Zoo Interchange
The Zoo Interchange is a freeway interchange on the west side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It forms the junction of Interstate 94, I-894, I-41, US Highway 41 and US 45. It is the busiest and one of the oldest interchanges in the state. It is nicknamed as such because of the Milwaukee County Zoo located on the northwest quadrant of the interchange. The control cities at the interchange are Downtown Milwaukee to the east, Chicago to the south, Madison to the west and Fond du Lac to the north.
Originally completed in 1963, the interchange was a major component in the freeway system being developed in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin and formed an important link with the Interstate Highway System. The design included exits on both the left and right sides of the roadways, and drivers exited depending which side their destination road was on. Owing to the dangers of this design and the deterioration of the interchange, a reconstruction was considered in the early 2000s. Plans set reconstruction in 2015, but it was advanced by Governor Jim Doyle to 2012, then delayed due to lack of available funding. Work finally began in 2014 with an expected completion in 2018. However, further budget issues delayed the completion until 2022.
The complexity and scale of the reconstruction project necessitated advanced methods of construction. It marked the first time that Wisconsin used drilled shaft foundations to build bridge supports and the first time that 3D computer modelling was used. In 2014 the interchange became the first place in the United States where orange pavement markings were tested.
The interchange reconstruction has sparked much controversy and political polarization. Opponents have criticized its extremely high $1.7 billion cost. It also continues the area trend of investing heavily in freeways while disinvesting in all other forms of transportation. This resulted in the Milwaukee Innercity Congregations Allied for Hope and the Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin filing a lawsuit against the department of transportation in 2012. It was resolved in 2014 with the state agreeing to give additional aid to the public transit system.History
Freeway system construction, post World War II to the 1960s
Following the end of World War II, the city of Milwaukee began experiencing economic and population growth. Traffic on the city streets doubled from 1945 to 1952. Roads quickly became overloaded resulting in long delays and increased accidents. In 1951, the city hired consultants Amman and Whitney to do a traffic study and find a solution that would satisfy the city's needs for the increasing traffic. The firm recommended the construction of a freeway system, which was approved by the city in 1952 and began in 1953. A major component of the new highway system was the Zoo Interchange, located to the west of downtown. By the summer of 1963, work crews were in a rush to have the interchange finished by the end of that year's construction season, resulting in its completion that fall. The interchange formed a major connection between the Milwaukee area freeways and the rest of the Interstate Highway System, and its completion was regarded as a milestone for the Milwaukee highway system. Engineers had debated between a right-hand-only design and a directional design, but ultimately chose the directional. This design featured entrance and exit ramps on both sides, such that drivers going to a roadway on the left exited to the left and drivers going to a roadway on the right exited to the right. The maximum capacity was 115,000 vehicles per day.Interchange rebuild proposal, 2003–2008
By 2003, the freeways in Milwaukee and the greater southeastern Wisconsin area were approaching the end of their useful life. Following a study, the Southeast Wisconsin Regional Planning Committee presented several plans, with the recommended being to expand the system over the next 30 years. A key feature of the plan was to widen mainline freeways to include more lanes. It was claimed this would reduce the congestion problem. The plan also included numerous changes for interchanges, including the Zoo Interchange. The directional interchange style had become deprecated due to safety concerns and a lack of efficiency caused by vehicles that had to move across the highway in both directions. The plan therefore called for all exits to be relocated to the right side. It also suggested reducing lane endings at interchanges and reconfiguring ramps to allow for travel at a higher speed. WisDOT originally planned to begin working on the Zoo Interchange after a rebuild of I-94 from Milwaukee to the state line had been completed. This was estimated to be in 2015. However in 2006, Governor Jim Doyle announced a new plan to begin construction in 2012. Doyle stated that advancing the project would benefit the economy of the region and create new jobs. The new timeline called for an environmental and engineering study to occur from 2007 to 2008 and final design development and land acquisition to occur from 2009 to 2011. Doyle asked for $28 million in the 2007–2008 budget to begin this process. The original estimate for the cost was $1.1 billion, although it was expected to go up to $2.6 billion. Residents worried that the advancement of the work would also advance a proposed plan to widen the freeway between the Zoo and Marquette interchanges, which was opposed by the neighborhoods that would be encroached upon. The advanced timeline of the Zoo Interchange was not expected to have an effect on other projects that it would now be happening concurrently with, including the rebuilding of the Marquette Interchange and the rebuild of I-94.Preliminary planning and delay, 2008
