The Rethink Interstate 794 Project

[WhyLifeIs4]

Today I-794 poses an unnecessary barrier between two of our flagship neighborhoods, but it doesn't have to be this way. Between the northern terminus of the Hoan Bridge and Waters Street, I-794's footprint consumes 32.5 acres of the most valuable commercial and residential real estate in Wisconsin, estimated to be worth as much as $1.5 billion. The east-west section of I-794 has reached the end of its useful life, presenting a once in a generation opportunity to reconnect Milwaukee's traditional commercial center to the Third Ward. WisDOT's own data shows that this portion of I-794 is underutilized as majority of I-794's riders are traveling to and from downtown and the Third Ward rather than using the full length of the interstate. Our goal is to have the City of Milwaukee and WisDOT study a boulevard alternative for this portion of I-794.

Imagine Clybourn Street as a Boulevard

From their website!



Check them out at
https://www.rethink794.com/

[Big John]

Water Street (No S).  Much of that stretch was reconstructed with the Marquette Interchange project from 2005-08 so is relatively new.

Also belongs in the regional boards.

[WhyLifeIs4]

I will move it! Sorry for posting it here

[WhyLifeIs4]

Opportunity
Today I-794 poses an unnecessary barrier between two of our flagship neighborhoods, but it doesn't have to be this way. Between the northern terminus of the Hoan Bridge and Waters Street, I-794's footprint consumes 32.5 acres of the most valuable commercial and residential real estate in Wisconsin, estimated to be worth as much as $1.5 billion. The east-west section of I-794 has reached the end of its useful life, presenting a once in a generation opportunity to reconnect Milwaukee's traditional commercial center to the Third Ward. WisDOT's own data shows that this portion of I-794 is underutilized as majority of I-794's riders are traveling to and from downtown and the Third Ward rather than using the full length of the interstate. Our goal is to have the City of Milwaukee and WisDOT study a boulevard alternative for this portion of I-794.

Imagine Clybourn Street as a Boulevard


From their website


Support them here! ----> https://www.rethink794.com/

[Brandon]

The freeway is already built, can easily be walked under, and serves a purpose, connecting the lakefront and the Hoan Bridge to the main freeway network.

[mgk920]

This issue has also been on my mind in recent months, but have not gotten around to posting on it in here.  This is one in which I am a bit of an agnostic.  There is a definite collective 'gush fest' under way among many posters in another Milwaukee-area forvm that I follow over the thought of abandoning and removing the east-west part of I-794, to the point of it being very off-putting.

I'll have to wait until the engineers at WisDOT have had the time that they need to study it, but one also has to remember that whatever is decided, it will be years before anything is done, especially WRT the recently-rebuilt Marquette interchange.

Mike

[WhyLifeIs4]

Time will tell what happens to I-794

[WhyLifeIs4]

I mean true but it is a possibilty

[SEWIGuy]

The freeway is already built, can easily be walked under, and serves a purpose, connecting the lakefront and the Hoan Bridge to the main freeway network.

It's also ugly, and will cost a lot to replace. It would be good to look at other alternatives, just like WIDOT is doing now.

[WhyLifeIs4]

Exactly what im thinking

[The Ghostbuster]

I would strongly oppose removing Interstate 794 between the Marquette and Lake Interchanges. I believe it is a needed connection within Milwaukee's freeway system. That being said, I do believe the freeway should be reconfigured to be less of a barrier to the area, and to free up some land to be redeveloped. I would prefer either Freeway Improvement Concept #5 or Freeway Improvement Concept #6, since both would provide exit and entrance ramps on the right-hand-side. The freeway reconfiguration and the new street grid should serve all transportation needs within the Historic Third Ward District.

[The Ghostbuster]

Why are there two The Rethink Interstate 794 Project threads? They should be merged into one thread.

[J N Winkler]

Why are there two The Rethink Interstate 794 Project threads? They should be merged into one thread.

Now done.  One of the threads was originally on the General Highway board.

[WhyLifeIs4]

Thank you for moving it!

