Secondary Sites

A historical marker sign
Historical marker at Lake Pepin

Secondary sites are roadside locations with a variety of amenities for travelers. The Wisconsin Department Transportation's Roadside Facilities Unit maintains several types of secondary sites. This page has information about these secondary sites and their features.

Types of Secondary Sites

Boat Landing: A site with a boat launch.

  • Parking

Historical Marker: A site with a sign or panel that describes one of the following aspects of Wisconsin's history: archaeology, architecture, culture, ethnic associations, geology, history, legends, or natural history.

Parking Turnout: A site adjacent to a highway which a vehicle may pull into to turn around or to allow others to pass.

  • Temporary parking

Scenic Overlook: A site that is an elevated location to view and photograph scenery.

  • Parking
  • Picnic areas on a smaller scale
  • Trash and recycling areas

A wayside overlooks a roadway.
The view at the wayside at the intersection of WIS 35 and WIS 54

Table Site: A site with one or more picnic tables to view scenery or enjoy a meal.

  • Parking
  • Picnic areas on a smaller scale
  • Trash and recycling areas

Wayside: A site that is open seasonally during summer months (Memorial Day to Labor Day), generally located on two-lane highways in scenic locations, and more rustic in nature than a Safety Rest Area.

  • Restroom facilities
  • Parking
  • Drinking water
  • Picnic areas
  • Road map and other traveler information
  • Trash and recycling areas

Welcome Sign: A site with a sign adjacent to the highway welcoming travelers into the state of Wisconsin.

Looking for a Secondary Site?

Visit the WisDOT roadside facilities map to easily locate Safety Rest Areas, waysides, scenic overlooks, historical markers, or parking turnouts.

Lost and Found

For lost items, visit roadsidefacilities.org.

Comments

We welcome your comments and suggestions:

  • Which secondary site you visited
  • Date and time you were there
  • What you liked or didn't like


The recycling area at a wayside.

Please use the provided trash containers and recycling bins and help keep Wisconsin's secondary sites clean.

A comprehensive team of people work cooperatively behind the scenes to keep our secondary sites clean, safe and in good working order:

  • Local Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRP), through the Rest Area Maintenance (RAM) program, provide the day-to-day maintenance at each safety rest area and some waysides. The CRPs provide employment for nearly 400 people with disabilities who might otherwise have limited employment opportunities.
  • Disability Service Provider Network (DSPN), a private non-profit organization, is responsible for direction of the CRPs at secondary sites.
  • Counties are responsible for snow plowing at waysides and the maintenance of some waysides.
  • WisDOT's Bureau of Highway Maintenance is responsible for overseeing the statewide wayside operation

history mark

A historical marker at Safety Rest Area 11 describes the history of rest areas: "Early roadside rest areas consisted of rural school grounds and country churchyards with their two little 'houses' in back.

In Wisconsin, by 1920, curves were built to eliminate sharp road corners. Local garden clubs, with the American Legion and Auxiliary, began to beautify many of the resulting triangles with flowers and shrubs. Motorists used these places to relax and picnic.

In 1931, the Wisconsin Legislature authorized highway beautification, and later the familiar waysides – small roadside parks at first, and for many years, with no water or sanitation.

In 1940, garden and women’s clubs, the Legion, the Wisconsin Friends of Our Native Landscape and others organized the Wisconsin Roadside Council, joined by the County Highway and County Boards Associations, to aid the State Highway Commission in roadside development and increasing and improving waysides.

Through such initiatives Wisconsin gained the experience to become one of the very first states to provide these modern, full-facility I-Road safety rest areas you now enjoy approximately every 50 miles.

Wisconsin Historical Marker plaques, commemorating historical facts and events are located on-site at many safety rest areas and waysides."