Location
All roads lead to Portage

Visitors making their way to Portage will find little difficulty as all roads truly do lead here. Interstate Highways 90/94 and 39 lie alongside Portage; travelers from Milwaukee, Chicago and beyond can continue on I-90/94 to the Twin Cities and farther west. Highways 51 and 16 pass through the city and intersect State Highway 33 in the heart of downtown. Portage is conveniently located about 35 miles from Madison, 90 minutes from Milwaukee, three hours from Chicago and four hours from the Twin Cities.

The Portage Municipal Airport is a public-use facility featuring two asphalt runways. The City, in conjunction with the State of Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics, continues to investigate possibilities for a new municipal airport, with a master plan recently developed by consulting firm HNTB. Commercial service is available through the Dane County Regional Airport, located 35 minutes from Portage.

The Portage Public Transit shuttles commuters from Portage’s Market Square to Madison’s North Transfer Point and back Monday-Friday for a minimal fare. Van Pool exists for commuters to Madison and the Snow Shuttle Xpress makes hourly stops during the winter months at various locations throughout the Portage area. The Columbia County Commission on Aging provides transportation for seniors who are over 60 years of age or disabled for a nominal charge. In addition, a cab service in town operates 24/7, the local Amtrak station serves rail passengers via the cross-country Empire Builder Route and the Canadian Pacific Rail mainline provides rail freight service.