Wisconsin DOT considering alternative designs for Stadium Interchange
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is considering alternative designs to the proposed Stadium Interchange on Highway 175 in Milwaukee, including a "diverging diamond" pattern they say could be safer and less expensive than other options.
The DOT's previous designs, released last year, caught the attention of some on social media who noticed some apparent flaws on a closer look.
The renderings show many lanes crossing, but there are no traffic signals.
DOT spokesperson Michael Pyritz said "this is just a rendering" and that crossing lanes would obviously have traffic signals.
State transportation officials are reviewing alternative designs while continuing to conduct the environmental analysis of the proposed Stadium Interchange, according to the DOT's spring newsletter. It's part of the I-94 East-West Corridor project, an update of a section of road that's more than 60 years old.
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"We're gonna have a public meeting in June and we hope to have something a little bit more definitive at that point, because we're still working through how that can best work," Pyritz said.
The DOT's new alternative design is a "diverging diamond interchange," which has traffic signals.
The DOT said this style of interchange has been shown to increase capacity and safety, decrease congestion and minimize the cost of new infrastructure.
In its newsletter, the DOT also said that during construction of the new Stadium Interchange, there will be an opportunity to connect the Hank Aaron State Trail and the Oak Leaf Trail.
Modernization of the state's interchanges leads to safer roads, the DOT said, noting that the Marquette Interchange has seen 48% fewer crashes since its reopening in 2008. There have been 29% fewer crashes in the Zoo Interchange since its reopening in 2018, according to the DOT.
The DOT's informational meetings on I-94 will be held June 14 at State Fair Park and June 15 at Marquette University High School.
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