Interstate 43 (Wisconsin)

Northern Terminus: US 41/US 141 (Exit 170), at a trumpet interchange  in Howard

Length: 192.01 miles

Counties: Rock, Walworth, Waukesha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Brown

Routing: I-43 begins at a full cloverleaf interchange with I-39/I-90 (Exit 185 A) in Beloit that doubles as WIS 81's Eastern Terminus.  Trending in an east-northeasterly fashion, I-43 passes by Clinton before crossing from Rock County into Walworth County, where the Interstate passes through Darien, Delavan, Elkhorn and East Troy.  Continuing northeasterly into Waukesha County, I-43 passes Mukwonago, and enters into the Greater Milwaukee area.  The Interstate passes through New Berlin, and into Milwaukee County and the City of Greenfield, where it meets I-894.  I-43 and I-894 run concurrent easterly to I-94/US 41 in Milwaukee.  I-894 ends, and I-43 continues by running concurrent with I-94/US 41 up to the Marquette Interchange. near downtown  At the same interchange where I-794 East begins, I-43 splits off from I-94/US 41, and runs northerly out of Milwaukee in parallel with the Lake Michigan shore line.  Joined in stretches by WIS 32 and WIS 57, I-43 passes through Ozaukee County and around Port Washington, through Sheboygan County and to the west of Sheboygan, and through Manitowoc County and to the west of Manitowoc.  Turning northwesterly, I-43 enters Brown County, and meets the WIS 172 freeway.  The Interstate then runs north into Green Bay to the WIS 54/WIS 57 interchange, and turns northwesterly.  After crossing the Fox River, I-43 comes to an end at a trumpet interchange with US 41/US 141 in Howard.

Links:

• I-43 @ Wisconsin Highways  -- Chris Bessert

• I-43 @ Interstate-Guide.com -- Alex Nitzman/Andy Field

Large lane distribution sign affixed to sign gantry on I-43/US 45 South for the upcoming US 45 South/WIS 100 interchange (Exit 60), located right at the merge of I-43 South with the ramp carrying US 45 South just after the I-894 interchange.  A third lane opens up on the left side that becomes exit only for where US 45 departs I-43 to join WIS 100.  The right lane is maintained for I-43 South through traffic, and the center lane offers motorists the option of following either US 45 South or I-43 South.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Sign truss at the western split of the I-43/I-894 duplex (I-894's Exit 4).  I-43 South through traffic only gets one lane through the directional "Y" interchange, while I-894 West gets two lanes.  US 45 South joins I-43 from this interchange, though it is not noted on the exit sign I-43, contrarily to how US 45 North is recognized on the I-894 pull-through sign.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Overhead exit signage for WIS 36/Loomis Rd. (I-894's Exit 8) on I-43 South/I-894 West, situated in front of the WIS 36 overpass.  The WIS 36 exit off of I-43/I-894 is a four-ramp interchange, featuring parclo-B ramps on the north side and diamond ramps on the south side.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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First of two sign trusses on the I-794 West exit ramp for the Marquette Interchange, denoting the upcoming divergence of this ramp into ones for I-43/US 41 South/I-94 East and I-43 North in 0.25 mile.  Note that the left fork is marked as I-794's Exit 1 B, and the right fork is marked for Exit 1 C.  Though not explicitly mentioned, the default of I-794 West into I-94 West is considered Exit 1 A.  Two lanes are allotted for southbound traffic, and one for northbound traffic.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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...Second of two sign gantries on the I-794 West exit ramp for the Marquette interchange, this one at the actual split into ramps for I-43/US 41 South/I-94 East and I-43 North.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Overhead cantilevered exit sign for I-794 East (Exit 72 B) on I-43 South, situated immediately before the Wisconsin Ave. overpass.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Gigantic lane distribution sign on sign truss featuring unique, aesthetical concrete supports on I-43 North between the Marquette interchange and WIS 145, denoting the left three lanes are for through traffic for I-43, the right lane is exit only for WIS 145, and the right-center lane offers access to either I-43 or WIS 145.  I-43 was reconstructed from the Marquette interchange northward a few years ago,  All of the gantries and half-gantries along this stretch feature the stylistic hammerhead supports showcased here.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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A fourth right lane appears on I-43 South following the merge of the on-ramp from WIS 145, just before this sign truss 0.25 mile prior to the Marquette Interchange.  The new right lane becomes exit only for I-94 West (Exit 72 D), while the right-center lane will also offer access for I-94 West, along with access for I-794 East.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Overhead 0.75 mile advance exit sign for North Ave. (Exit 73 B) on I-43 North. 

