May 3, 2024

By Lane Kimble

MILWAUKEE — The East-West Corridor and I-794 in Milwaukee share plenty of similarities beyond the obvious: one flows into the other.  Their futures, though, could look quite different.

Those two stretches of freeway were the center of attention Wednesday afternoon at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino during the Wisconsin Policy Forum’s Transportation Viewpoint Luncheon.

About 200 people, including WTBA Executive Director Steve Baas, attended.

WisDOT Southeast Region Director Bob Gutierrez said work to expand the I-94 East-West Corridor from six to eight lanes while redesigning the Stadium Interchange will begin in 2025, despite an ongoing federal civil rights complaint over the expansion.

WisDOT received a federal record of decision this year approving the project.

“We had (a civil rights complaint) on the Zoo and we were able to work through that, ultimately, and provide resolution to that and I see the same thing for that,” Gutierrez said.  “That complaint will not hold up the progress of this.”

Gutierrez said the project will also benefit city streets in places such as National Avenue, where crews will be able to install protected bike lanes thanks to reduced traffic.  He added the $68 billion in freight that moves through the corridor is vital to maintain “not just (for) the city, it’s statewide.”

Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce President Dale Kooyenga, who was on a diverse stakeholder panel, agreed with that notion.

“We’re still a manufacturing community,” Kooyenga said.

“We’ve got to make sure we don’t have bottlenecks. That hits our productivity, that makes us unattractive for businesses to be in this region if we don’t have a part of our interstate that’s not moving traffic and you know that part of the interstate is not moving.”

Meanwhile, I-794’s future remains very much up in the air.  The aging connection to the Hoan Bridge could either be rebuilt on its existing footprint, redesigned, or demolished altogether.

Supporters of demolition say it would better connect downtown Milwaukee with the Third Ward and open dozens of acres to commercial development, while opponents fear overcrowded city streets and cutting off the southern suburbs.

“There’s probably a win-win for a lot of the community as far as what they want to see,” Kooyenga said, adding MMAC is still gathering information from all of its members.

Gutierrez said WisDOT intends to whittle down numerous options in time for a public information meeting this fall.  The Department will then choose its recommended alternative late this year or in early 2025.