, and the number of miles included in the program to over 609. The newest Rustic Road, R109, also known as North Park Avenue Road, begins in the city of Oconto and proceeds north for several miles. It is the first Rustic Road designated for Oconto County, in the northeastern area of the state.

The Rustic Road system in Wisconsin was created in 1973 to preserve Wisconsin’s scenic, lightly traveled country roads for leisurely enjoyment of bikers, hikers and motorists. Rustic Roads range from under two miles to 37 miles in length, have speed limits of no more than 45 miles per hour, and remain under local government jurisdiction.

R109 is referred to by some local residents as “Wisconsin’s Everglades” because the road runs through a large complex of coastal wetlands that ultimately connect to the Oconto Marsh. Along some parts of the route, travelers will see majestic cattails that line both sides of the road, as well as blue flag iris, swamp milkweed, marsh fern and lowland grasses. In the middle of the route, the trees lining the road form a graceful canopy that arches over the road. R109 also has a century farmstead visible from the road.

For complete information on the Rustic Roads network, visit the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Web site at http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/scenic/rusticroads.htm.