Interstate 94 in Wisconsin

Route map:
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Interstate 94 marker

Interstate 94

Map
I-94 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by WisDOT
Length348.23 mi[1] (560.42 km)
NHSEntire route
Major junctions
West end I-94 / US 12 at Minnesota state line
Major intersections
East end I-41 / I-94 / US 41 at Illinois state line
Location
CountryUnited States
StateWisconsin
CountiesSt. Croix, Dunn, Eau Claire, Trempealeau, Jackson, Monroe, Juneau, Sauk, Columbia, Dane, Jefferson, Waukesha, Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha
Highway system
WIS 93 WIS 95

Interstate 94 (I-94) runs east–west through the western, central, and southeastern portions of the US state of Wisconsin. A total of 348.23 miles (560.42 km) of I-94 lie in the state.

Route description[edit]

I-894 west (cardinal north) at the Zoo Interchange (I-94), predating the interchange's 2010s reconstruction and I-41 designations
I-90 and I-94 junction near Tomah

The route, cosigned with US Highway 12 (US 12), enters from Minnesota just east of the Twin Cities. The route passes north of Menomonie and south of Eau Claire before turning southeast and heading toward Tomah where it joins I-90. The two Interstates run concurrently for the next 91.76 miles (147.67 km) to Madison. I-94 enters the state as a six-lane facility which reduces to four-lanes at exit 4 (US 12).

I-94 passes by the popular tourist destination of Wisconsin Dells.

The route converges with I-39 63 miles (101 km) southeast of Tomah (near Portage). This concurrency (30 miles [48 km]) is the longest three-route concurrency of the Interstate Highway System and only one of two in existence. The interchanges mark a return to a six-lane configuration.

I-94 turns eastward toward Milwaukee at what is commonly known as the "Badger Interchange" where the three Interstates meet with State Trunk Highway 30 (WISS 30). The highway returns to four lanes after the interchange traffic merges, then returns to six lanes just west of Waukesha. The highway remains a six-lane facility (with various auxiliary and collector–distributor lanes in Milwaukee at interchanges) east and south of this point, and through the area is officially designated the East–West Freeway, though very few organizations, including the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's traffic control center in the area actually use that name. I-94 passes through Downtown Milwaukee, turning southbound and joining I-43 for six miles (9.7 km), into a road designated from Ozaukee County to the Illinois state line as the North–South Freeway.

I-94 leaves Milwaukee to the south, joining with I-41 at the Mitchell Interchange. These two Interstates run concurrently to the border, passing west of Racine and Kenosha on their way into Illinois toward Chicago. Traffic is heavy along this stretch.

Speed limits[edit]

The speed limit on I-94 from the Minnesota border to the WaukeshaMilwaukee county border is 70 mph (110 km/h). Entering Milwaukee County, the limit decreases to 55 mph (89 km/h). The limit is 55 mph (89 km/h) until just west of the Marquette Interchange, where it decreases to 50 mph (80 km/h). This 50-mile-per-hour (80 km/h) limit continues to the Airport Interchange, where it increases to 55 mph (89 km/h). Between Rawson and Drexel avenues, the limit increases to 70 mph (110 km/h) and maintains this limit to the Illinois border.

History[edit]

I-94 was the first section of the Interstate Highway System completed within the state of Wisconsin. This one-mile (1.6 km) section, near Johnson Creek in Jefferson County, was built in 1958.[2] The route was added segment-by-segment over the years and was completed to its current alignment on November 4, 1969.[2] The routing through Milwaukee displaced thousands of residents and businesses. A one-mile (1.6 km) stretch between Lincoln and Greenfield avenues displaced 411 homes and 45 businesses. Milwaukee continues to see millions of dollars in lost tax revenue as a result of the freeway routing through the heart of the city.[3]

From 2004 until 2008, a portion of I-94 in Milwaukee was reconstructed as a part of the Marquette Interchange project.[4]

Current construction[edit]

Beginning in 2009 and continuing until 2021, the 35 miles (56 km) of I-94 between the Mitchell Interchange and the Illinois state line will be widened from six to eight lanes. This includes a complete rebuild of the roadway and reconstruction of frontage roads and interchanges including a new design of the Mitchell Interchange in Milwaukee County.

