MILWAUKEE — Several Milwaukee-area freeway projects are moving into their next phases, with overnight closures, lane changes and a temporary reopening expected before winter.
WisDOT’s Eric Hanson says crews are continuing work on I-94, I-43 and I-41 as they prepare for colder weather and more challenging construction conditions.
Overnight I-94 closure planned
On the west leg of the I-94 project, crews are using the General Mitchell Boulevard ramps to access the work zone while they finish median work and pave new lanes.
The ramps are now closed permanently and are expected to remain closed through spring 2027.
Concrete paving is planned in the work zone Friday night. Hanson says the work requires a full freeway closure in both directions because concrete trucks cannot fit beneath the General Mitchell bridges.
“We need to use the freeway for access there due to the low clearance of those General Mitchell bridges. We can’t fit our concrete trucks underneath there, so we got to access it from the freeway.”
The overnight closure will allow crews to safely move trucks in and out of the work zone while they continue paving.
I-43 project near Mukwonago and Waukesha
On the Rock Freeway project between Highway 83 in Mukwonago and Highway 164 in Waukesha, northbound traffic has shifted onto newly paved lanes.
Hanson says northbound I-43 is now open to two lanes between Mukwonago and Waukesha. The ramps at the Highway 164 interchange are also open again.
Southbound traffic remains restricted while crews finish work on a wall in the area. Once that work is complete, WisDOT expects to reopen the second southbound lane.
“We do have some crews finishing some barrier wall work in that area. And once we get that wrapped up, we can reopen that back to two lanes as well.”
Temporary relief coming to southbound I-41
A long-term lane closure on southbound I-41 between Good Hope Road and Silver Spring Drive is expected to reopen next week.
That will return the freeway to its full capacity between Good Hope Road and Burleigh Street for the winter.
Hanson says the lane closure will return in spring 2027 while the southbound lanes are reconstructed.
Drivers should expect additional changes as crews prepare for a major traffic shift on the west leg of the I-94 project before Thanksgiving.
For more information about all the area project, click here.
