I-43 North-South Corridor Study

Planning, Survey, Transportation | Wisconsin | Back

Challenge

The Brown Deer Road interchange with I-43 North-South is plagued by traffic flow and level of service issues. This all-important interchange is just one facet of the study of 14 miles of I-43 to identify the best options to expand the freeway and deliver preliminary design for the study area.

Solution

I-43 North-South study included the development of an Environmental Impact Statement and conceptual engineering for freeway expansion, as well as the reconstruction of the Good Hope Road, Brown Deer Road, County Line Road, Mequon Road, and County C interchanges. The study had an aggressive schedule, and it took the team only 27 months to go from initial data gathering to a Record of Decision.

To address traffic flow and level of service issues, Kapur designers developed plans for a high-capacity diverging diamond interchange, the first in the Southeast Region for WisDOT at Brown Deer Road. In addition, Kapur recommended constructing a new interchange at Highland Road as part of the improvements.

Services Provided

  • Field survey
  • Public involvement
  • Newsletters
  • Roadway geometric analysis
  • Development of Arc GIS Database 9.1
  • Local roadway design
  • Freeway design
  • Renderings/visualizations
  • DEIS/EIS
  • Right-of-way plat

Industries Covered

  • Planning
  • Survey
  • Transportation

Results

Kapur assisted WisDOT in developing a Public Involvement Plan to jump-start the project by producing and disseminating information to the public and scheduling meetings where they could interact with project representatives. To encourage public participation meetings were held on two dates and in two separate locations. During this process, Kapur staff raised the bar in terms of turnaround time and quality of visualizations unlike anything seen on previous WisDOT projects. We developed presentations, exhibits, and handouts in advance for review and revision prior to final print for the meetings. Pre-meeting “pep rallies” were held to discuss hot topics and assure all team members delivered the same message to the public.