Exit list[edit]

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
St. Croix River0.000.00

I-94 west / US 12 west – St. Paul
Continuation into Minnesota
Minnesota–Wisconsin state line
St. CroixHudson0.570.921


WIS 35 north / Alt. I-94 west – Hudson
Western end of WIS 35 concurrency
Coulee RoadWestbound entrance only
2.133.432 CTH-F (Carmichael Road)
3.205.153
WIS 35 south – Hudson, River Falls
Eastern end of WIS 35 concurrency
3.966.374
US 12 east / CTH-U – Somerset
Eastern end of US 12 concurrency
Town of Warren10.1216.2910 WIS 65 – Roberts, River Falls, New Richmond
Town of Rush River16.6226.7516 CTH-T – Hammond
Town of Eau Galle19.6631.6419 US 63 – Baldwin, Ellsworth
Woodville24.4139.2824 CTH-B – Woodville, Spring Valley
Town of Cady28.4145.7228 WIS 128 – Glenwood City, Elmwood, Spring Valley
DunnTown of Lucas32.5752.4232 CTH-Q – Knapp
Menomonie41.7867.2441 WIS 25 – Menomonie, Barron
Town of Red Cedar45.6573.4745 CTH-B – Menomonie
Town of Elk Mound52.0583.7752
US 12 / WIS 29 to WIS 40 – Chippewa Falls, Wausau, Colfax, Elk Mound
Eau ClaireTown of Union58.9594.8759

WIS 312 east / CTH-EE to US 12 – Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Elk Mound
Town of Brunswick64.79104.2765 WIS 37 – Mondovi, Eau Claire
Eau Claire68.65110.4868 WIS 93 – Eau Claire, Eleva
Town of Washington70.48–
70.50
113.43–
113.46
70 US 53 – Eau Claire, Chippewa Falls, Superior
Town of Clear Creek81.03130.4181 CTH-HH – Foster, Fall Creek
TrempealeauTown of Sumner88.09141.7788 US 10 – Augusta, Osseo, Fairchild
JacksonTown of Northfield98.27158.1598 WIS 121 / CTH-FF – Alma Center, Pigeon Falls
Town of Hixton105.12169.17105 WIS 95 / CTH-FF – Hixton, Alma Center
Black River Falls114.83184.80115 US 12 / WIS 27 – Black River Falls, Merrillan
Town of Brockway116.17186.96116 WIS 54 – Black River Falls, Wisconsin Rapids
Town of Millston127.86205.77128 CTH-O – Millston
MonroeTown of Lincoln135.29217.73135 CTH-EW – Warrens
Town of La Grange139.09223.84143 US 12 – TomahNo westbound exit
143.06230.23143 WIS 21 – Necedah, WyevilleNo eastbound exit
145.05233.44145Industrial Avenue – Tomah
Town of Tomah146.90236.41147
I-90 west – La Crosse, Tomah, Albert Lea
Western end of I-90 concurrency
Oakdale150.40242.0548 CTH-PP – OakdaleExit numbers follow I-90
JuneauCamp Douglas156.83252.3955 CTH-C – Camp Douglas, Volk Field
New Lisbon163.26262.7461 WIS 80 – New Lisbon, Necedah
Town of Lemonweir169.51272.8069 WIS 82 – Mauston, Oxford
Lyndon Station180.77290.9279 CTH-HH – Lyndon Station
Town of Lyndon187.20301.2785 US 12 / WIS 16 – Wisconsin Dells
SaukWisconsin Dells189.07304.2887 WIS 13 – Wisconsin Dells
Lake Delton191.60308.3589 WIS 23 – Lake Delton, Reedsburg
Town of Delton193.93312.1092 US 12 – Baraboo, Lake Delton
ColumbiaTown of Caledonia207.53333.99106 WIS 33 – Portage, Baraboo
209.94–
210.39
337.87–
338.59
108A WIS 78 – Merrimac
108B
I-39 north – Wausau
Western end of I-39 concurrency
Town of Dekorra217.01349.24115 CTH-CS – Poynette, Lake Wisconsin
Town of Arlington221.00355.67119 WIS 60 – Lodi, Arlington
DaneTown of Vienna228.05367.01126 CTH-V – Dane, De Forest
Community of Windsor232.26373.79131 WIS 19 – Waunakee, Sun Prairie
Town of Burke233.78–
233.82
376.23–
376.30
132 US 51 – Madison, De Forest
Madison237.01–
237.04
381.43–
381.48
135A
US 151 south – Madison
Cloverleaf interchange
135B
US 151 north – Sun Prairie
237.25381.82135CHigh Crossing BoulevardWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
239.04384.70

