WisDOT's summary of November 2025 public meeting survey comments

On January 22, 2026, WisDOT released a summary of the findings from 842 public comment submissions from the November 2025 Lake Interchange Study public meetings.

Here are some of our initial thoughts:

The structure of the survey and summary report prioritizes freeway travel as the dominant lens for assessing impact on mobility in this corridor, while underrepresenting other forms of mobility and leaving out accessibility. This was not unexpected.

However, the decision not to include a summary of themes from the written comments limits the public record to what’s quantifiable according to WisDOT and removes the important context and lived experience that can’t be reflected through fixed survey responses. Omitting these forms of data is a disservice to the public and those who took time to comment.

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Read our reaction to the survey here:

When people fill out a survey, they'll respond to what is asked. The framing of these questions tells a lot about what the planners want to know from the public. If questions ask about freeway access, responses will only reflect experience with freeway access.

Here is our reaction to the summary of mobility impact responses:

My travel patterns will be maintained or improved

Travel patterns often shift once construction of any alternative begins. This is not an inherently negative outcome. Framing the question with “maintained and improved” reinforces the status quo and leaves less room to evaluate whether a change can produce better public benefits (safety, access, transit reliability, green infrastructure potential, health, economic growth).

I will have efficient freeway access to and from destinations in downtown Milwaukee

This question emphasizes freeway efficiency as a measure of access, which can limit analysis of the diverse ways people reach and navigate downtown.

• In the removal/boulevard alternative, downtown destinations would remain accessible via 794 and the Hoan Bridge, the Marquette interchange, and I-94 exits along the west side of downtown.

• The report/survey did not explore the extent to which the freeway already constricts efficient freeway access to those living downtown.

I will have efficient access to the regional transportation system

Other than the highway network, our regional transportation system also includes additional modes; intercity rail and bus travel via the intermodal station, MCTS, bicycle and scooter share, the growing bicycle infrastructure, and Milwaukee county’s trail network.

The framing of this question unfairly prioritizes the highway over the other transportation networks in the region.

I would feel comfortable walking or riding my bike in the area

Bike-ped mobility is not explicitly explored beyond this question. Comfort and safety for people walking & rolling downtown are tied to downtown livability and economic vitality. Without further targeted questions about other forms of mobility, WisDOT can’t meaningfully assess how the alternatives could support a safer and more inviting downtown for residents, workers, and visitors. (in our public comment on the Environmental Impact Statement NOI, we asked for WisDOT to include assessments like this).

I would be able to move easily between various business districts and neighborhoods within downtown

With I-794 standing where it is, it’s reasonable for respondents to associate the structure to downtown access. However, downtown Milwaukee is relatively compact; less than two miles between I-94 and the lakefront and about 1 mile from Clybourn St. to Pleasant St. As a result, travel between the neighborhoods and districts downtown doesn’t require freeway travel and is also supported by other modes. The framing of this question suggests that mobility within this area is necessarily related to highway access.

All said, there's a question that warrants being repeated: Why weren’t qualitative data findings included in this summary? A data report is made stronger when it reflects what community members share about their lived experiences in the study area.

Without further context, it’s difficult to understand the distribution of (1) the ways people interact with the lake interchange and (2) their frequency of interactions. Of the 48% who ‘interact daily or almost every day’, how many use the lake interchange to bypass downtown? How many access downtown by exiting the interchange? Who only navigates Clybourn at the street level? How many don’t interact with the interchange at all? Written comments help us see the full picture.      

In early January 2026, Rethink 794 submitted comments to WisDOT’s notice of intent to produce an environmental impact statement (EIS), urging for more holistic analysis. WisDOT’s timeline has scheduled the release of their EIS for 2027.

In the meantime, WisDOT's I-794 Lake Interchange Study’s general public comments remain open. We encourage others to send WisDOT their reactions to the report and even better, visions for an accessible, vibrant, and active downtown corridor.