Coalition Raises Concerns on I-94 Construction

Milwaukee, WI – This week the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WISDOT) began the planned eight years of construction to expand around three miles of I-94 in Milwaukee. Pastor Richard Shaw, president of Milwaukee Innercity Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) critiqued the announcement in the following statement, on behalf of the coalition of groups involved in the lawsuit.

“In 2024, civil rights, economic justice and environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the proposed I-94 expansion in Milwaukee, citing the numerous negative impacts that the project would have on neighboring communities and the unbalanced spending of billions upon billions of dollars on highway expansion projects while public transit has been declining for lack of funds. This lawsuit is pending, and WISDOT is moving forward with the project at their own risk.”

In addition to ongoing concerns with the project, updated information about the project does not follow recommendations from the Environmental Protection Agency including the use of appropriate reference communities in the project’s environmental justice analysis; the need to address the cumulative effects of air emissions from the corridor in triggering asthma episodes in adjacent neighborhoods, where residents already suffer high levels of asthma; and addressing the impacts of construction noise and vibration on nearby residents. In addition, the recent extensive flood damage along the Menomonee River confirms that expanding the highway’s footprint by 54 acres will exacerbate flooding, virtually ignored in the project’s environmental review.

We are concerned with the large amount of disruption to traffic — and to the transit system — that the construction will cause, as well as the air pollution, water pollution, noise, and construction vibration from the work that is beginning. While the roadway needs repair and safety improvements, this expansion will statistically only improve traffic flow for a year or two after construction is done.

Pastor Shaw continued, “The bottom line is this: this project continues to be a poorly contrived idea that will have little positive payoff for the many years of harm, traffic disruption and pollution that construction will cause. This expansion will cause permanent environmental and societal impacts.This is a waste of time, money and resources.”

[inartilead ad=”UM-In-Article-2″]Organizations represented in the lawsuit include Milwaukee Innercity Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH), Milwaukee Riverkeeper, 1000 Friends of Wisconsin and Sierra Club – Wisconsin Chapter, who are represented by the Law Office of Dennis Grzezinski, Midwest Environmental Advocates and Legal Action Wisconsin.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.