UW-Milwaukee students present exciting ideas for I-794 change

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- For years, Milwaukee city leaders have talked about reimagining the section of interstate 794 that cuts through downtown to the lakefront. On Thursday, May 1, 2025, students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee put their own ideas on display. 

Graduate students in the Urban Planning Program hosted an open house at the Third Street Market Hall. They presented semester-long projects on what's possible in the interstate were to be removed. 

Ideas include nightlife, housing, hotels and market space. 

Real-life discussions have focused on traffic, but Professor Carolyn Esswein at UW-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning says this was all about development. 

"We have a great track record doing this," said Esswein. "Other years, we've looked at everything from Park East to the Harbor District, so it's a good experience for the students, but also the public to give their thoughts and reactions to what's possible over 30 years." 

The ideas include renderings, value estimates and looked at sustainability and transportation. 

Esswein says basing projects on real issues in Milwaukee is helpful for when students graduate from the program.