ForConstructionPros.com

Milwaukee's Marquette Interchange project is an ambitious effort to improve the section at which Interstates 43, 94 and 794 meet in the city's downtown area. At $810 million, it is Wisconsin's most expensive venture ever, and is the first of its scope and size to be completed while continuously maintaining traffic flow.

Work on the Interchange includes both demolition and complete reconstruction, as all left exit ramps are removed, merge lanes are lengthened, ramps are widened and an entire new fifth level is added.

According to Brady Frederick, project manager for Marquette Constructors, LLC, the joint venture firm heading up the operation, the project is unique in a number of respects. "The Marquette job is actually two projects being undertaken at once: a 'South Leg' portion and the central or 'Core' section," he explains. "It is a complex undertaking that demands a great deal of planning and execution to bring a whole host of efforts together."

This is made even more challenging by the fact that the state has assured Milwaukee-area motorists it would have two lanes of traffic open in each direction for the duration of construction.

"To ensure this was the case, we undertook a $30 million contract last year to build five temporary bridges to establish new traffic patterns to keep things moving," says Frederick. "The DOT made a firm commitment to the community to get this done with minimal impact upon day-to-day traffic activity. And while that's added tremendously to the complexity of the project, it's really happening."