Head for the Suburbs

As I recall back in the 60s, the original plan for the freeway system in the Milwaukee area into the 21st Century was to add from the Hoan bridge to Kenosha, complete from the northwest side down the Fond du Lac Avenue corridor to connect with the stadium freeway then south to I-894, finish the Park West freeway to the lake and south to the Hoan bridge, and build the by-pass from Highway 100/Ryan Road area west through Franklin, north through Brookfield ending in the Richfield area at Hwy 41/45. These plans were made when land was available and a minimal impact on removal of homes and other properties.

All these freeway projects were planned to move traffic in, out, and around the Greater Milwaukee area to prepare for the added business growth, population rise and subsequent traffic upsurge.

All these projects were postponed, delayed and finally cancelled by local politicians and the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) crowd. Then the move to the suburbs really began in earnest and has not abated.

My suggestion for the SEWRPC – Build four (4) lanes out of Milwaukee and one (1) lane in.

Ken Sosalla,Waukesha

Riverwest Currents - Volume 2 - Issue 5 - May 2003