Wisconsin is
located
at the center of
North America. In fact, the town of Rietbrock is at the exact
center of
both the western and northern hemispheres! It is there that
the
90th
meridian of longitude bisects the 45th parallel of latitude, meaning it
is exactly halfway between the North Pole and the Equator, and is a
quarter of the way around the earth from Greenwich, England.
The state's
central location means that 44% of all Americans living within 750
miles
of the state's borders. Milwaukee, Wisconsin's largest city
and
a Great
Lakes Port, has been designated a major foreign trade zone. There are
four additional foreign trade subzones located in the state.
The
cornerstones of Wisconsin's trade network are its highway, rail, air,
and port systems.
AIRPORTS
Wisconsin
has 104 public airports. Of this number, over 50 airports
can accommodate small corporate jet traffic, and 12 airports
provide regularly-scheduled year-round air carrier services.
Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport is the state's hub for
domestic and international transport. Additional flights are available
at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, located 70 miles south of
Milwaukee and the Minneapolis St. Paul International airport, just 30
miles from Wisconsin's western border.
INTERSTATE AND
HIGHWAY SYSTEM
Wisconsin's
most extensive transportation system is its interstate,highway, and
connective road network. Over 112,000 miles of
toll-free,well-maintained roads link cities and resources within
Wisconsin and around the country. Less congested than the national
average,Wisconsin's interstate highways ensure greater reliability
for just-in-time deliveries.
Wisconsin's Corridors
2020Program is accelerating improvements to key highway linkages across
the state in order to meet the transportation needs of Wisconsin's
business into the 21st century. When completed, over 95 percent of the
state's population will live within 25 miles of a multi-lane divided
highway.
RAILROADS
Wisconsin's
3,646 miles of rail link the state to major cities across the
continent.
Both Class 1 and regional railroads serve Wisconsin's extensive rail
network. Major lines include Burlington Northern, Inc.;Union Pacific
(C&NW); Canadian Pacific (Soo); Canadian National(CN);
Wisconsin
and Southern; and the Escanaba and Lake Superior.
WATERPORTS
Wisconsin's
commercial ports offer state-of-the-art facilities that can handle
machinery, liquid, dry bulk, steel, containers, and heavy lift cargo.
Fourteen major commercial ports connect global markets to Wisconsin.
The
1,050 miles of Wisconsin waterways, integral to the world's water
transport system, provide ocean linkage via the Great Lakes and the
Mississippi River.
