The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) recently applied for the 2017-18 Infrastructure For Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant, which is provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
WisDOT applied for the grant to offset the expense of the expansion of I-94 North-South which runs 36 miles from Milwaukee to the state line. More than $90 billion in goods are moved through this stretch of I-94.
The area is the location of the nation’s second-largest percentage of manufacturing employment.
The project will cost more than $13 billion in private and public investment. It is the state’s largest single economic development project and the nation’s largest corporate attraction project in terms of jobs.
“The I-94 North-South corridor plays a key role in the local and regional economy of southeast Wisconsin,” WisDOT Secretary Dave Ross said. “With new businesses investing in this region such as Foxconn, Amazon, Uline, and Northwestern Mutual, WisDOT is looking to ensure that the transportation of goods and passengers throughout this region meets business and individual needs.”
The current completion date for the project is 2032. If awarded the grant, WisDOT could complete the project by 2021.
The final phase will facilitate existing and projected traffic and improve safety.