Oak Creek officials, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, as well as local and county law enforcement have created a new traffic pattern to ease the traffic-heavy area for IKEA's opener on May 16.
Mayor Dan Bukiewicz says it took them almost a year to come up with one main plan for the flow of traffic and two alternate routes if there are major backups due to crashes.
Oak Creek Police Department Captain Michael Bolender says drivers who don't want to deal with Drexel Avenue traffic should avoid the area from May 10 until June 1. He says IKEA anticipates thousands of visitors over the coming weeks.
Additionally, Bolender and Bukiewicz say IKEA is offering free shuttles from the College Avenue Park and Rides to the store, which will be easier. There will be no on-street parking available for drivers off Drexel from 10th to 27th Streets.
To get to the store will take some planning if you'd like to snag one of the 1,100 IKEA parking lot spots. Drivers on I-94 Southbound should exit at Drexel, follow the westbound drivers, and turn right onto South IKEA Parkway.
Drivers heading east on Drexel Avenue, will not be able to turn left onto South IKEA Parkway. City officials suggest eastbound and I-94 Northbound drivers to go north on I-94 and exit at Rawson Avenue. Head west and get on I-94 South, then exit at Drexel Avenue.
Captain Bolender says the city and the police department will have traffic updates on their social media pages starting May 8. On May 14 electric and vinyl traffic signs will be up to help direct traffic before the official opening.
