It's a great article, but we thought we'd add to it by linking to some other sources. Did you know you can read many of Wisconsin's historical laws online?
1911 Wisconsin Act 337 created the State Highway Commission, which is credited for creating a uniform system of highways in the state. In 1917, the legislature created the state trunk highway system with 1917 Wisconsin Act 175. A county trunk system was set up with 1925 Wisconsin Act 263, although according to various sources (e.g. this summary from Wisconsin Highways) a system was already established between counties prior to the legislature passing a law.
For a thorough historical overview, read A history of Wisconsin highway development, 1835-1945. This book has been digitized with the help of libraries and is available to read online.
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| Read A history of Wisconsin highway development, 1835-1945 |
"In 1921, a movement developed wherin the county boards determined to restrict the improvement of the County Systems of Prospective State Highways to certain preferred roads, and many county boards laid out county Trunk Highway Systems without legislative authorization to establish such systems. In many cases the county boards determined to patrol only certain roads, and in other cases the boards assumed greater responsibility. Some roads designated county trunk highways by the county boards were not officially approved portions of the County Systems of Prospective State Highways. By 1924, every county in the state had laid out such a system, with the effect that each county had assumed responsibility for a system of preferred highways composed in general of portions of the County Systems of Prospective State Highways, which totaled approximately 11,000 miles." - page 58 (p. 90 of the file) of A history of Wisconsin highway development, 1835-1945