In 2008, the interchange handled a traffic volume of 345,900 vehicles per day, three times its original design capacity. The rate of accidents was two to three times higher than the state average. After concluding its engineering study, WisDOT announced three possible plans for the interchange. One option was to rebuild the interchange in place, keeping the design the same at a cost of $960 million. This would fix the deteriorating state of the infrastructure but would not do anything about the left-hand exits or traffic congestion. A second option was to do a full rebuild of the interchange, replacing outdated features to improve safety and widening it to six lanes, with a cost of $2.16 billion. The third option was a full rebuild with widening to eight lanes. The estimated cost was $2.31 billion. The department decided to eliminate the basic rebuild option as it would not address all of the problems. Area legislators favored the eight-lane expansion, as they believed it would prepare for future traffic needs. However, the state's 2009–2011 budget did not include enough money for the project. Only $20 million was allocated while preparatory tasks including acquiring land, relocating utilities, and designing the first phase were estimated to cost $195 million. Governor Doyle backed off of his original plan, acknowledging that the state would not have enough money to do the Zoo Interchange until the I-94 reconstruction was completed. The estimated start date was moved to 2016.Deficient bridges, 2009–2010
An inspection in August 2009 found three bridges in the interchange to be structurally deficient. Weight restrictions were posted for the bridges and state troopers and sheriffs deputies were assigned to enforce them. However, the volume of traffic in the interchange made enforcement difficult, and sensors installed on one bridge recorded 1,600 overweight vehicles crossing the bridge every week. In December, WisDOT began bidding for a contract to replace the bridges. The only bid was submitted by Milwaukee Constructors LLC, a joint venture of three companies. Working with the contractor, the department developed plans to construct new bridges next to the old ones. Traffic would continue to use the old bridges until the new ones were completed. Following completion, traffic would be shifted to the new bridges. The project was estimated to cost $15.3 million. In March 2010, severe cracking was discovered on one of the deficient bridges. Several existing cracks had become longer and a new crack was found. The ramp that used the bridge was closed and traffic was detoured onto the city streets. The other bridges remained open. The closure was expected to affect 42,000 drivers per day and last for two months until the replacement bridge was completed.Final planning and lawsuit, 2012–2014
In February 2012, WisDOT announced the final design for the interchange. Due to public opposition to most of the options proposed, the department had taken components from several designs to develop the reduced impacts alternative, which was chosen. This design was a complete rebuild of the interchange, but with less land use and environmental impacts than other options. The estimated cost was $1.71 billion. Preliminary changes on surrounding roads would begin in 2013 to prepare them for expected increased traffic during the interchange work. The work on the interchange would begin in 2014. However, a lawsuit was filed in August 2012 attempting to rein in the capacity expansion component of the plan on the grounds that it would have a discriminatory effect. The plaintiffs, representing inner-city minorities, alleged that the money being spent on the interchange would only benefit people with cars, namely those who lived in the generally White suburbs, while negatively impacting inner-city minorities. A ruling in May 2013 required WisDOT to conduct a study on the effects of the interchange project on suburban sprawl and transit-dependent populations. Expansion of the highways on the approach to the Zoo Interchange were blocked from proceeding until the study was completed. The case continued to court-sanctioned mediation where a settlement was reached in May 2014. WisDOT agreed to pay $13.5 million for public transit improvements in the region.