Zoo Interchange (Milwaukee, WI) bridge closed permanently

[mgk920]

WisDOT permanently closed the northbound I-894/US 45 to northbound US 45 ramp (the northbound 'through' lanes) at the I-94/894/US 45 'Zoo' interchange on west side of Milwaukee, WI at about 11:00 this morning (Fri, 2010-03-26) due to advanced deterioration and new cracks that were found by inspectors in the ramp's bridge over EB I-94.  There is a temporary replacement for that bridge already under construction, but it won't be ready until late May.  Full re-engineering/reconstruction of this interchange is not expected to start for several years.

This ramp is of *CRITICAL* importance to the economy of all of northeastern Wisconsin (including my home town area of Appleton) and carries an AADT in the 42K range.  The local traffic detour will be NB I-894 -> EB I-94 -> 'U' turn at 84th St to WB I-94 -> NB US 45.  Long-distance traffic from (for example) Chicago to NE Wisconsin will have to follow I-94 through the city, including the Marquette interchange downtown.

See:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/89271577.html

THANK YOU JIM DOYLE!



Mike

[tchafe1978]

Sure....blame it all on the governor. Thee's other issues and players involved as well.

[mgk920]

Sure....blame it all on the governor. Thee's other issues and players involved as well.

Another BIG player was Tom Barrett (Mayor of City of Milwaukee) - pleaded with Doyle to veto money for engineering its replacement from the state budget several years ago and Doyle agreed.



Mike

[Stephane Dumas]

Tom Barrett and Jim Doyle really lack some vision 

[mgk920]

Tom Barrett and Jim Doyle really lack some vision 

Yea.  [political mode]Also, Governor Doyle(D) is not running for re-election this fall (election day is 2010-11-02) and Barrett (also a 'D') is running for his seat.  Right now, Doyle has microscopic statewide approval ratings and I am fully expecting the state's 'R's to hammer on this issue all summer long.  AND, they already are, as billboards hammering on it have already started appearing in the Milwaukee area.

See:
http://www.620wtmj.com/shows/charliesykes/89382222.html?blog=y

Also, from the 'R's:
http://www.barrettbypass.com/
and
http://www.scottwalker.org/node/1035
[/political mode]



Mike

[SSOWorld]

"Unlike the Marquette Interchange, the Zoo Interchange will stand long enough for us to resolve these issues."

Yeah like it stood up longer than your bullshit

Politicians and their petty antics costing us money once again.

[tchafe1978]

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/opencms/export/nr/modules/news/news_1929.html_786229440.html

Secretary Busalacchi announces Zoo Interchange bridge will open Friday morning
March 31, 2010


Milwaukee — Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi today announced that the US 45 northbound bridge through the Zoo Interchange will be opened to traffic this Friday, April 2, 2010 at 5:00 a.m.

"The top priority of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is to ensure the safety of the motoring public in the Zoo Interchange,"  Secretary Frank Busalacchi said. "It is through an exceptional amount of hard work and teamwork that we are able to open the new northbound US 45 bridge this Friday morning, just one week to the day after we discovered a serious public safety concern. I thank our staff and contractor for working so hard to make it happen."  

Last Friday, the Department of Transportation (DOT) immediately closed the bridge after inspections revealed additional cracking in its structure.  DOT staff and the contractor, Milwaukee Constructors LLC, worked day and night to complete the new northbound US 45 bridge as quickly as possible.  Weight restrictions have been in place on the bridge since August 2009, and even with increased law enforcement on the Zoo Interchange bridges, overweight trucks continued to ignore the posted limits.

Secretary Busalacchi thanked the workers and contractors for quickly acting to construct the bridge.  Today, Secretary Busalacchi also discussed the progress of improvements to the Southeast Wisconsin freeway system.

DOT has known for decades that three major infrastructure projects needed to be done in Southeast Wisconsin.  This includes: the Marquette Interchange, which was completed in 2008 under budget and ahead of schedule; the I-94 Corridor, which is currently under construction; and the Zoo Interchange, where bridge replacement work began in 2009 and full reconstruction is scheduled to begin in 2016.

Secretary Busalacchi especially emphasized that:

All three structures needed to be replaced and undertaking two or three of the projects at the same time would not be feasible from a traffic flow standpoint, from an engineering standpoint or from a fiscal standpoint;
In the mid 1990s, the decision to move forward first with the Marquette Interchange reconstruction was made by the DOT.  However, the Marquette Interchange project was delayed and not funded by previous Administrations.
In 2004, under Governor Doyle, construction began on the Marquette Interchange and in 2008 construction was completed on the Marquette Interchange — ahead of schedule and under budget.
The decision to move forward with the I-94 Corridor was also made in the mid 1990s when prep work was done on the I-94 Corridor and nothing was done on the Zoo Interchange.
In addition, prior to 2003, when Busalacchi became Transportation Secretary, no DOT resources had been allocated or spent and no planning had been done on reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange. Typically, a mega project like the Zoo Interchange takes 6 to 8 years from the start of a study until construction can begin.
Only after Busalacchi became Transportation Secretary was any work done to prepare for rebuilding the Zoo — and that was the first time any funds were committed to rebuild the Zoo.
The Zoo Interchange remains on its original timeline, with construction set to begin in 2016.
The Zoo Interchange bridge replaced and reopened tomorrow is one of three bridges that DOT was already planning to replace in just a matter of a few weeks.  DOT is moving forward on the two other bridge replacement projects that are set to be completed by Memorial Day.
"Decisions regarding the Zoo Interchange construction project have always been, and will continue to be made by experts and engineers at the Department of Transportation with the utmost concern for public safety,"  Secretary Busalacchi said.  "The facts are we've made the biggest infrastructure improvements in 50 years, and the DOT will continue to be focused on completing these important projects."

Secretary Busalacchi reminded motorists that reconstruction of the other bridges in the Zoo Interchange - southbound US 45 to eastbound I-94 and northbound I-894/US 45 to westbound I-94 remains underway.  All major construction work on those structures, which began in January, is expected to be completed by Memorial Day weekend.



For more information, contact:
Emlynn Grisar, Project Communications Manager
(414) 313-8003, emlynn.grisar@dot.wi.gov

[SEWIGuy]

So "permanently" was actually only five days.

Good job by the WIDOT to get this done so quickly.

[froggie]

That might have been overreaction by the original poster.  "Indefinitely" would have been a better word to use.

[mgk920]

That might have been overreaction by the original poster.  "Indefinitely" would have been a better word to use.

The initial reports were by late May/Memorial Day.

Something at the WisDOT level doesn't smell right to me about this one, too.



Mike

[SEWIGuy]

I just think the Journal Sentinel misunderstood the timelines.  The original press release announcing the closure only mentions Memorial Day as part of the original project, not the NB 45 closure and detour.

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/opencms/export/nr/modules/news/news_1920.html_786229440.html