I-794 Lake Interchange Study - Frequently Asked Questions

This page will continue to be updated as the study advances.

Who is conducting the I-794 Lake Interchange Study?

Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (WisDOT) Southeast Region initiated the study in 2022 in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and in close coordination with the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County.

What are the limits of the study?

The study is focused on aging infrastructure along a section of I-794 known as the Lake Interchange. The Lake Interchange study corridor is located between the Marquette Interchange (where I-94, I-43 and I-794 meet) and the Hoan Bridge. This stretch of I-794 connects Milwaukee’s freeway system to downtown Milwaukee, the Historic Third Ward, Milwaukee’s Lakefront, Port Milwaukee and communities along the north shore and south shore.

Why is WisDOT studying this corridor?

The purpose of the study is to address deteriorating infrastructure in a manner that improves safety and operations on I-794, while also striving to enhance community connectivity and compatibility with local plans and development. The study is driven by a number of project needs:

Bridge Conditions: There are 28 original bridge units in the study corridor, constructed in the 1970s, that are approaching the end of their useful life.
Substandard Roadway Design and Geometric Features: Several areas have been identified on the existing facility where roadway design standards are not met, contributing to safety concerns along the corridor.
Safety Conditions: The crash rate on the I-794 mainline from the Marquette Interchange to the Hoan Bridge exceeds the four-lane freeway statewide average during the five-year analysis period of 2016 to 2020.
Traffic Operations: Lake Interchange carries73,900 vehicles daily east of the Milwaukee River and 42,500 vehicles daily atthe Hoan Bridge. Approximately 26,600 vehicles travel through the interchange on a daily basis, using the I-794 mainline to connect to the regional freeway system.
System Linkages: I-794 connects Milwaukee’s freeway system to downtown Milwaukee, the Historic Third Ward, Milwaukee’s Lakefront, Port Milwaukee and communities along the north shore and south shore.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations: Bicycle and pedestrian travel is an important travel mode within the study corridor. There is a lack of continuous non-motorist infrastructure on the surface street network and there are multiple five leg intersections that create potentially unsafe conflict points between pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.
Land Use and Community Compatibility: There is an opportunity to increase community connectivity and enhance activation within Milwaukee’s downtown and the Historic Third Ward neighborhoods, and improve the compatibility of transportation infrastructure with local plans and development for the Lake Interchange corridor.

What is the current status and overall schedule for the study?

WisDOT will soon move forward to the environmental review phase, where the study team will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that will detail the project’s purpose and need, evaluate alternatives and assess potential environmental impacts. This process will follow the guidelines set by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

What is the existing traffic on the I-794 Lake Interchange?

The mainline (eastbound and westbound) annual average of daily traffic in 2022 was 73,900 vehicles at the Milwaukee River, with trucks making up 3.1%, and 42,500 vehicles at the Hoan Bridge, with trucks making up 3.7%. I-794 is an important route for freight and delivery to and from Port Milwaukee. Detailed traffic analysis was presented at the November 2025 Public Involvement Meeting.

Will the I-794 freeway be removed?

At this early stage of the study, no decisions have been made. The Freeway Removal alternative, which would remove the interstate designation and utilize the at-grade surface street network, is currently being evaluated alongside Replace In Kind and Freeway Improvement alternatives.

Will the Hoan Bridge be removed?

None of the alternatives being evaluated include the full removal of the Hoan Bridge. Some alternatives would impact/reconstruct portions of the Hoan Bridge at the north end, but all the alternatives keep the bridge elevated above the Milwaukee Harbor, Henry Maier Festival Park and Jones Island similar to today.

Where can I find past meeting materials?

Visit the outreach page to view materials shown at previous meetings.

What alternatives are moving forward to the environmental review phase?

All alternative groups will be further evaluated in the environmental impact statement to arrive at a selected alternative. Alternatives include: Replace in Kind, Freeway Removal, Freeway Improvement with Right-Hand ramps at Jackson/Van Buren and Freeway Improvement with Left-Hand ramps at Jackson/Van Buren.

Frequently Asked Questions