State begins planning for I-94 improvements between Hudson and Roberts

Talk about it

A six-mile stretch of Interstate 94 is a step closer to major improvements, but the construction is likely still years away.

On Nov. 2, the state Transportation Projects Commission authorized an environmental study of the potential project between exit 4 in the town of Hudson and Hwy. 65 at Roberts. The study will include an analysis of the traffic problems on the stretch of freeway and the selection of a preferred alternative for alleviating them.

Chris Ouellette of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Northwest Region office at Eau Claire said “community, environmental, safety and cost factors” are taken into consideration when choosing a preferred alternative.

Ouellette said completion of the environmental study would take a few years. She said the Wisconsin DOT must meet state and federal environmental requirements to be eligible for federal funding for the work.

The six-mile segment provides “direct interstate access to the cities of Hudson and Roberts, and is an important route for moving freight throughout the state and region,” Gov. Scott Walker’s office said in announcing the commission’s decision.

The governor’s office noted that the average daily traffic volume along the I-94 segment is 49,000 vehicles, and expected to grow to 71,000 by 2030.

An average of 31 crashes occurs annually along the six-mile mile corridor, the news release said. A majority of the corridor has crash rates above the statewide average.

The commission also approved environmental studies on five other major highway project candidates, including three segments of the Beltline Highway around Madison, and portions of I-94 and I-43 in Milwaukee and Ozaukee counties.

The Transportation Projects Commission was created by the Legislature in 1983 to recommend projects for construction.

The governor serves as chair of the 15-member body. Three of the members are citizens appointed by the governor. Five members of the state Assembly and five state senators also serve on the commission. The secretary of transportation serves as a non-voting member.

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