"It will get you moving:" DOT employing technology to help drivers during full freeway closure

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Starting Friday evening, July 18th at 11:00 p.m. through Monday morning, July 21st at 5:30 a.m., a full freeway closure will take place as part of the Zoo Interchange construction project. During this 54-hour full freeway closure, I-94 EB and I-94 WB at Highway 100 will be closed to traffic as crews work to install at new railroad bridge. Traffic is expected to be heavy -- and backups will occur. During this freeway closure, the Wisconsin DOT will employ technology -- in an effort to keep traffic moving smoothly.

They can't be called excited, but drivers are certainly aware of this weekend's full freeway closure.

"It's nuts! I mean, I'm not going anywhere this weekend, but it's nuts!" one driver said.

There is an effort to keep the craziness to a minimum, as motorists try to navigate some of the posted detour routes along Bluemound Road, Greenfield Avenue and Capitol Drive.

The effort involves cameras.

"The system knows when there's 20 cars behind you and no cross traffic, and it will get you moving," Michael Pyritz with the Wisconsin DOT said.

Pyritz is a project supervisor with the DOT. He says the system of traffic detection cameras monitors the flow of vehicles and adjusts the traffic signals accordingly to keep motorists moving.

The cameras have been in use along Highway 100 for more than a year.

"There`s still backed up traffic. There`s still very heavy volumes, but it`s certainly running a lot smoother than it would`ve been with an old system," Pyritz said.

Pyritz says he's hoping for similar success during this weekend's freeway closure.

Pyritz says he anticipates peak travel time on the marked alternate routes to start late Saturday morning and continue into Saturday evening.

Some alternative routes the WisDOT suggests include:

FROM THE EAST TO THE WEST

FROM THE EAST TO THE NORTH

FROM THE EAST TO THE SOUTHWEST

FROM THE WEST TO THE EAST

FROM THE WEST TO THE NORTH

FROM THE WEST TO THE SOUTH

FROM THE NORTH TO THE WEST

FROM THE NORTH TO THE SOUTHWEST

FROM THE NORTH TO THE EAST

FROM THE SOUTH TO THE WEST

FROM THE SOUTH TO THE EAST

FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTHWEST

CLICK HERE to visit the full freeway closure site for detailed alternate routes and construction information.

CLICK HERE to subscribe to email updates from WisDOT on the Zoo Interchange project.