[The Ghostbuster]

I do have a close interest in this project, since I have traveled along Interstate (and State Highway) 794 a number of times in my life. As I said, I don't want 794 torn down, and I also hope that not only is it retained, I would also like it if the long-proposed (2010) Lake Parkway Extension to STH 100 (https://www.sewrpc.org/SEWRPC/Transportation/LakeParkwayExtensionStudy.htm) is eventually constructed as well. I have had an interest in the Lake Parkway extension proposal since it would go past the house my paternal grandparents once lived in.

[SEWIGuy]

I do have a close interest in this project, since I have traveled along Interstate (and State Highway) 794 a number of times in my life. As I said, I don't want 794 torn down, and I also hope that not only is it retained, I would also like it if the long-proposed (2010) Lake Parkway Extension to STH 100 (https://www.sewrpc.org/SEWRPC/Transportation/LakeParkwayExtensionStudy.htm) is eventually constructed as well. I have had an interest in the Lake Parkway extension proposal since it would go past the house my paternal grandparents once lived in.

I put the chances at I-794 being retained as a freeway at about 30%. I put the chances at WI-794 being extended to WI-100 at about 0.0004%.

[triplemultiplex]

Lot of thoughts shared on this subject about a year ago in the Milwaukee Freeways thread.
I'm still pretty much on the same page I was in that discussion.

[The Ghostbuster]

My views on the matter are also unchanged from what I posted on that thread. Don't tear down 794!

[JoePCool14]

Wasn't there another thread about this project? Or was it lumped into another larger thread?

Either way, let it be known I still do not support removing the freeway. I think it can be condensed into something a lot smaller, taking up less footprint. That is more than sufficient, and the logical compromise.

[Hobart]

As someone who actually lives in Milwaukee (unlike many people who tout how important Interstate 794 is in this forum), I'd like to see it ripped down. These are from my own experiences navigating downtown, and working in a building right next to I-794 (and seeing a scant amount of traffic on it during my lunch breaks).

In exchange for literally tearing downtown Milwaukee in half, you have a freeway that carries as much thru traffic as Lincoln Memorial Drive (a surface street near the lake), that isn't even that good of an alternative to an existing route unless even more money is spent on it. It's another Park East Freeway situation. It would be slightly different if I-794 weren't so substandard south of the bridge, and actually went anywhere besides Oak Creek (which I-94 grazes anyways). It isn't useful enough to keep 12 square blocks blighted.

I've never really seen it crowded. If you really are that worried about driving through downtown on a surface parkway, use Becher Street to get to the Port of Milwaukee instead.

[SEWIGuy]

I don't live in Milwaukee now, but I did for a number of years. Do a thorough study, but I would be inclined to rip it down.

[Rothman]

The only piece of it I'd wonder about tearing down is the bridge over the river.  I suppose city streets cross it quite nearby.

[mgk920]

The only piece of it I'd wonder about tearing down is the bridge over the river.  I suppose city streets cross it quite nearby.

The river crossing surface street immediately to its south (St. Paul Ave) has a recently built active 'Hop' tram line in it, too.

Mike

[triplemultiplex]

Wasn't there another thread about this project? Or was it lumped into another larger thread?

Uh...

Lot of thoughts shared on this subject about a year ago in the Milwaukee Freeways thread.

Having lived in Milwaukee during the Marquette Interchange reconstruction when access to 794 was limited for long stretches, I saw firsthand that traffic adapted.  The city will get on just fine if the decision is made to tear down this E-W portion of 794.  It served its purpose, but priorities are changing.  The city is less about heavy manufacturing now and shipping traffic in the port is down.  The Port of Milwaukee is not the major grain export terminal it was 60 years ago.

The Hoan Bridge will still exist.  The Lake Parkway isn't going anywhere.  Thanks to previous construction closures, we already know traffic will be just fine without a viaduct thru downtown.  I'm open to retiring I-794.

[The Ghostbuster]

I'd be interested in an update on the Rethink 794 study, since they haven't announced any new Public Information Meetings yet. The last one was in August 2023, and the February e-Blast (https://assets-global.website-files.com/647f3615434dca744e168f93/65c1159443da67dca6e2b765_794-lake-interchange-study_FEB-Eblast.pdf) doesn't give much new information. Hopefully, the next PIM will happen soon.