I-94 Construction and Major Bridge Closures Slow Thursday Commute

Morning Commute Overview

Commuters heading into downtown Milwaukee this Thursday, March 5, 2026, should prepare for significant travel times due to several major infrastructure projects reaching critical phases. The combination of the ongoing I-94 East-West corridor reconstruction and dual bridge closures in the Menomonee Valley is creating bottlenecks on both the freeway and local arterial streets.

Major Freeway and Ramp Impacts

The I-94 East-West project continues to be the primary source of delays for those traveling between the Marquette and Zoo Interchanges. Drivers should be aware of the following specific closures currently in effect:

• Mitchell Boulevard Ramps: The General Mitchell Boulevard entrance ramp to I-94 westbound and the I-94 eastbound exit ramp to General Mitchell Boulevard remain closed. These are scheduled to reopen later this month, but for today, motorists are advised to use the WIS 175 southbound exit to Frederick Miller Way as an alternate.
• Hawley Road: Hawley Road remains fully closed to through traffic between Park Hill Avenue and South Hawley Court. This long-term closure for the reconstruction of the Hawley Road interchange is expected to last through 2028.
• 28th Street Entrance: The entrance ramp from 28th Street to I-94 westbound is currently closed for utility work, adding pressure to the 35th Street and 13th Street access points.

Bridge and Viaduct Alerts

Two major north-south connections over the Menomonee Valley are currently unavailable, forcing heavy traffic onto the 35th Street and 6th Street viaducts:

• 27th Street Bridge: The 27th Street Bridge over I-94 is closed for total reconstruction as part of the 'Early East Leg' segment. This closure is expected to cause heavy congestion on 35th Street throughout the morning and evening peaks.
• 16th Street Viaduct: The bridge remains closed to all vehicular traffic between West Clybourn Street and South Pierce Street for essential floor beam repairs and rehabilitation. Current estimates suggest this route will not reopen until April 2026.

MCTS Transit and Local Roadwork

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) riders should plan for extra travel time as several high-frequency routes are navigating construction detours. Specifically, Route 24 is detouring off the 16th Street Bridge, and the PurpleLine is currently rerouted away from 27th Street between Clybourn and National Avenue. Additionally, Route 60 continues its detour around the Hawley Road closure.

In local news, utility work by We Energies has closed West Center Street between North 50th and 52nd Streets, as well as North 51st Street from Clarke to Hadley. These local closures are expected to remain in place through March 9, 2026. Commuters are encouraged to utilize the 511 Wisconsin system for real-time speed updates before heading out.