The recent conversations about I-794 have us wondering again about the discussion we hosted just over a year ago on July 17th, 2023, at Marquette University. We were joined by Peter Park, the former planning director for the city of Milwaukee, who highlighted his work on taking out the Park-East Freeway 20 years ago. Following the presentation, Park joined a panel of Milwaukee leaders discussing the current proposal to remove I-794 between Downtown and the Historic Third Ward

Catastrophic flooding, record-setting air pollution from climate-driven wildfires, unprecedented early-season severe storms – the list goes on. In just the past year, it has become crystal clear that Wisconsin will not be spared from the impacts of climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels. Immediate change is needed. As the Trump administration defunds climate research and green infrastructure projects, all while seeking to boost oil and gas production, it’s imper

Mayor Cavalier Johnson's recommendation to retain an elevated I-794 connection has sparked discussion both in Milwaukee and nationally. This week, Streetsblog USA writer Aaron Short featured Milwaukee's debate in an article titled "Milwaukee Mayor Abandons Highway Teardown To Calm Irrational Fears Of Driver Class". This coverage opens the I-794 to a broader national conversation about highway removal and downtown revitalization. The article examines the tradeoffs between pres

Milwaukee (July 16) – Rethink 794, a Milwaukee volunteer coalition, and Strong Towns Metro MKE call on Gov. Tony Evers to pause the $10 million Interstate-794 resurfacing project until the ongoing Lake Interchange Study is completed. The groups also urged Evers to order the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) release Environmental Impact (EIS) data with ample time for public review, comment, and discussion before WisDOT releases its opinion on a preliminary prefer

Momentum Builds for the I-794 Boulevard Alternative The conversation around the future of I-794 is shifting. The decision about what should happen with the elevated structure has been long debated among residents, advocates, transportation professionals, and a few elected officials. The discussion has gained new attention following the joint statement from multiple Milwaukee Common Council members announcing their public support for the highway-to-boulevard (removal). This su

Today, Mayor Cavalier Johnson voiced his support for the so-called "Highway Improvement" option in WisDOT's Lake Interchange Study. We are deeply disappointed by this short-sighted comment, which fails to embrace the once-in-a-generation opportunity for Milwaukee. Choosing to back an alternative before the full data from the ongoing Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is evaluated is a premature step. We can all agree that an elevated highway simply does not belong through o

Source: Urbex Solutions A recent post on reddit sparked discussion about the economic tradeoffs of urban highways and theories about why or why-not development happens adjacent to freeways. The map above, created by Urbex Solutions, was shared in addition to the post and raises interesting questions for Milwaukee: How much economic potential is tied up in the land occupied by urban highways? What is the opportunity cost of a centrally located urban freeway? Looking more close

Rethink 794 concluded our Walk & Roll series with our final route looping around the Clybourn Bridge closure. The audit took place on Wednesday, May 27th near the end of peak rush hour. To view a summary of observations and route map, you can find a brief report of the walk-roll audit below: On the route, participants noted fragmented and incomplete pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, especially near the freeway ramps west of the river. The observation reinforces a consist

We attended the public meetings for WisDOT’s Lake Interchange last month and have some takeaways from the presentation materials. After this round of meetings, it’s clear to us that WisDOT’s traffic study is constrained in part by the traffic model limitations, including pedestrian & bicycle infrastructure, and the incomplete or conservative transit expansion data and land-use assumptions. The flaw with current traffic modeling is that they're highly sensitive to the assumpti