State Trunk Highway 794 North / Interstate 794 West

The first reassurance marker for STH-794 appears within the median of Pennsylvania Avenue as the arterial heads north from CTH-ZZ (College Avenue).

08/12/09

The intersection with Norse Avenue west to Mitchell Industrial Park was signalized by 2011. Norse Avenue turns south as Ace Industrial Drive to a roundabout added at CTH-ZZ.

08/12/09

Grange Avenue heads west from STH-32 (Lake Drive) at Warnimont Park to intersect Pennsylvania Avenue opposite the Wisconsin Air National Guard facility at General Mitchell International Airport.

08/12/09

Approaching the south end of Lake Parkway and Edgerton Avenue along STH-794 (Pennsylvania Avenue) north. Lake Parkway bypasses Pennsylvania Avenue to the city of St. Francis.

08/12/09

Dual left turn lanes take Wis 794 onto the beginning of Lake Parkway from Pennsylvania Avenue. Pennsylvania Avenue transitions into a local through route northward to Howard Avenue.

08/12/09

East from Wis 794 and Lake Parkway, Edgerton Avenue comprises a local street serving an industrial park and an apartment complex to Nicholson Avenue.

08/12/09

Lake Parkway fish hooks northward from Pennsylvania Avenue to run alongside a Union Pacific Railroad line to Fernwood in Milwaukee.

08/12/09

Reassurance marker posted for Wis 794 as Lake Parkway swings north by a grassy area to Layton Avenue.

02/07/16

A half diamond interchange adds motorists from Layton Avenue onto Wis 794 (Lake Parkway) northbound.

02/07/16

Lake Parkway drops below grade as STH-794 passes below Whitehall and Bolivar Avenues through St. Francis.

02/07/16

A diamond interchange joins STH-794 (Lake Parkway) with Howard Avenue one quarter mile north of Bolivar Avenue.

02/07/16

Howard Avenue leads east to become a part of STH-32 from Kinnickinnic Avenue to St. Francis city hall and Lake Drive. The urban boulevard continues west from STH-794 as an unnumbered route to Tippecanoe, Saveland Park and Interstate 43 & 94 in southern Milwaukee.

02/07/16

Passing under the Howard Avenue overpass along STH-794 (Lake Parkway) north. Bulb outs above accommodate planters.

02/07/16

Northbound motorists pass under a pedestrian bridge linking residential areas along Elizabeth Avenue ahead of this Wis 794 shield assembly.

08/12/09

Lake Parkway passes through a tunnel below St. Francis Avenue and a UP Railroad line.

02/07/16

Drivers along STH-794 north emerge from the St. Francis Avenue tunnel to enter the city limits of Milwaukee.

08/12/09

A one quadrant interchange connects Lake Parkway with Oklahoma Avenue at the Bay View neighborhood in one quarter mile.

02/07/16

A traffic light operates in the northbound direction for the turn-off for Oklahoma Avenue. Space limitations prevented construction of a full interchange between Wis 794 and the east-west street.

02/07/16

Lake Parkway passes over Oklahoma Avenue before dropping below grade again at Bennett Avenue.

08/12/09

Continuing through northern reaches of Bay View, STH-794 approaches the folded diamond interchange with Carferry Drive for the Port of Milwaukee.

02/07/16

Carferry Drive connects STH-794 (Lake Parkway) with the Lake Express high speed ferry linking Milwaukee with Muskegon, Michigan. Port facilities lie just to the north along the length of Jones Island.

02/07/16

STH-794 transitions to Interstate 794 (Lake Freeway) north from the Carferry Drive.

08/12/09

The first reassurance marker for Interstate 794 appears above the barrier median separating the four lanes of the Lake Freeway.

02/07/16

An end shield for STH-794 north follows as the Milwaukee Downtown skyline comes into view.

02/07/16

The Lake Freeway elevates along a viaduct as part of the Daniel Hoan Bridge across the Kinnickinnic River. The tied arch bridge and approaches were rebuilt as part of the Hoan River Project between October 2013 and December 2015.