I-39 south / I-90 east – Chicago
Eastern end of I-39/I-90 concurrency; eastbound exit and westbound left entrance; westbound access via WIS 30 (exit 240A); I-90 exit 138A
239.73385.81240
WIS 30 west – Madison
Westbound left exit and eastbound entrance; WIS 30 exit 3B
Town of Sun Prairie243.71392.21244 CTH-N – Cottage Grove, Sun Prairie
Town of Deerfield249.58401.66250 WIS 73 – Marshall, Deerfield
JeffersonTown of Lake Mills258.65416.26259 WIS 89 – Lake Mills, Waterloo, Jefferson
Johnson Creek266.18428.38267 WIS 26 – Johnson Creek, Watertown
Town of Concord275.00442.57275 CTH-F – Sullivan, IxoniaFormer WIS 135
276.96445.72277Willow Glen RoadEastbound exit and westbound entrance
WaukeshaOconomowoc281.20452.55282 WIS 67 – Dousman, Oconomowoc
Town of Summit282.77455.07283 CTH-P (Sawyer Road)
Delafield284.76458.28285 CTH-C – Delafield
286.38460.88287 WIS 83 – Hartland, Wales
Town of Delafield289.90466.55290
CTH-SS north – Pewaukee
Pewaukee290.81468.01291 WIS 318 / CTH-G / CTH-TT – Waukesha, PewaukeeCTH-TT has been redesignated WIS 318, part of the western Waukesha Bypass under construction in 2019
Waukesha292.36470.51293 CTH-T – Waukesha, PewaukeeSigned as exit 293 westbound
292.73471.10293C
WIS 16 west – Pewaukee
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
Pewaukee293.89472.97294

WIS 164 north / CTH-J south – Waukesha, Pewaukee
Western end of WIS 164 concurrency
294.81474.45295 CTH-F – Waukesha, Sussex
Town of Brookfield296.68–
296.87
477.46–
477.77
297
US 18 / WIS 164 south / CTH-JJ (Bluemound Road) / Barker Road – Waukesha
Eastern end of WIS 164 concurrency
Brookfield300.31483.30301 CTH-O (Moorland Road)Signed as exit 301A-B eastbound and exits 301A (Moorland Road south) and 301B (Moorland Road north) westbound
MilwaukeeWest Allis303.41–
303.42
488.29–
488.31
304 WIS 100 (Mayfair Road / 108th Street)Signed as exit 304A-B eastbound and exits 304A (WIS 100 south) and 304B (WIS 100 north) westbound; exit for Mayfair Mall and Milwaukee County Zoo
Milwaukee304.01–
304.13
489.26–
489.45
305A



I-41 south / I-894 east / US 41 south / US 45 south (Zoo Freeway) – Chicago
305B


I-41 north / US 41 north / US 45 north (Zoo Freeway) – Fond du Lac
304.97–
305.00
490.80–
490.85
306 WIS 181 (84th Street)
305.88–
306.03
492.27–
492.51
307A68th Street, 70th Street
306.55–
306.58
493.34–
493.39
307BHawley Road
306.97494.02308AMitchell Boulevard – VA Center
307.38–
307.43
494.68–
494.76
308B
WIS 175 south (Brewers Boulevard)
308C
WIS 175 north (Stadium Freeway)
308.04495.74309A35th Street
308.66496.74309B26th Street, St. Paul AvenueEastbound exit and westbound entrance
308.74496.87Clybourn Street, 25th StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
309.48498.06310A13th StreetEastbound exit only
309.99498.88310B
I-43 north (North–South Freeway) – Green Bay
Northern end of I-43 concurrency; I-43 south exit 72D
310.16499.15310C
I-794 east (East-West Freeway) – Lakefront, Port of Milwaukee
I-794 exit 1C
310.60499.86311 WIS 59 (National Avenue) / 6th Street
311.17–
311.49
500.78–
501.29
312AGreenfield Avenue, Lapham Boulevard, Mitchell Street
312.09–
312.18
502.26–
502.41
312BBecher Street, Lincoln Avenue, Mitchell Street
313.56504.63314AHolt Avenue
314.13505.54314BHoward Avenue
315.40–
315.55
507.59–
507.83
316



