Milwaukee Interstate Removal Would Create Space for Thousands of New Housing Units

A proposal to replace the elevated Interstate 794 with a boulevard could create over a billion dollars in new development along the corridor.

1 minute read

December 2, 2024, 6:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Interstate 794 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Interstate 794 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | DiscoA340, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons

A new report outlines the potential benefits of replacing a portion of Interstate 794 in Milwaukee with an at-grade boulevard to create more space for development and other uses.

As Jeramey Jannene explains in Urban Milwaukee, the Rethink 794 proposal could spur more than $1.1 billion in development and 3,000 new housing units in the 30 years following the change, according to the analysis by Larry Witzling. “The 10-block corridor would likely be redeveloped from the inside outside, according to Witzling’s analysis. Much of the initial development would take place near the Milwaukee Public Market, while new parks could be created closer to the lake.”

Witzling’s analysis shows that even with a four-lane road, removing the elevated highway would create more space for housing and other uses. “The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) previously said it would release two design alternatives for further study this year. One is expected to be a freeway-to-boulevard replacement, while another would be a roadway narrowing.”

Thursday, November 21, 2024 in Urban Milwaukee

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Millbrae BART station.

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City

The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

April 24 - San Diego Post

Spiral ramp on exterior of parking garage in downtown Spokane, Washington.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill

A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

April 24 - OPB

Missouri state capitol dome in Jefferson City, MO.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users

A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.

April 24 - Missouri Independent