I-94 expansion in Milwaukee project; opposition takes legal action
MILWAUKEE - I-94 could expand to eight lanes in Milwaukee. The project is already approved, but organizations against the project filed a lawsuit on Monday, Aug. 19.
"Will have to listen to the noise, will have to have the dust, the water pollution, the air pollution, the noise pollution," said Anne Bowie of the Sierra Club.
The I-94 expansion project was federally approved in March. But there are people who do not want the interstate to expand at all.
On Monday, four organizations including Milwaukee Riverkeeper and Sierra Club filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.
"The immediate impact on health, such as asthma, will be felt most harshly by the diverse and working class neighborhoods along I-94," said Leland Pan, Sierra chapter.
I-94 expansion in Milwaukee project; opposition takes legal action
A news conference was held on Monday, Aug. 19, in which those opposed to the project indicated the expansion "will perpetuate the negative impacts of highway expansion on communities of color, increase climate emissions, exacerbate water pollution and flooding, and compound decades of disinvestment in public transportation in Milwaukee," a news release says.
The lawsuit claims the project will have negative impacts on communities of color – and will increase pollution and flooding. it also calls for consideration of incorporating a public transit element.
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"Many of my former neighbors do not own cars, which are expensive for working class residents and often unnecessary in a dense urban area," Pan said.
The $1.7 billion project plans to expand I-94 from six to eight lanes between 16th and 70th streets in Milwaukee. The project recommendation includes modifications to the Stadium Interchange, such as eliminating left-hand exit and entrance ramps, "right-sizing" the interchange to a diverging diamond and reconstructing the full corridor to a full four lanes in each direction.
Rendering of Stadium Interchange redesign (Courtesy: WisDOT)
"There is freeway traffic every day during rush hour and during the Brewer games it’s way bad," said Rachel Brosseau, who lives near the interstate.
People like Brosseau want the change. She said the way it is now is too dangerous.
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"I hear crashes every day, it curves, not to mention our on-ramps there. I don’t even use them," Brosseau said.
WisDOT said the project will improve safety and replace aging infrastructure. Construction is scheduled to start in fall of 2025.
Officials said they plan to continue working with people to make sure concerns are heard.
As for the lawsuit filed Monday, it will next be assigned to a judge.