Marquette Interchange
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Milwaukee's Marquette Interchange is an interchange in Downtown Milwaukee located near Marquette University (hence the name) where Interstate 94, Interstate 794, and Interstate 43 meet. The Marquette Interchange is currently undergoing an $810 million dollar reconstruction that is to be complete in 2008.
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[edit] History
The history of the Marquette Interchange, originally called the Central Interchange, stretches back more than half a century. The idea of a north/south freeway with an interchange in downtown Milwaukee was first proposed in 1952 for an area south and east of Marquette University. An artist’s sketch in a local newspaper in December 1952 provided a first glimpse of the future.
The following year, the Milwaukee County Expressway Commission was created by state law to plan, design, construct and maintain a freeway system in Milwaukee County. Land acquisition soon began. In 1955, the Milwaukee County Board adopted A General Plan of Expressways for Milwaukee County, which included a downtown interchange near the present location of the Marquette Interchange.
All of this activity in Milwaukee was in no way unique. Many cities across the United States were drawing up plans for new expressways during the mid-1950s. Nationally, there were big plans, too. In 1956, President Eisenhower signed the Federal Highway Act of 1956, creating our modern interstate highway system.
Preliminary design on the Marquette Interchange began in 1956, with final design beginning in 1960. In 1964, construction began, and so did a difficult balancing act. For the next 4-1/2 years, traffic flow on city streets had to be maintained while new expressways and the new interchange were built in their midst. Bypasses and temporary street connections were used extensively to route heavy volumes of traffic around construction areas.
Between 1964 and 1968, twenty-one construction contracts totaling over $33 million dollars were awarded.
The Marquette Interchange was dedicated and opened to traffic on Monday, December 23, 1968. The interchange was, and still is one of downtown Milwaukee’s most prominent architectural landmarks. In the years to follow, millions of motorists would come to know the interchange as part of their route to work, around town or across the state.
By December of 2008, 40 years after it helped usher Milwaukee into the age of modern expressways, the old Marquette Interchange will be mostly, if not totally gone.
[edit] The new interchange
The new Marquette Interchange was designed to ensure the safe and efficient flow of traffic. Though the new interchange will occupy the same amount of land as the old one, it will feel much more spacious. Design features include:
- More gradual curves on ramps, with longer sight distances
- More distance between ramps, to eliminate traffic conflicts from lane changes
- Elimination of all left-hand entrances and exits
[edit] Photos
 First notification of Marquette Interchange exits - Approaching I-43 Exit 72C (Highland Ave) in Milwaukee, WI |
 Wisconsin Ave Overpass of I-43 - New, but sections still under construction as part of the Marquette Interchange project |
 Marquette Interchange - under construction |
 On I-43 southbound - Approach sign bridge notifying of Marquette Interchange exits Note the covering blocks I-794 to Lakefront. |
 On I-43 southbound - 2nd approach sign bridge notifying of Marquette Interchange exits Note the covering blocks I-794 to Lakefront. |
 closer view of the same sign bridge |
[edit] See also
[edit] External Links
- Marquette Interchange Website
- WisDOT M-Change
- Travel Info through M-Change
- Marquette University's M-Change Updates
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- Satellite image from WikiMapia, Google Maps or Windows Live Local
- Street map from MapQuest or Google Maps
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image from TerraServer-USA
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