DOT begins work on I-43 expansion
Construction is slated to begin in the fall for the I-43 north-south reconstruction and expansion project in the North Shore across Milwaukee and Ozaukee counties.
Preparatory work started in late August for the 14-mile project between Silver Spring Drive in Glendale and Highway 60 in Grafton. Construction will continue through 2024.
The project will expand I-43 from four to six lanes – adding one lane in each direction – and reconstruct five existing interchanges, at Good Hope Road, Brown Deer Road, County Line Road, Mequon Road and Pioneer Road.
The project will also construct a new interchange at Highland Road, replace the Union Pacific railroad bridge over I-43 in Glendale and expand Port Washington Road in Glendale from two lanes to four between Bender Road and Daphne Lane.
These changes are being made to address existing and future traffic volumes, pavement and structural needs. It will also improve safety and address deficiencies including clearance at bridges, visibility and merging and weaving distances, according to a state Department of Transportation project overview.
The County Line Road entrance ramp to I-43 south and the I-43 north exit ramp to Port Washington Road will be closed through mid-2023.
Areas that will be reduced to one lane overnight include: I-43 north between Highland Road and Highway 60, I-43 north and south between County Line Road and Donges Bay Road, Port Washington Road between Brown Deer Road and Donges Bay Road, and Port Washington Road between Coventry Court and Sugar Lane.
According to the state Department of Transportation website, I-43 carries 49,000 vehicles per day south of Highway 60 and 85,460 vehicles per day north of Silver Spring Drive, with future projections raising those figures to 65,000 and 112,500 by 2040, respectively.
The state Department of Transportation has maintained and rehabilitated the ramps, bridges, pavements and other structures on I-43 for over 50 years, according to the project overview.
“The North-South Freeway has exceeded its design life and it is no longer economical to maintain,” the project overview reads.