I-41 north (Airport Freeway) / I-43 south / I-894 west / US 41 north – Beloit, Madison, Fond du Lac
Northern end of I-41/US 41 concurrency; southern end of I-43 concurrency
315.78508.20317 CTH-Y (Layton Avenue)
317.17510.44318 WIS 119 – General Mitchell International Airport
317.86511.55319 CTH-ZZ (College Avenue)
Oak Creek318.82513.09320 CTH-BB (Rawson Avenue)
319.83514.72321Drexel Avenue
321.84517.95322 WIS 100 (Ryan Road)
324
To WIS 241 (27th Street), Elm Road
Interchange opened in mid-2020
RacineRaymondCaledonia line324.10521.59325
WIS 241 north (27th Street)
Closed; was westbound exit and eastbound entrance; former US 41 north
325.04523.10326
WIS 241 north (Seven Mile Road)
Southern terminus of WIS 241
326.56525.55327 CTH-G – Caledonia
328.55528.75329 CTH-K – Racine, Caledonia
YorkvilleMount Pleasant line332.21–
332.25
534.64–
534.70
333 WIS 20 – Waterford, Racine
Sylvania334.22537.87335 WIS 11 – Burlington, Racine, Mt. Pleasant
RacineKenosha
county line
Kellogg's Corners336.10540.90337 CTH-KR – Mt. Pleasant
KenoshaTown of Paris338.12544.15339 CTH-E – Somers
Somers339.89547.00340 WIS 142 / CTH-S – Burlington, Kenosha
341.64549.82342 WIS 158 – Kenosha
Kenosha343.18552.29344 WIS 50 – Kenosha, Lake Geneva
Pleasant Prairie344.82554.93345 CTH-C
346.20557.15347 WIS 165 / CTH-Q (Lakeview Parkway)
348.23560.42


I-41 south / I-94 east / US 41 south – Chicago
Continuation into Illinois
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Auxiliary routes[edit]

Two auxiliary routes of I-94 exist in Wisconsin, both are in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. I-794 is a spur in downtown that accesses the southeast suburbs and the Port of Milwaukee. It is known as the East–West Freeway from I-94 to Lincoln Memorial Drive and as the Lake Freeway from there to Carferry Drive. I-894 is a southwest bypass of the city that is known as the Zoo Freeway from the I-94 Zoo Interchange to I-43 at the Hale Interchange and as the Airport Freeway from there to I-94 at the Mitchell Interchange.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Wisconsin State Trunk Highway Logs:
    • Northwest Region Staff (May 14, 2009). State Trunk Highway Log for Region 5. Eau Claire, WI: Wisconsin Department of Transportation. pp. 547–570.
    • Southwest Region Staff (December 31, 2008). State Trunk Highway Log for Southwest Region (XLS). Madison, WI: Wisconsin Department of Transportation. 094E.
    • Southeast Region Staff (December 31, 2008). State Trunk Highway Log for Southeast Region (XLS). Waukesha, WI: Wisconsin Department of Transportation. 094E.
  2. ^ a b "I-94 segment observes 50th anniversary". Red Wing Republican Eagle. October 22, 2009. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  3. ^ John Gurda (August 9, 2022). "Racist planning decisions led Milwaukee's freeway system along a path of least resistance, with great damage to communities of color". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  4. ^ "Marquette Interchange in Milwaukee opens, far ahead of schedule". The Capital Times. August 19, 2008. Retrieved November 22, 2023 – via NewsBank.

External links[edit]

KML is from Wikidata
  • 511wi.gov, Milwaukee-to-Kenosha construction project website from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
  • I-94 at Wisconsin Highways


Interstate 94
Previous state:
Minnesota
Wisconsin Next state:
Illinois