Travel to the Wisconsin State Fair will be different this year as a 3.5-mile construction project on Interstate 94 in Milwaukee County changes how drivers reach State Fair Park in West Allis. The work is expected to hit hardest during opening weekend, when Brewers games at American Family Field add to the traffic on Aug. 6-9.
WisDOT said westbound I-94 between the Stadium Interchange and 70th Street is reduced to two lanes, while the Hawley Road and 68th Street ramps are closed. Most traffic headed to the fair will be sent to the 84th Street exit and entrance ramps.
WisDOT route changes
WisDOT and the State Fair laid out alternate routes for drivers trying to avoid the tightest spots. Coming from the east, motorists can take the Highway 175/Brewers Boulevard exit south on non-game days to Greenfield Avenue, then travel west to the fairgrounds.
Drivers coming from the west are being directed to leave I-94 at Highway 100, go north to Blue Mound Road, follow that west to 76th Street, and then head south to the fairgrounds. Another option is to exit I-94 at 70th Street, turn right on Main Street, then left on 76th Street.
Gate 1, Gate 7, Gate 9
Once drivers reach State Fair Park, the parking setup stays specific. The fair's three public parking areas are accessed at Gate 1, Gate 7 and Gate 9, and drivers can only make a right-hand turn into the parking areas.
Gate 1 is at West Greenfield Avenue at South 79th Street. Gate 7 is at Kearney Street between South 76th and South 84th Streets. Gate 9 is at South 76th Street at West Pierce Street. An accessible parking lot is at Gate 2, at South 84th Street just north of West Greenfield Avenue, and proper decals are required there.
35th Street to 25th Street
The trip home may also be slower. WisDOT said a long-term right lane closure from 35th Street to 25th Street reduces eastbound traffic to two lanes through that stretch, which could leave fairgoers sitting in the same congestion they are trying to avoid on the way in.
WisDOT said it will add signage along the alternate routes, and nearby traffic signals and capacity have been upgraded to handle the higher volume. For drivers using those routes, the practical choice is less about finding a shortcut than about choosing the path that avoids the worst choke points around the Stadium Interchange and the fairgrounds.
