I-94 East-West Corridor Study, Milwaukee - Milwaukee County

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Project Location

I-94 (between 70th St. and 16th St.) in Milwaukee County.

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View I-94 East-West Corridor project location.

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Thank you for your interest in the I-94 East-West project in Milwaukee. The project is underway with the goal to modernize the stretch of I-94 between 70th and 16th streets to improve safety, replace aging infrastructure (originally constructed in the 1960s) and reduce congestion.

Having a safer and more efficient roadway connecting the Zoo Interchange and the Marquette Interchange will prove to be a benefit to the City, County and the State of Wisconsin.

This segment of roadway serves an ethnically and financially diverse population. Having a modernized system will help connect people to jobs and will allow growth to continue in the area and across the region. As you review the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement, it should be noted that we anticipate very few impacts to private residences and limited impact to businesses along the corridor.

In addition to improved safety for the traveling public, reduced travel delays will help to mitigate impacts to air quality. In the preceding years, we have seen the traffic rebound from the pandemic to be very near pre-pandemic levels which supports the continued need for this type of infrastructure investment. Investment in transit, local roads, bike and pedestrian, port, rail and air are all a part of our overall plan to support Wisconsin's transportation system.

We appreciate your thoughts on the project and look forward to continued feedback on what this project could mean to the corridor, region and State. As planning moves forward, there will be several opportunities for public engagement. Here is a look back at the Input Opportunities to Date, as well as some other project facts.

Project Overview

WisDOT is continuing an environmental and engineering analysis of the I-94 East-West Freeway Corridor. The project covers approximately 3.5 miles of I-94 between 70th Street and 16th Street in Milwaukee County. The project includes one system interchange (WIS 175/WIS 341/Miller Park Way) and five service interchanges (70th Street/68th Street, Hawley Road, Mitchell Boulevard, 35th Street, and 26th Street/St. Paul Avenue.)

This portion of the I-94 East-West Freeway corridor opened to traffic in 1961 and 1962. It is the link between the Marquette Interchange and Zoo Interchange. It plays a key role in moving commuters, tourists, freight and other movements to major sites around and beyond the Southeast region of the state.

WisDOT has maintained and rehabilitated the ramps, bridges, pavements and other structures over the past 50 years, and the corridor is nearing the end of its useful life cycle. Now is the time to take the next steps to determine how the corridor is rebuilt to ensure that it serves the economy of Southeastern Wisconsin for decades to come.

Traffic from around the region, state and nation passes through this corridor, and there are many major institutions and tourist attractions that are in close proximity, including:

  • Veterans Administration complex
  • American Family Field
  • Molson Coors Brewery
  • Menomonee Valley businesses, including Potawatomi Casino

Purpose and Need

The Purpose and Need describes the reason why the project is being considered. Purpose and Need factors for the I-94 East-West Corridor study remain the same as stated in the 2016 Final Environmental Impact Statement. The supporting information regarding the needs for the project has been updated to reflect current conditions.

Status/Phase

The study began in 2012 and was placed on hold in 2017. WisDOT and the Federal Highway Administration are evaluating the input received during the comment period. A final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is currently being drafted. It is expected that the combined Final EIS and Record of Decision (ROD) will be available later in 2023.

Schedule

Past (anything prior to today):

  • February 2016 - Final Environmental Impact Statement available for public review
  • December 3 and 4, 2014 - Public hearings on DEIS
  • November 14, 2014-January 27, 2015 – DEIS availability period; extended 74-day comment period exceeded federal requirements
  • June 2014 - PIM (Public Involvement Meeting)
  • July 2013 - PIM, screened alternatives presented
  • May 2013 – PIM, alternatives refined and further developed
  • December 2012 - PIM, initial alternatives presented
  • Fall 2012 - Initial alternatives development
  • August 2012 - PIMs conducted
  • 2012 - Agency coordination and data gathering started

Contacts

Chris Zacharias, WisDOT Project Manager
(262) 548-6716
Christopher.Zacharias@dot.wi.gov

Dan Sellers, WisDOT Communications Manager
(262) 548-6702
Daniel.Sellers@dot.wi.gov

Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT)
Southeast Region
141 NW Barstow St.
P.O. Box 798
Waukesha, WI 53187-0798
Phone: (262) 548-5902
Fax: (262) 548-5662
TDD: 711
ser.dtsd@dot.wi.gov