02/07/16

The Lake Interchange (Exit 1F) joins the north end of the Hoan Bridge with Michigan Street (U.S. 18) and Lincoln Memorial Drive in 1.25 miles.

02/07/16

A third lane opens along the Daniel Hoan Bridge northbound for the upcoming off-ramp (Exit 1F) for Lincoln Memorial Drive north. Through traffic is advised to shift to the left for the turn onto the East West Freeway.

02/07/16

The Daniel Hoan Bridge was completed in 1972 but not opened until 1977 due to a lack of connectivity at the south end. Including the lengthy viaduct at Jones Island, the span totals 10,032 feet in length.

02/07/16

The U.S. Bank Center anchors the Milwaukee central business district as the tallest building in Wisconsin. Completed in 1973, the 42-floor skyscraper tops out at 601 feet.

08/12/09

Lowering from the Hoan Bridge, Interstate 794 encircles the Historic Third Ward.

08/12/09

Exit 1F drops from I-794 (Lake Freeway) north to Lincoln Memorial Drive ahead of the intersection with Michigan Street at William F. O'Donnell Park. Michigan Street leads into Downtown as the westbound beginning of U.S. 18.

02/07/16

The 18-story 833 East Michigan tower rises from U.S. 18 (Michigan Street) as Interstate 794 turns west to parallel Clybourn Street across the Milwaukee River.

02/07/16

The Lake Interchange included high speed ramps built for the unconstructed Lake Freeway. 1960s plans for the Lake Freeway extended the roadway north along Lincoln Memorial Drive to the scuttled Park Freeway extension at Ogden Avenue. The Lakefront Gateway Project rebuilds the exchange through 2016.

02/07/16

A left side ramp (Exit 1E) quickly follows from Interstate 794 north to Milwaukee Street (STH-32) as the freeway turns west by Downtown Milwaukee.

08/12/09

Wis 32 (Red Arrow Highway) crosses the Milwaukee River from Harbor View to run north along Water Street through the Historic Third Ward area. The trunk highway combines with U.S. 18 along Milwaukee Street north through Downtown to the couplet of Wells Street east and State Street west.

02/07/16

Interstate 794 west passes over Wis 32 (Milwaukee Street) by the 1880-built Mackie Building.

05/30/11

Four lanes of I-794 west cross the Milwaukee River just ahead of the Marquette Interchange (Exits 1A-B-C) with I-43 and I-94.
Construction between January 2014 and Labor Day 2015 reconstructed the Interstate 794 (East West Freeway) viaduct between Milwaukee Street (STH-32) and the Milwaukee River. The work was the first phase of the overall $172.2 million project to reconstruct I-794 and redeck the Hoan Bridge. It also included rebuilding the ramps to Jackson Street and from Van Buren Street.¹

02/07/16

The Milwaukee River flows north-south through Downtown. Just west of the river and central business district is the Bradley Center (home of the NBA Milwaukee Bucks) and the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

05/30/11

West from the Milwaukee River, I-794 separates the Menomonee River Valley and Kilbourn Town areas of the city.

08/12/09

Exit 1A represents the mainline continuation of Interstate 794 west onto I-94 west. The East West Freeway continues to Merrill Park and Story Hill to exit the city of Milwaukee by Milwaukee County Zoo. Interstate 94 travels west to Wisconsin's Capital City of Madison.

02/07/16

High speed flyovers separate from the ending Interstate 794 for I-43 south & 94 west to Chicago, Illinois and Beloit (Exit 1B) and I-43 north to Sheboygan and Milwaukee (Exit 1C).

08/12/09

Two lanes join Interstates 43 & 94 as they overlap southward through the Walker's Point, Morgandale and Wilson Park neighborhoods to the Airport Interchange. There I-43 turns west alongside I-41 & 894 (Airport Freeway) to Greenfield while I-94 combines with I-41 south to General Mitchell International Airport (MKE), Kenosha and Rosecrans, Illinois.

08/12/09