The next phase of I-94 construction begins soon. These closures are coming in February

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The next phase of I-94 construction begins soon. These closures are coming in February

Cailey Gleeson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Mon, January 26, 2026 at 7:00 PM UTC

3 min read

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Gov. Tony Evers has approved $61 million for the next segment of the state's Interstate-94 East-West Project.

This phase of construction, dubbed the Early East Leg segment, will kick off Feb. 2, according to a Jan. 21 press release from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

According to WisDOT, Early East Leg segment work will include the reconstruction of the 27th Street Bridge over I-94; reconstruction of St. Paul Avenue from 29th Street to 27th Street; reconstruction of 28th Street as a cul-de-sac at St. Paul Avenue; and the temporary widening of I-94 eastbound under 27th Street.

With the construction comes several more long-term closures and "intermittent traffic impacts" to local roads, officials say.

Utility work on the 28th Street entrance ramp is underway prior to construction, resulting in a two-month closure of the ramp beginning Jan. 26, WisDOT confirmed to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an email.

Early East Leg work is expected to last until 2028, though the department notes it is weather dependent and subject to change.

You can find more information about the project online at https://www.94eastwest.wisconsindot.gov/. For up-to-date traffic information and alerts, you can visit https://511wi.gov/#:Alerts.

With days until preliminary Early East Leg construction kicks off, here's what to know about February closures:

What roads will be closed beginning Feb. 2 for I-94 construction?

Beginning Feb. 2, the following roads will be closed for Early East Leg work, according to WisDOT:

Long-term closure of 27th Street
Long-term closure of the I-94 eastbound exit to 26th Street and St. Paul Avenue. Drivers can detour using the 35th Street or 13th Street exits.

What I-94 ramp and lane closures are currently in place?

Several long-term or permanent closures associated with construction have been in place since November 2025. This phase of the years-long project has been dubbed the West Leg Segment. The work – roughly west of General Mitchell Boulevard – is expected to last until late 2028, though it is weather dependent and subject to change.

Here's are all of the current I-94 long-term or permanent closures:

Long-term closure of Hawley Road from south side of Park Hill Avenue to north side of Hawley Court
Long-term closure of the General Mitchell Boulevard entrance ramp to I-94 westbound
Long-term closure of the I-94 eastbound exit ramp to General Mitchell Boulevard
Long-term closure of the 68th Street entrance ramp to I-94 eastbound
Long-term closure of the I-94 eastbound exit ramp to Hawley Road
Permanent closure of the Hawley Road entrance ramp to I-94 eastbound
Long-term lane closure on I-94 westbound between the Stadium Interchange and 70th Street, reducing traffic to two lanes
Long-term closure of the WIS 175 southbound system ramp to I-94 westbound

More: This stretch of Hawley Road will be closed until 2028. What drivers should know

More: Traffic delays have gotten worse in Milwaukee, a new report finds

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about next phase of I-94 construction beginning Feb. 2

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