The Wisconsin DOT is closing down all eastbound lanes of Interstate 94 starting at Highway 100 at 11 p.m. Friday.
The 31 hour closure, which lasts until 6 a.m. Sunday, is part of the Zoo Interchange reconstruction. It runs east to roughly 92nd Street, with the next open ramp into the eastbound lanes of I-94 being 84th Street.
The system ramps from I-894 and I-41/US 45 to I-94 westbound will also be closed. Those closures begin at 10 p.m. Friday.
Mark Klipstein, who is overseeing the DOT's Zoo Interchange reconstruction project, said he's hopeful the roads will be open sooner.
Klipstein said the project in total will require roughly 15 hours of work. The DOT has scheduled a 31 hour shutdown to allow for possible weather delays.
"We're staying optimistic we can open up earlier, but if we really get hit hard with rain and thunderstorms then we won't open until 6 a.m. Sunday," Klipstein.
Klipstein said the construction involves three cranes lifting up "tub girders" and placing them on top of concrete piers. The girders, which are linked to one another, eventually will serve as the base for laying a new ramp from I-94 eastbound to I-41/US 45 northbound.
Highways and some ramps in the area are being closed so that the project doesn't take place above live traffic.
"It's a very intricate job," Klipstein said.
Neighbors in the area said they're worried about traffic being diverted from the interstate and into residential areas during the closure.
"With it being shut down this weekend, I expect we'll have increased traffic on 92nd street, Highway 100, Bluemound Road, and Greenfield Avenue," said Glenn Lee, who lives on 92nd Street.
Joe Radusin said the closure will impact him right away. He said he'll have to find an alternate route to Oak Creek on Saturday morning for work.
"It's a little irritating," Radusin said. "All that traffic will have to be diverted somewhere, I guess."
The DOT is urging travelers on I-94 eastbound to exit at Moreland Boulevard, then use either Greenfield Avenue or Bluemound Road to head East.
Additional information on the Zoo IC project can be found here.
