Here's what we know about two plans to remove I-794, and seven plans to repair the freeway

The issue of whether downtown Milwaukee's Interstate 794 should be repaired or removed entered a new phase with recent open house meetings.

The open houses presented several conceptual alternatives from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation on either repairing the elevated freeway, or replacing it with at-grade streets between roughly the Hoan Bridge's northern approach and a few blocks west of the Milwaukee River.

WisDOT is still gathering public input. It will hold more public meetings as it narrows the range of alternatives, and creates cost estimates, before eventually naming a "preferred alternative." A public hearing on that preferred plan is likely in 2024.

The project's design is to be finalized in 2025 and 2026, with construction to run from 2026 through 2029 − pending funding availability.

Freeway removal supporters say the streets can handle the change, which would open several blocks for commercial development − and tear down a barrier between downtown, the lakefront and the Historic Third Ward.

Opponents fear removing the freeway would shift tens of thousands of cars daily to surface streets − clogging traffic and lengthening commutes.

Here's what we know about two alternatives for removing much of the freeway, and seven options for repairing I-794 between roughly the river and the Hoan.

Two different plans for removal

In one removal plan, I-794 would be taken down from the Hoan's northern approach to roughly Second Street. Traffic would shift to Clybourn Street, which would be converted to two-way, and St. Paul Avenue. The Clybourn Street bridge might need to be replaced with a wider bridge to handle increased traffic.

Other changes would include eliminating connections by Second and Third streets to Clybourn Street; extending St. Paul Avenue to Lincoln Memorial Drive; connecting Jefferson Street between Clybourn Street and St. Paul Avenue; extending Cass Street into the Third Ward, and ending Lincoln Memorial Drive at St. Paul Avenue.

The other removal plan has a more extensive takedown of I-794 − from the Hoan's northern approach to roughly Sixth Street. Traffic would shift to Clybourn Street, which would be converted to two-way, and St. Paul Avenue. Along with possibly replacing the Clybourn Street bridge, the Marquette Interchange's south to east system ramp would be removed.

Other changes would include eliminating Third Street's connection to Clybourn Street; extending St. Paul Avenue to Lincoln Memorial Drive; connecting Jefferson Street between Clybourn Street and St. Paul Avenue; extending Cass Street into the Historic Third Ward, and ending Lincoln Memorial Drive at Buffalo Street.

Replace in kind concept

This would replace different sections on the freeway's eastern portion which date to 1974. They weren't touched when part of I-794 was reconstructed from 2013 through 2016 — a $239 million project that included rebuilding the Hoan's concrete deck.

This concept would rebuild bridges to match the freeway's existing configuration. It would maintain the existing design, including all entrance and exit ramps.

Four plans to keep the wider lane separation

There are four different conceptual plans to rebuild freeway bridges within I-794's current alignment that keeps a wider separation of the eastbound and westbound lanes − while using updated design standards to improve safety.

One concept would maintain the left-side westbound entrance ramp at Jackson and Van Buren streets; consolidate access at Jackson and Van Buren streets and at Lincoln Memorial Drive; provide a new connecting road from the Jackson and Van Buren street ramps to Lincoln Memorial Drive; create two-way traffic for Clybourn Street from Water Street to Lincoln Memorial Drive, and maintain Lincoln Memorial Drive's connection to the Third Ward.

A second concept would maintain the left-side westbound entrance ramp and the eastbound exit ramp at Jackson and Van Buren streets; consolidate access at Jackson and Van Buren streets and at Lincoln Memorial Drive; create two-way traffic for Clybourn Street from Water Street to Lincoln Memorial Drive; extend St. Paul Avenue to Lincoln Memorial Drive and Harbor Drive; extend Cass Street into the Third Ward, and end Lincoln Memorial Drive at St. Paul Avenue.

A third concept would maintain the left-side westbound entrance ramp and the eastbound exit ramp at Jackson and Van Buren streets; consolidate access at Jackson and Van Buren streets and at the new Cass Street extension; create two-way traffic for Clybourn Street from Water Street to Lincoln Memorial Drive; extend St. Paul Avenue to Lincoln Memorial Drive, and maintain Lincoln Memorial Drive's connection to the Third Ward.

A fourth concept would maintain the left-side westbound entrance ramp and the eastbound exit ramp at Jackson and Van Buren streets; consolidate access at Jackson and Van Buren streets and at St. Paul Avenue; provide a new connecting road between access points; create two-way traffic for Clybourn Street from Water Street to Lincoln Memorial Drive; extend St. Paul Avenue to Lincoln Memorial Drive, and maintain Lincoln Memorial Drive's connection to the Third Ward.

Two plans to tighten the lane separation

Two plans would rebuild freeway bridges with a tightened alignment between eastbound and westbound lanes that uses updated design standards. Those plans would provide right-side entrance and exit ramps, with the mainline construction extending west of the river.

One concept would shift the freeway north and consolidate access at Jackson and Van Buren streets and at Lincoln Memorial Drive; create two-way traffic for Clybourn Street from Water Street to Lincoln Memorial Drive; extend St. Paul Avenue to Lincoln Memorial Drive; extend Cass Street into the Third Ward, and end Lincoln Memorial Drive at St. Paul Avenue.

Another plan would shift the freeway south and consolidate access at Jackson and Van Buren streets and at Lincoln Memorial Drive; create two-way traffic for Clybourn Street from Water Street to Lincoln Memorial Drive; extend St. Paul Avenue to Lincoln Memorial Drive, and maintain Lincoln Memorial Drive's connection to the Third Ward.

Tom Daykin can be emailed at tdaykin@jrn.com and followed on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.