I-94 Expansion

 

I-94 Expansion: More highways, poor waterways.

In July 2020, Governor Evers expressed support for a Walker-era policy to add two more lanes to a 3.5 mile stretch of Interstate 94 between 70th and 16th Streets. 

So, what’s the problem with that? 

There are three main issues, let’s look at each in detail:

1. Environmentally harmful: The proposed expansion of I-94 would contribute to climate change, pollute our air, and lead to more contaminated runoff in our waterways.

More road means more cars, and more cars lead to more greenhouse gases and other air pollution. This highway expansion contradicts Gov. Evers’ own Task Force on Climate Change, which categorized highways as “environmentally harmful infrastructure.” Additionally, more concrete disrupts the water cycle by preventing rain from entering the ground where it lands. The project would add 56 more acres of it. With more highway, more water will collect and runoff from the roads carrying harmful pollutants like road salt into adjacent waterways. What’s worse, climate scientists predict more rain and flooding for our region in the coming years.

2. Economically questionable: Many studies show that highway expansion does not reduce congestion. There are three reasons for this:

  1. Existing road users may change the time of day they travel thinking that the commute will be faster. 
  2. Those travelling a different route may start driving on the newly expanded road. 
  3. More people may switch to driving alone instead of taking the train or carpooling. 

All of these behaviors combined lead to higher demand for the road, offsetting any anticipated traffic reductions. Moreover, Census data shows that the region isn’t even congested — commute times in Milwaukee County were nearly 20% lower than the U.S. average for metro areas in 2019. The fact is, adding two lanes to I-94 would actually cost taxpayers roughly $300 million more than repairs, even more head-scratching.

3. Racially unjust: While no particular race is immune to the environmental damage that would be caused by I-94 expansion, the harm would be concentrated disproportionately among people of color. This is not new. From the very beginning with the Federal Highway Act of 1956, construction planners charted paths through predominantly black neighborhoods. If your home wasn’t demolished, you lived in the shadow of a chosen class, smothered by the toxic fumes of its highway commuters. The Biden Administration is demonstrating across the country that these expansion projects, funded with federal dollars, won’t go unchecked.    

WHAT WE SUPPORT

Milwaukee Riverkeeper recognizes the need for road repairs and supports plans to sustainably revitalize the existing infrastructure footprint with green designs like adding “holding tanks” or rain basins to capture excess water from heavy storms.

We say expand transit, not highways because affordable public transportation reduces emissions, maximizes road efficiency, and creates new employment and commercial opportunities for underserved communities.

More details on a proposed alternative to expansion can be found here: https://fixatsix.org/

I-94 Public Meeting Handout – June 2022

TRACK THE ISSUE:

With the help of our Coalition for More Responsible Transportation, WisDOT was required to provide an updated Environmental Impact Survey (EIS), delaying the project for at least a year. This is a WIN. However, expansion funding was just passed in the budget so it is almost certain that it will proceed in some form. We are working to highlight more sustainable and just transportation solutions, which are more protective of the environment.

TAKE ACTION:

While Gov. Evers may have signed the budget, the makeup of the state legislature gave him little bargaining power. If you don’t want to see projects like the I-94 expansion completed, you must vote for candidates that agree and speak with your legislative representatives. Without that, organizations like Milwaukee Riverkeeper are left with limited tools to prevent or delay the process. There will also be additional public hearing and comment periods as part of the new EIS process, and we encourage you to get involved!!