The Park East Freeway in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was only 0.8 miles long and underutilized, depreciating nearby property values. Local government boards and councils supported tearing it down to free up 26 acres for development. The area has since attracted $175 million in investment like a new mixed-use building, while a form-based code ensures compatible infill development and restoration of the urban fabric. Temporary art installations demonstrated the cultural potential without the freeway, and traffic now runs smoothly on the surface road that replaced it.

1. Park East Freeway in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Photo: davereid2 via Flickr

2. Only a .8 mile section of the Park East Freeway was
ever built, leaving it underutilized, but depreciating
property values nonetheless.
Photo: City of Milwaukee Planning Department
The County Board
of
Commissioners, the
City Council, and
the Mayor strongly
supported the tear
down.

3. 26 acres of land were made available for development
by removing the freeway.
Photo: Milwaukee Department of Development

4. The Park East Redevelopment zone continues to attract
investment, for example, phase 1 of the $175 million The
North End project, a 5 story mixed use building.
Photo: Google Maps

5. A form based code was implemented to ensure infill
reflects the restored urban fabric.
Photo: Park East Redevelopment Plan

6. In 2009, local arts group IN:SITE demonstrated the
cultural potential of Park East without the freeway
through 11 temporary art installations.
Photo: IN:SITE

7. Today, traffic runs smoothly on McKinley Avenue, the
surface road that replaced the Park East Freeway.
Photo: Google Maps

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