The Marquette Interchange is a major freeway interchange in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, located near Marquette University where Interstate 43 (I-43, North–South Freeway), I-94 (North–South Freeway and East–West Freeway), and I-794 (Lake Freeway) meet. Originally built in the 1960s, the interchange underwent a total rebuild between 2004 and 2008, and was officially opened on August 19, 2008, after what was at the time the largest construction project in state history. During the early 2000s, U.S. Highway 41 (US 41) had followed I-94 through the interchange. This had changed when I-41 was designated in the Milwaukee area. US 41 now follows I-41 through the Zoo Interchange instead. History The history of the Marquette Interchange, originally called the Central Interchange, stretches back more than half a century. The idea of a north–south freeway with an interchange in downtown Milwaukee was first proposed in 1952 for an area south and east of Marquette University. An artist's sketch in a local newspaper in December 1952 provided a first glimpse of the future. The following year, the Milwaukee County Expressway Commission was created by state law to plan, design, construct and maintain a freeway system in Milwaukee County. Land acquisition soon began. In 1955, the Milwaukee County Board adopted A General Plan of Expressways for Milwaukee County, which included a downtown interchange near the present location of the Marquette Interchange. All of this activity in Milwaukee was in no way unique. Many cities across the United States were drawing up plans for new freeways during the mid-1950s. Nationally, there were big plans, too. In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, creating the United States' modern Interstate Highway System. Preliminary design on the Marquette Interchange began in 1956, and final design began in 1960. In 1964, construction began, and so did a difficult balancing act. For the next years, traffic flow on city streets had to be maintained while new expressways and the new interchange were built in their midst. Bypasses and temporary street connections were used extensively to route heavy volumes of traffic around construction areas. Between 1964 and 1968, 21 construction contracts totaling over $33 million were awarded. The Marquette Interchange was dedicated and opened to traffic on December 23, 1968. The interchange was, and still is in its rebuilt form, one of downtown Milwaukee's most prominent features. The Marquette Interchange has no affiliation with Marquette University, to