MILWAUKEE, Wis. — Milwaukee-area drivers are facing a double hit: rising gas prices tied to the war in Iran and a new round of lane closures on one of the region's busiest interstate corridors.
Starting Monday night, a lane on I-94 eastbound will close between 35th and 25th streets. The 35th Street on-ramp to I-94 east will also shut down. The closures are part of the I-94 East-West Project, a large-scale effort to fix aging infrastructure and improve traffic flow. The closure is expected to last through late 2026.
Drivers will be detoured through Wisconsin Avenue, 27th Street and Clybourn.
Watch: Rising gas prices and I-94 construction squeeze Milwaukee-area drivers
For drivers like Scott Johansson, a ride-share driver who also drives trucks for a living, the timing is personal.
We went for a drive with him to fill up his tank, which ended up costing him nearly $30.
"It used to be just $25," Johansson said.
I asked Johansson whether he was worried prices would keep climbing.
"Yeah, I anticipate that. Just gotta deal with it," he responded.
Despite the added cost, Johansson sees a potential upside for his ride-share business.
"I think there will be a demand spike. People don't wanna drive, they'll want to save money on gas," he said.
Johansson said he is also trying to limit his own fuel costs.
"I am thankful that I got a very fuel-efficient car," he added.
When asked whether rising gas prices affect whether he gets behind the wheel on a given day, Johansson said there is no easy answer.
"You just have to fight through it," he said.
To avoid the construction, Scott said he has already changed his route.
"I take Bluemound Road to avoid it."
But does taking a detour actually save money on gas? Peter Bilgo, owner of Riverside Automotive, said the difference is minimal.
"It's a horse a piece, it's more reduction of aggravation," Bilgo said.
Bilgo said sitting in traffic is not necessarily worse for your fuel economy than taking a longer alternate route.
"It's the inconvenience of having to sit in traffic. I don't think you're going to use more fuel," Bilgo added.
There is one exception, he said. Vehicles equipped with a start-stop system — which automatically shuts off the engine when the car is idling — can see real savings in stop-and-go traffic.
"Unless you have one of those systems, the start-stop system, in which case you'll save between 3 and 12 percent in fuel for non-hybrid vehicles," Bilgo said.
For drivers without that technology, Bilgo offered several tips to improve fuel efficiency.
"You wanna make sure your air filter is clean, that your spark plugs have been replaced," Bilgo said. "Make sure if you have a check engine light or any emissions light that comes on, that you address that accordingly."
This story was reported on-air by Jenna Rae and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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