While you're dreading this weekend's full freeway closure, some business owners can't wait!
Businesses eager AND nervous about freeway closure, extra traffic
Businesses eager AND nervous about freeway closure, extra traffic
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Construction crews are shutting down part of I-94 this weekend -- and that means thousands of motorists will be flocking to side streets to reach their destinations. For businesses along those routes, the increased traffic could be a boon...or a bust!
Summer road construction is something many drivers dread -- but Alison Schoenfeld...is excited?!
The Wisconsin DOT is shutting down a portion of I-94 -- from Highway 100 to the Zoo Interchange next weekend -- as part of the big Zoo Interchange construction project. Drivers are being told to find alternate routes.
"I'm very excited for the amount of traffic that we're going to get for the closure this weekend. I'm thinking it will have positive results," Schoenfeld said.
One of the alternate routes recommended by the DOT is Greenfield Avenue. That could send thousands of vehicles along the road this weekend -- which is why Schoenfeld is so excited. She manages Big Dogs Sports Grill, which sits right on the route drivers will have to take.
"If you get sick of the traffic, I would stop on in for a dinner or a snack and wait until the traffic thins out," Schoenfeld said.
Schoenfeld says they're not sure how much the extra traffic will impact business, but they do have additional staffers scheduled to work.
Jet's Pizza sits up the street from Big Dogs. The general manager there says the additional motorists can only be a good thing.
"It's going to be great exposure. There's going to be a lot of new cars, a lot of new faces driving by -- signs get lit up. You may be doubling, tripling the exposure. I believe that we'll get absolutely a whole slew of new people," Jet's Pizza General Manager Mark Sejnowski said.
Sejnowski admits the added vehicles means their delivery drivers have to do things the old-fashioned way for a few days.
"They're going to have to know the back roads. No more GPS for them!" Sejnowski said.
The full freeway closure starts Friday at 11 p.m. and ends Monday at 5:30 a.m..
Some other 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.
