Marquette Interchange Opens Ahead of Schedule to Provide Vital Transportation Link in Milwaukee
Marquette Interchange Opens Ahead of Schedule to Provide Vital Transportation Link in Milwaukee
"We commend the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and our partner HNTB Corporation for using a collaborative approach to improve the safety, capacity, and efficiency of the Marquette Interchange," says Mike Kennedy, president of CH2M HILL's transportation group. "Innovative design and true partnering have delivered value to the citizens of Milwaukee and the State of Wisconsin, saving taxpayer money and making the commute for thousands of residents safer and faster."
Located in downtown Milwaukee, the Marquette Interchange links I-94, I-43, and I-794, providing a vital route for commuters and commercial traffic. This reconstruction project replaced and modernized an existing four-level interchange with a five-level interchange. The project encompassed 12 miles of urban freeways, 50 ramps, and more than 180 structures. Working for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the Milwaukee Transportation Partners were responsible for bridge, roadway, and retaining wall design, maintaining traffic during construction, plan preparation, and public involvement.
The Marquette Interchange at-a-glance:
- 300,000 vehicles a day
- 4 years to rebuild
- More than 38,000 tons of structural and reinforcing steel
- 2.1 million square feet of bridge deck
- 5 miles of retaining wall
- 1,400 separate girder "lifts"
- 30 ramps
- 56 bridges
- 10,254 plan sheets for major contracts
- $120 million in DBE participation through design and construction
- 135 million Web site hits
- $100 million cost savings in design
The project has been recognized as a top project numerous times, including the American Road and Transportation Builders Association Pride Award, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation Golden Shovel Award, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Large Project "On Time" Award.