A BETTER BOULEVARD
The state DOT says a boulevard works, in place of I-794 through downtown
The state has shown that replacing I-794 with a boulevard is possible. However, WisDOT's design is over engineered, treating the corridor as if it would still be a freeway, based on a traffic model that assumes vehicle traffic will remain the same, even though vehicle traffic often decreases as travel behavior changes. Their boulevard design includes extra lanes, redundant flyover ramps and complex intersections around 2nd st.
Rethink 794 Proposes a Better Boulevard Plan
It disperses traffic more simply, costs less, and creates more opportunity for community building.
The Better Boulevard plan shifts one ramp to the center of the boulevard, and uses the existing ramp to Michigan Ave for cars entering the city from the South. Removing a redundant ramp opens up 8 more acres west of the Milwaukee river, costs less to construct overall, and makes way for a whole new neighborhood district that opens opportunity for:
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High density housing where it makes sense
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Simplified access for all - people, cars, and public transit options
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Compatibility with regional transit plan
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Maximizing and retain public revenue that produces benefits beyond the corridor.
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Regional resilience and long-term, sustainable growth