MILWAUKEE — The face of downtown Milwaukee could look completely different under Milwaukee's draft long-range plan. The plan includes plans to tear down I-794's east-west bridges.
The bridges would be replaced by new private developments, surface-level streets, and new public spaces.
A coalition of local planners and residents, called Rethink 794, first announced this concept back in 2022, with hopes of creating areas of Milwaukee where people could live without a car. The concept was the result of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's efforts to revamp the area.
Compare Milwaukee now and the removal plan's rendering:
WisDOT conducted a study regarding the future of the interstate bridges, with several options now under review. Those options range from complete removal of the freeway to just reconstructing it exactly as it is. Rebuilding the portions of the bridge that need replacement is estimated to cost about $300 million.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson and his administration have been enthusiastic about removing the bridges, Rethink 794's proposal. That proposal is now in the draft Connecting MKE Plan which sets investments and initiatives for the city over the next 17 years, according to our partner at the Milwaukee Business Journal.
Related: Coalition's proposal would reshape face of downtown Milwaukee, renderings show
The plan was released Wednesday and specifically calls for the full removal of I-794 and replacing it with surface streets. If that's not possible, the plan says the interstate should be rebuilt smaller, with more use of the land underneath the bridges as well as more pedestrian safety efforts and ramp connections.
Gregg May with Rethink 794 says a better future for Milwaukee begins with removing the interstate from 6th Street all the way to the Lakefront Interchange. He said that would open up more than 32 acres of development worth $1.5 billion.
What existed before the freeways were built?
In the late 1940s, North Plankinton was a safe space for those in the LGBTQ community. In fact, it was the first known gay neighborhood.
Historians say the construction of Interstate 794 eliminated homes and businesses and disconnected downtown from the Third Ward.
Michail Takach is a curator with the Wisconsin LGBT History Project. He shared images with us that show an area on Plankinton and St. Paul that was very active and housed the city's only gay bars in the late 40s.
"An entire generation of men, women, and gender non-conforming people found refugee," Takach said.
He said that changed as construction began on 794 and the gay community was pushed out.
"That elevated ramp between downtown and Third Ward is just a concrete barrier," Takach said.
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