Major Lane Closures on I-94 Eastbound and New MCTS Schedules Begin Today

Major Shift in I-94 East-West Construction

Commuters in Milwaukee face a significant transition today, Monday, March 9, 2026, as the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) launches a new phase of the I-94 East-West project. Starting tonight, long-term lane and ramp closures will fundamentally change traffic patterns for those traveling through the central corridor.

Beginning at 9:00 p.m. this evening, the 35th Street entrance ramp to eastbound I-94 will close to all traffic. This closure is expected to remain in place through the end of the 2026 calendar year. Following the ramp closure, at 11:00 p.m., a long-term single lane reduction will go into effect on eastbound I-94 between 35th Street and 25th Street. These changes are necessary to allow crews to perform temporary widening work and begin the reconstruction of the 27th Street bridge piers.

Drivers are encouraged to utilize 35th Street, Wisconsin Avenue, Clybourn Street, or 25th Street as primary alternate routes to avoid the construction zone. While westbound lanes remain unchanged for now, the eastbound bottleneck is expected to cause significant delays during peak afternoon hours once the lane reduction is fully established.

First Weekday Commute for MCTS Spring Service Changes

Today also marks the first weekday commute under the second phase of the 2026 MCTS Service Plan, which officially rolled out yesterday, March 8. The Milwaukee County Transit System has implemented several segment and frequency modifications to address budget requirements while maintaining essential service corridors.

Riders should be aware of the following major route changes:

• Route 11 (Hampton Avenue): Now turns back at 92nd Street on the west end; service no longer extends to 124th Street.
• Route 22 (Center Street): The east end of the route now terminates at Humboldt Boulevard, with service to the UW-Milwaukee campus discontinued.
• Route 24 (Forest Home - 16th): This route has been shortened and will no longer serve Historic Downtown Greendale, instead turning around at 74th and Edgerton.
• Route 80 (6th Street): Northern trips now turn around near the Glendale Industrial Park, no longer reaching Good Hope Road and Teutonia Avenue.
• Route 88 (Brown Deer Road): Buses now turn back east at 107th Street.

To help mitigate the impact of the I-94 construction, MCTS has added service to CONNECT 1 BRT and Route 30 to improve reliability for cross-town travelers.

Additional Roadworks and Local Closures

In addition to the freeway projects, the 27th Street Viaduct over the Menomonee River Valley remains completely closed to through traffic. This closure is expected to last through late 2026 as part of the broader I-94 modernization effort. Local motorists should also expect increased utility work and intermittent lane shifts on local roads near the 27th Street and St. Paul Avenue corridors as prep work continues for the spring construction season.