Plan From The Back Seat — Milwaukee’s Disjointed Freeways
Cities face chronic struggles with the planning, implementation, and renovation of urban freeways. Most planners have seen the way cities replace freeways amidst controversy — with improved streets, blocks, parks, buildings, and urban places. This set of three case studies — planning stories — recognizes the relentless political conflicts but focuses more on how urban planners craft their answers to such issues over 50 years in one city – Milwaukee.
As a planner I have taught and practiced in Milwaukee since 1972. During this time numerous freeway-related transportation plans came forward, each with different potential impacts on urban conditions, opportunities and outcomes. These freeway plans were initiated and concretized prior to significant urban planning work aimed at surrounding neighborhoods. Put another way, work as an urban planner was a bit like backseat driving since the transportation plans always drove the process forward. Now, in 2025, once again plans have arrived for new major freeway transportation transformations that will impact significantly surrounding urban places. This three-part look at both past and current plans for freeway system modification can help Milwaukee, and hopefully other cities, make wiser decisions that impact future generations.
The map shows portions of the freeway system (diagrammed in red) where multiple freeway-related projects were implemented over time in including: (1) the Park West redevelopment of cleared land, (2) downtown Milwaukee lakefront arterial and ramp changes in the 70s, 80s and 2010s, (3) the Park East right-of-way redevelopment of cleared land (4) the Park East demolition and redevelopment of I-194 and (5) upcoming plans and alternative proposals for transforming the I-794 lakefront interchange and corridor. Almost every stretch of the freeway components shown above have been the focus of independent planning efforts — some more successful than others. While the original freeway system was conceived as a unified comprehensive highway transportation plan, the remediation, mitigation, and redevelopment of highway segments progressed in an incremental, at time disjointed effort, which, to this day, still requires reconsiderations and new interventions.
The first case study describes an urban planning perspective of five projects that occurred prior to 2025. (Locust Street, Park West, O’Donnell Park, and two projects for Park East). The second case study tells part of the story, currently underway, about the replacement of HWY 175. In this WIS 175 study, three alternatives (two with a boulevard) replace the expressway within a complex set of neighborhoods and parks. The last case study examines a bigger, strategic, and more transformational opportunity of replacing the 1.5-mile “keystone” section of I-794 as it traverses Milwaukee’s downtown. The end of this last planning story has yet to be written. Collectively these case studies offer an urban planning analysis that can help improve our urban freeways, one place at a time.