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Advance lane signage on sign truss along I-43 South, 0.5 mile before the gigantic downtown Milwaukee Interchange linking I-43, I-94, I-794 and US 41.  The two left lanes are identified for through traffic for I-43 South as it links in with I-94 East/US 41 South, while the right lane facilitates traffic bound for I-94 West and I-794 East.  I-43 in the southbound direction does maintain 3 lanes through the interchange, so through traffic may use the right lane, as well.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Variable message sign affixed to sign gantry on I-43 North between the WIS 145 and North St. interchanges, showing the travel times to two upcoming interchanges.    Note also on the left side of the truss is a typical interchange distance sign, indicating the mileage to the next three interchanges: North St. (0.25), Locust St. (1.25) and Keefe Ave. (2).

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Overhead 0,.25 mile advance exit sign for North St. (Exit 73 B) on I-43 North, along with black-on-yellow sign warning of the end of the right-center lane following the departure of the right lane, which is added after the merge of the WIS 145 on-ramp, to North St.  Beyond North St., I-43 maintains three northbound lanes.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Exit sign for Locust St. (Exit 74) on I-43 North, situated in front of the Center St. overpass.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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0.5 mile advance exit sign for WIS 190/Capitol Dr. and WIS 57/Green Bay Dr. (Exits 76 A - B) on I-43 North, located in front of the bridge that carries Keefe Ave. over I-43.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Auxiliary guide sign on I-43 North in advance of the WIS 190/Capitol Dr. interchange denoting that the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is accessible via Exit 76 A.  The home of the UMW Panthers is located 2.5 miles east-southeast of the upcoming interchange, via WIS 190 and Maryland Ave.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Sign gantry with exit signage for WIS 57/Green Bay Ave. & WIS 190/Capitol Dr. West (Exit 76 B) and WIS 190/Capitol Dr. East (Exit 76 A) on I-43 North, situated right before the Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. overpass, which is immediately followed by the cloverleaf interchange with WIS 190.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Second exit sign for WIS 190/Capitol Dr. (Exit 76 A) on I-43 North, as viewed from underneath the Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. overpass. 

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/30/2009

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Milwaukee County
City of Fox Point

The River Point Shopping Center, located at the southwest corner of WIS 32 and CTH-_ and immediately east of the interchange between WIS 100 and I-43/WIS 32, features a number of standard TO I-43 trailblazers throughout its parking lot to direct traffic toward the Interstate from the shopping center.  They direct traffic to exit the parking lot onto CTH-_, turn north, and then turn west onto WIS 32, because no left turns are permitted from the parking lot onto WIS 32 West.  Two of these trailblazers are featured here.

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Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/28/2009

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1 mile advance exit sign for WIS 60 and CTH-Q (Exit 92) on I-43/WIS 32/WIS 57 North.  The forthcoming interchange marks WIS 60's Eastern Terminus.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/28/2009

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Sign truss featuring pull-through signage for WIS 57 North (Exit 97) and I-43 North at the northern end of the I-43/WIS 57 duplex west of Port Washington.  Both routes get two lanes departing from this interchange.  Heading north from here toward Plymouth, WIS 57 is a four-lane divided highway.  Note that, in the background, even though this is a partial interchange, the I-43 South bridge over WIS 57 North has a high clearance, set up as though it would be a bridge over a directional "Y" interchange, high enough to handle a bridge carrying a ramp from WIS 57 South to I-43 North in the middle, if there was one.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/28/2009

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Advance exit sign for CTH-D (Exit 107) on I-43 North, located 1 mile prior to the interchange.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/28/2009

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1 mile advance exit sign for the Cedar Grove interchange (Exit 113) on I-43/WIS 32 North, where WIS 32 splits off from the freeway, and just west of there, intersects CTH-LL.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/28/2009

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Exit sign for WIS 32 and CTH-LL (Exit 113) on I-43/WIS 32 North at the northern end of the northern of two occurrences where WIS 32 piggybacks I-43.  From this diamond interchange, WIS 32 runs westward into Cedar Grove.  CTH-LL runs generally parallel to I-43 to the west of the freeway.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/28/2009

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1 mile advance exit sign for CTH-AA (Exit 116) on I-43 North.

Photographer: Dan Garnell

Date: 8/28/2009

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