Military road

A military road is a type of road built by an armed force of a country which is usually responsible for its access, control and maintenance.

They are used mostly by soldiers, government officials, and sometimes the public. Most military roads are not accessible by public vehicles, however, some are designated as state highways that maintains it. Some military roads are known as government access roads, since the military is a part of the government. Anyone who is not a government official that drives on these private roads usually is summoned or prosecuted.

Military roads have played a significant role during wars in the 18th century. They linked important cities during wars, as well as vital links for commercial and telegraph use. Swamps and streams were large obstacles when building military routes in various locations in the United States.

Sources

List of military roads

The following is a list of military roads worldwide.

Australia

Canada

Georgia

India

Ireland

United Kingdom

Military Ridge Road

Military Ridge Road was a road built by the U.S. Army in 1835, connecting Green Bay, Wisconsin with Fort Crawford (Prairie du Chien) via Fond du Lac, Fort Winnebago (Portage), Madison, and Dodgeville. This first military road was a beginning of government planning for overland travel, which eventually led Wisconsin, first as a territory and later as a state, and its localities to finance its own system of roadways for various purposes. Remains of the road that exist today are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Financing and construction

Financed by Congressional action in 1832 and constructed between 1835 and 1837, the first military road in Wisconsin Territory connected three forts. From Fort Howard near Green Bay, the road extended south along the eastern shore of Lake Winnebago and then headed southwest toward Fort Winnebago (near present-day Portage along the Wisconsin River). From Fort Winnebago, the road looped further southwest toward Fort Crawford on the Mississippi River (near present-day Prairie du Chien).