Editing Interstate 43 (section)

==History==
[[File:I43atU S 151Sign.jpg|thumb|left|I-43 in Manitowoc]]
Wisconsin had anticipated the Interstates with studies of possible toll roads. When the original Interstate System was approved, the state was only given two routes: I-90 and I-94.<ref name="FHWA_I43"/> The Wisconsin Transportation Commission submitted a request to add an Interstate in 1953 connecting Milwaukee to Green Bay, a request the federal government denied. After a study by the Wisconsin Turnpike Commission (which was established in 1953), a request was submitted in 1963 for a route that connected Milwaukee and Superior by way of Green Bay, Wausau, Hurley, and [[Ashland, Wisconsin|Ashland]] which could be completed in increments. However, only the Milwaukee-to-Green Bay segment was approved.<ref name="WISDOT_BB2">{{cite book |last = Bechtel |first = George |title = Wisconsin Highways: A History of Wisconsin Highway Development 1945–1985 |location = Madison |publisher = [[Wisconsin Department of Transportation]] |year = 1999 }}</ref> 

The original plan for the northern part of I-43 was to locate it midway between US&nbsp;141 and US&nbsp;41, using most of the current alignment of WIS&nbsp;57 north of [[Wisconsin Highway 33|WIS&nbsp;33]] in [[Saukville, Wisconsin|Saukville]];<ref name="I43_steal" /> additionally, it was proposed to use the [[Interstate 57]] number,<ref>{{AASHTO minutes |year = 1969S |page = 10 |access-date = November 15, 2017 |v-link = yes }}</ref> though that was changed due to resistance from Illinois to extend its portion through Chicago.{{citation needed|date=November 2017}} But farmers and landowners within the corridor opposed the plan. According to the opponents of the I-43 construction, what the commission revealed as their plan to construct I-43 along the WIS&nbsp;57 corridor did not reveal is that instead of using the existing right-of-way, the freeway was to be built {{convert|2.25|mi|km}} west of WIS&nbsp;57. This was the case despite the fact that WIS&nbsp;57 had a wide right-of-way of {{convert|300|ft|m}}.<ref name="I43_steal">{{cite book |last = Klessig |first = Edward |title = Interstate&nbsp;43: The Last Highway Steal in Wisconsin |publisher = [[State Historical Society of Wisconsin]] |location = Green Bay |year = 1974 }}</ref> Protests, including farmers bringing their cows to graze on the [[Wisconsin State Capitol]] grounds, prompted a compromise to utilize the freeway built for US&nbsp;141 between Milwaukee and Sheboygan instead, building the remaining freeway for the Interstate itself.<ref name="WISDOT_BB2" /> This plan, particularly the new freeway, met resistance from the [[Brown County, Wisconsin|Brown]], [[Sheboygan County, Wisconsin|Sheboygan]], and [[Manitowoc County, Wisconsin|Manitowoc]] county governments. 

Construction first began in 1963 on the freeway that was, at the time, designated US&nbsp;141. The first segment to begin construction was a {{convert|3.4|mi|km|adj=on}} segment beginning at the Port Washington Road exit in Milwaukee County. An additional {{convert|10|mi|km}} of the highway were completed in Ozaukee County by 1964.<ref name="FHWA_I43" /> In 1965, a {{convert|9.3|mi|km|adj=on}} bypass of Sheboygan opened to traffic. The last major segment, consisting of {{convert|94.4|mi|km}} of roadway, was started in 1972 after the last of these governments, Manitowoc County, pledged its support.<ref name="I43_steal" /> The portion in Milwaukee County extending from the Port Washington Road exit to the Marquette Interchange was completed in 1981 to open the route.<ref name="FHWA_I43" /> The route through Milwaukee was platted through the [[Black-American]] neighborhood of [[Neighborhoods of Milwaukee#Bronzeville|Bronzeville]].<ref>{{Cite web |first1 = Reuben |last1 = Harpole |first2 = Joseph B. |last2 = Walzer |year = 2016 |title = Bronzeville |url = https://emke.uwm.edu/entry/bronzeville/ |access-date = June 18, 2021 |website = Encyclopedia of Milwaukee |language = en-US }}</ref> Historically, [[Racial segregation|segregation]] and related issues meant that this was the only place in Milwaukee where Black citizens could settle; it was later targeted for renewal to rid the city of what its political leadership saw as slums.<ref>{{Cite news |last = Biondich |first = Sarah |date = August 26, 2009 |title = The Golden Age of Bronzeville Milwaukee's African-American heritage |url = https://shepherdexpress.com/wehaa_articles_redirect/7773/ |access-date = June 18, 2021 |website = Shepherd Express |language = en-us }}</ref> The Interstate effectively finished off Bronzeville, as thousands of houses were seized via [[eminent domain]] and approximately a thousand businesses were razed.<ref>{{Cite news |first = Teran |last = Powell |date = March 11, 2019 |title = The Construction of Milwaukee's Freeways: An Asset for Some, Detrimental for Others |url = https://www.wuwm.com/race-ethnicity/2019-03-11/the-construction-of-milwaukees-freeways-an-asset-for-some-detrimental-for-others |access-date = June 18, 2021 |publisher = WUWM-FM |location = Milwaukee |language = en }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title = 'Remembering Bronzeville' Showcases Milwaukee's First African American Neighborhood |url = https://www.wuwm.com/podcast/lake-effect-segments/2019-11-02/remembering-bronzeville-showcases-milwaukees-first-african-american-neighborhood |date = November 2, 2019 |access-date = June 18, 2021 |publisher = WUWM-FM |location = Milwaukee |language = en }}</ref>

The southwestern portion has also had a history of requests for Interstate routings. Interstate routings for such a connection between Beloit and the Milwaukee metropolitan area were requested by the [[Wisconsin Department of Transportation]] (WisDOT) but denied by the [[Federal Highway Administration]] (FHWA) in 1973. Another request for a link to Janesville was also denied. Despite the denials, local and state officials continued to seek funding to construct a freeway between these two metropolitan areas.<ref name="WISDOT_BB2"/> A government collaboration called the "Highway&nbsp;15 Committee" was formed to present and promote the route. Construction began on the route in the 1960s with the first segment, a {{convert|0.9|mi|km|adj=on}} connector linking US&nbsp;45 with I-894 as part of the project to build the Hale Interchange connecting the pending route with I-894. The new connector received the US&nbsp;45 designation as that highway was transferred onto the freeway heading north. The first long segment was completed in 1969. It extended from the US&nbsp;45 connector to CTH-F (now [[Wisconsin Highway 164|WIS&nbsp;164]]) in Big Bend. After this segment was opened, the WIS&nbsp;15 designation was applied. The next segment, to [[East Troy, Wisconsin|East Troy]], was opened in 1972, the year the Highway&nbsp;15 Committee had hoped the route would be completed in its entirety. It was extended to [[Elkhorn, Wisconsin|Elkhorn]] in 1973 in conjunction with the [[U.S. Route 12 in Wisconsin|US&nbsp;12]] freeway construction, then to I-90 in 1976. I-43 signs were placed on the freeway by 1988 after designation in 1987, replacing WIS&nbsp;15. I-43 was also mapped concurrently with I-94 and I-894 to link the two segments together.<ref name="WH_I43">{{cite web |last = Bessert |first = Chris |title = Highways 40–49 |work = Wisconsin Highways |publisher = