MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — The I-94 East-West project could be delayed an additional two years, potentially pushing the anticipated opening of the mainline to December 2035, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

The report says the total cost of the three ongoing Southeast Megaprojects increased 1.3% compared with the February 2026 report. WisDOT says the increase is tied to a potential two-year delay on the I-94 East-West project caused by significant utility relocations along the corridor and their impact on work zones and through traffic.

CBS 58

"I know there's really nothing I can do about it, but it is a nuisance," Milwaukee driver James Clark said. "Right now, it's the absolute worst."

Clark drives into downtown Milwaukee for work and deals with I-94 traffic on an almost daily basis.

"Typically, it's a 28- to 30-minute ride, and right now, my GPS is saying it's gonna be 58 minutes on the way home," Clark said.

As the days go by, the time starts to add up, while the light at the end of the tunnel could be getting further away.

"I guess I just don't understand why it keeps getting put out and put out," Clark said.

WisDOT says it is trying to reduce or eliminate the potential delay by shifting funding and reconfiguring parts of the project schedule to complete some work earlier and avoid conflicts caused by utility relocations.

"Sitting in traffic might suck, but it's part of it sometimes," Clark said. "If there's more stuff coming down the pipeline for Milwaukee, I'll probably have to adapt and overcome it."