Preferred alternative announced for I-94 East-West project, Milwaukee County

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration today announced a preferred alternative for reconstruction of the I-94 East-West corridor between 70^th Street and 16^th Street in Milwaukee County. The preferred alternative improves safety, replaces aging infrastructure and reduces congestion on the nearly 60-year-old highway.

“Safety is our agency’s highest priority and doing nothing about this section of I-94 is not an option,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “Listening to people who live in the community is a vital part of creating safe roads. We placed a high priority on public involvement during the I-94 East-West reevaluation which resulted in significant changes to the previous proposal, and we remain committed to working with stakeholders to minimize any impacts to the community.”

To ensure that decisions about reconstructing the corridor are based on the best, most recent data and public input, WisDOT recently completed a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

As a result of the input gathered during this process, the preferred alternative includes constructing a modern eight-lane freeway and replacing the Stadium Interchange with a Diverging Diamond Interchange. Other improvements include:

• Modernizing the Hawley Road, 35^th Street and 25^th/27^th Street interchanges to provide better and safer access for Milwaukee neighborhoods.
• Enhancing connections for nearby Milwaukee neighborhoods to other areas of the city, county and state.
• Improving bicycle and pedestrian accommodations across I-94 and connecting the Hank Aaron State Trail with the Oak Leaf Trail.
• Increasing safety and efficiency on adjacent east-west roadways by reducing future traffic volumes on local roadways. Local roads can better function for all modes of transportation.

WisDOT is anticipated to invest $25 million in transit solutions as a traffic mitigation strategy during construction. Short-term effects of the increased transit funding will aid Milwaukee County’s efforts to employ new transit such as the 27^th Street Bus Rapid Transit.

As a result of the public involvement through the environmental document process, some impacts were reduced including smaller infrastructure footprints and less real estate acquisition.

Two public hearings are planned so the public can review and provide input on the preferred alternative.

• Monday, December 12, 2022, from 3 to 7 p.m.
  • Wisconsin State Fair Park, Tommy Thompson Youth Center, Gate #5
    640 S. 84^th Street, Milwaukee
  • Transit access via MCTS Route 33.
• Wednesday, December 14, 2022, from 4 to 7 p.m.
  • Marquette University High School (enter from Michigan Street parking lot)
    3401 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee
  • Transit access via MCTS Routes: 35, 30 and Gold Line.

More information on the I-94 East-West corridor project can be found at wisconsindot.gov/94eastwest.

Depending on final approvals and funding, construction on this section of I-94 is currently expected to begin in 2025.

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.