Freeways of Milwaukee

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Freeways in the Milwaukee metropolitan area
Highway markers for I‑43, US 41, and WIS 145
Map of existing (in red) and unbuilt (in blue) freeways in Milwaukee metropolitan area
Highway names
Interstates	Interstate nn (I‑nn)
US Highways	US Highway nn (US nn)
State	Wisconsin Highway nn (WIS nn)
System links
Wisconsin State Trunk Highway System Interstate US State Scenic Rustic

In Milwaukee, freeways were constructed in response to an 8.5% increase in population during the 1940s. Road plans were drawn up in the 1950s through the 1970s and several freeways were built. A lack of foresight resulted in several communities experiencing sharp increases in property taxes such as in West Milwaukee, or the complete destruction of vibrant, African-American neighborhoods such as Bronzeville. After a decade of aggressive highway building in the 1960s, support for freeway construction began to wane as neighborhoods started to oppose construction. With the election of John Norquist as mayor in 1988, Milwaukee began to undo some of the damage of its highway construction. The dismantling of the Park East Freeway north of downtown led to a housing and entertainment construction boom and is the location of Fiserv Forum.