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Highway 794 (Wisconsin)
Encyclopedia
State Trunk Highway 794 is a state highway in the U.S. state
of Wisconsin
. It runs north–south in Milwaukee County from downtown Milwaukee
to its southern suburbs. WIS 794 is the highest numbered Wisconsin state highway in the state trunk highway system.
WIS 794 is one of only two numbered state trunk highways, along with WIS 39
, that share a number designation with an Interstate or Federal/US highway within the state's borders. Wisconsin Department of Transportation
policy prohibited dual designations within the state trunk highway system, prior to the commissioning of I-39
.
state line. Due to protests over construction, it was never completed. Before the project was shelved, a portion of the planned roadway was built immediately south of downtown Milwaukee. A bridge spanning the mouth of the Milwaukee River
connecting downtown and Bay View, the Hoan Bridge
was constructed. However, connections to this bridge were left unfinished for many years, and locally it was known as the 'Bridge to Nowhere'. The 1980 movie The Blues Brothers
features a scene where their car jumps the incomplete highway.
In the 1990s, construction on what would become the Parkway began along the Union Pacific / former Chicago and North Western Transportation Company right of way. According to Bessert, the whole project took approximately eight years. The Parkway opened in October 1999.
The "freeway" section of WIS 794 - the John R. Plewa
Memorial Lake Parkway, as it is formally known - was finally "completed" to the corner of East Edgerton Avenue and South Pennsylvania Avenue, after six years of terminating at the Layton Avenue off-ramp. Officially, there are four "exits" on the Parkway:
The Oklahoma Avenue exit, however, requires a traffic light
for southbound vehicles to enter. The stoplight is a major reason why the Parkway is not considered an Interstate highway for its entire length.
A newly constructed half-mile (800 meter) section of Howard Avenue between WIS 794 and WIS 32
is part of the state trunkline system and officially labeled a spur of WIS 794. Along with WIS 341
, this spur is one of two unsigned state routes in the greater Milwaukee area.
WIS 794 continues down South Pennsylvania Avenue, running just east of General Mitchell International Airport
south to its terminus at College Avenue.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. It runs north–south in Milwaukee County from downtown Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
to its southern suburbs. WIS 794 is the highest numbered Wisconsin state highway in the state trunk highway system.
WIS 794 is one of only two numbered state trunk highways, along with WIS 39
Highway 39 (Wisconsin)
State Trunk Highway 39 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It runs in east–west across south central Wisconsin from Edmund to New Glarus....
, that share a number designation with an Interstate or Federal/US highway within the state's borders. Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Wisconsin Department of Transportation
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation, abbreviated as WisDOT, is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of Wisconsin responsible for planning, building and maintaining the state's highways...
policy prohibited dual designations within the state trunk highway system, prior to the commissioning of I-39
Interstate 39
Interstate 39 is a highway in the midwestern United States. I-39 runs from Normal, Illinois at Interstate 55 to Highway 29 in Rothschild, Wisconsin, approximately six miles south of Wausau. I-39 was designed to replace US Highway 51, which in the early 1980s was one of the busiest two-lane...
.
The Lake Parkway
The Lake Parkway was originally planned to be a lakeside freeway, extending from just north of downtown Milwaukee all the way south to the IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
state line. Due to protests over construction, it was never completed. Before the project was shelved, a portion of the planned roadway was built immediately south of downtown Milwaukee. A bridge spanning the mouth of the Milwaukee River
Milwaukee River
The Milwaukee River is a river in the state of Wisconsin. It is about long.- Description :The river begins in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin and flows south past Grafton to downtown Milwaukee, where it empties into Lake Michigan...
connecting downtown and Bay View, the Hoan Bridge
Hoan Bridge
The Daniel Hoan Memorial Bridge is a tied arch bridge that connects Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to the Lake Freeway across the Milwaukee River inlet...
was constructed. However, connections to this bridge were left unfinished for many years, and locally it was known as the 'Bridge to Nowhere'. The 1980 movie The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers (film)
The Blues Brothers is a 1980 musical comedy film directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from a musical sketch on the NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. It features musical numbers by R&B and soul singers James...
features a scene where their car jumps the incomplete highway.
In the 1990s, construction on what would become the Parkway began along the Union Pacific / former Chicago and North Western Transportation Company right of way. According to Bessert, the whole project took approximately eight years. The Parkway opened in October 1999.
John R. Plewa
John R. Plewa was a Democratic politician from Wisconsin.Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Plewa graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater...
Memorial Lake Parkway, as it is formally known - was finally "completed" to the corner of East Edgerton Avenue and South Pennsylvania Avenue, after six years of terminating at the Layton Avenue off-ramp. Officially, there are four "exits" on the Parkway:
- Layton Avenue (southbound off, northbound on)
- Howard Avenue
- Oklahoma Avenue
- Carferry Drive (access to the dock for the Lake ExpressLake ExpressLake Express is a high-speed auto and passenger ferry that is in service on a route across Lake Michigan. Lake Express links the cities of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Muskegon, Michigan from late spring to the fall of each year.- Background :...
ferryFerryA ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
to Muskegon, MichiganMuskegon, MichiganMuskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
; northbound continues on to I-794)
The Oklahoma Avenue exit, however, requires a traffic light
Traffic light
Traffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
for southbound vehicles to enter. The stoplight is a major reason why the Parkway is not considered an Interstate highway for its entire length.
A newly constructed half-mile (800 meter) section of Howard Avenue between WIS 794 and WIS 32
Highway 32 (Wisconsin)
State Trunk Highway 32 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Wisconsin that runs north–south in eastern Wisconsin. It runs from the Illinois border north to the Michigan border . It is named the 32nd Division Memorial Highway after the U.S...
is part of the state trunkline system and officially labeled a spur of WIS 794. Along with WIS 341
Highway 341 (Wisconsin)
State Trunk Highway 341 , better known as Miller Park Way, is the current name of the oldest freeway in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It connects Interstate 94 to WIS 59 , with a single set of off-ramps to Canal Street and the parking lots of Miller Park...
, this spur is one of two unsigned state routes in the greater Milwaukee area.
WIS 794 continues down South Pennsylvania Avenue, running just east of General Mitchell International Airport
General Mitchell International Airport
General Mitchell International Airport is a county-owned public airport located five miles south of the central business district of Milwaukee, a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States....
south to its terminus at College Avenue.
Interchanges
| County | Location | Mile | # Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 WIS 794 follows Pennsylvania Ave south(at intersection of E. Edgerton Avenue) |
|||||
| Milwaukee | St Francis St. Francis, Wisconsin St. Francis is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, its population was 8,662. It is the smallest incorporated city in Milwaukee County.-Geography:St. Francis is located at .... |
0.0 | Layton Ave | Southbound exit/Northbound entrance only | |
| 1.0 | Howard Ave | ||||
| Milwaukee Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the... |
2.0 | Oklahoma Ave | Traffic light controlled at-grade intersection | ||
| 3.0 | Port of Milwaukee | Northern terminus | |||
WIS 794 becomes  I-794 |
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