The legislation made Wisconsin the first state to have a standard numbering system for its highways.

The 1917 law required the creation of a distinctive state route marker, which was initially an inverted triangle.

"...it soon became apparent that (the triangle) served no really useful purpose after the public had become educated to the idea of the numbering.

"[1] Distinctive route markers were eventually redesigned to use a rounded rectangle for better space usage, but the inverted triangle remains superimposed, as a vestige.

[1] These routes were altered significantly in 1926 when United States Numbered Highways were commissioned.