December 15, 2025
State Panel Advances $25 Million Study on I-94 Widening in Waukesha County
DOT moves forward with environmental review as aging infrastructure, crash hotspots, and congestion drive calls for expansion.
Published December 15, 2025

A major proposal to widen Interstate 94 in western Waukesha County is moving ahead after the state’s Transportation Projects Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to authorize a $25 million environmental study. The review will examine whether expanding the corridor to three lanes in each direction is necessary to address safety issues and growing traffic demands.

The project — ranked by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation as the top priority among nine candidates for further analysis — focuses on a 12.5-mile stretch between County Trunk SS and the Waukesha-Jefferson county border. The study, however, will assess a broader area from the Zoo Interchange in Milwaukee County to Willow Glen Road west of Oconomowoc.

DOT Secretary Kristina Boardman noted the corridor’s challenges in a Sept. 22 letter, citing 40 identified crash “hot spots,” high congestion levels, and infrastructure approaching the end of its usable life. Portions of the pavement date back to the 1950s, and 32 bridges in the zone are more than 60 years old according to Wisconsin Business Journal.

Support for the potential widening is strong among local business groups and municipal leaders. Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow and the Waukesha County Business Alliance argue the project is essential for reducing travel times, improving freight movement, and supporting the region’s economic growth.

“This corridor serves as an economic backbone for Wisconsin,” said Alliance President and CEO Amanda Payne. She praised the commission’s vote, saying the study will enable a “transparent, data-driven evaluation” of the area’s long-term needs.

Once the environmental review is completed, the DOT may recommend construction to the Transportation Projects Commission. Any build-out would require additional approval and funding through the state budget. (RELATED: Milwaukee County Zoo Welcomes Two Critically Endangered Black Rhinos)

The Transportation Projects Commission — chaired by Gov. Tony Evers and composed of lawmakers and public members — reviews and recommends major highway projects for state consideration. The I-94 study marks a significant early step toward a possible expansion of one of southeastern Wisconsin’s most heavily traveled corridors.

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