Milwaukee Interstate Removal Would Create Space for Thousands of New Housing Units

A new report outlines the potential benefits of replacing a portion of Interstate 794 in Milwaukee with an at-grade boulevard to create more space for development and other uses.

As Jeramey Jannene explains in Urban Milwaukee, the Rethink 794 proposal could spur more than $1.1 billion in development and 3,000 new housing units in the 30 years following the change, according to the analysis by Larry Witzling. “The 10-block corridor would likely be redeveloped from the inside outside, according to Witzling’s analysis. Much of the initial development would take place near the Milwaukee Public Market, while new parks could be created closer to the lake.”

Witzling’s analysis shows that even with a four-lane road, removing the elevated highway would create more space for housing and other uses. “The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) previously said it would release two design alternatives for further study this year. One is expected to be a freeway-to-boulevard replacement, while another would be a roadway narrowing.”