Construction will begin on the eastbound lanes (southside of the street) with one lane of westbound traffic maintained on the northside of the street. After construction of the eastbound lanes is complete, the project will shift traffic to the completed lanes and maintain one lane of eastbound traffic, while constructing the westbound lanes on the northside of the street.

The project team anticipates working between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. There may be occasional overnight work performed on busier intersections in an effort to minimize traffic impacts by performing work during off-peak times. Any overnight work or closures will be communicated in advance through the project distribution list and website.

Throughout construction, on-street parking on National Avenue will be limited. The project team will be maintaining one lane of traffic on the opposite side of the street that is being worked on and there will be some limited on-street parking maintained on this side of the street. DPW has compiled a map of available public parking lots in the project area and this information is available on the project website. On-street parking is also available on the side streets, though residents are advised to comply with all posted signage.

Access to all businesses and residences will be maintained. High early concrete will be used to ensure next-day access when sidewalks are replaced. If a sidewalk is anticipated to be impacted for longer than 24-hours a pedestrian detour route will be setup and communicated.

Delivery vehicles should follow all posted signage. For smaller delivery vehicles, curbside access will be available on the side of the street that is not under construction. Businesses that anticipate larger, regular deliveries and typically receive those curbside on National Avenue should contact the project team at NationalAve@milwaukee.gov to coordinate alternate agreements for receiving deliveries during construction. The project team can provide maps and directions to vendors, if needed.

During Construction
Throughout construction, DPW communicates with emergency responders on the current status of the project and its traffic control. With this information, emergency responders can plan the best route to respond to emergency situations.

After Construction
With two travel lanes, turn lanes and/or a parking lanes, people driving can safely move to the side to allow emergency vehicles to pass. DPW meets with MPD and MFD to discuss street designs to ensure public safety is not compromised.

The 16th Street Bridge will be closed between Clybourn and Canal streets through October 2026 for a planned bridge rehabilitation project over the Menomonee River. The southern portion of the viaduct will be closed between Canal and Pierce streets through April 2026 for a floor beam replacement. For more information on this project, please visit Engage.Milwaukee.Gov/16th-Street-Bridge.

The 27th Street closure is a critical part of the overall construction sequencing of the I-94 East West Corridor. The reconstruction of the 27th Street bridge over I-94 in 2026 is necessary to maintain access across the Menomonee Valley during future reconstruction of the 35th Street bridge. WisDOT is working closely with the City of Milwaukee to plan, communicate, and mitigate impacts associated with the closure of 27th Street, as well as the city’s unforeseen emergency closure of the 16th Street viaduct.

In 2018, the City of Milwaukee adopted a Complete Streets policy. The policy aims to design and maintain streets that are safe, comfortable, and convenient for everyone, no matter who they are, where they’re going, or how they choose to travel.

Citywide, the policy strives to increase mobility and decrease motor vehicle speeds. Complete Streets is how DPW puts Vision Zero into practice. Adopted in 2022, Milwaukee’s Vision Zero policy aims to eliminate traffic deaths and lifechanging injuries by 2037. National Avenue was redesigned accordance with these two policies.

W. National Avenue is being constructed over three years in three segments. The segments are as follows:

• 2026: S. 39th to S. 27th Street
• 2027: S. 11th to S. 1st Street

• 2028: S. 27th to S. 11th Street

The segments were decided this way to avoid potential conflicts with other active construction projects, including the I-94 East-West Project. The center segment was intentionally staged last to minimize the potential for contractor overlap during final completion activities.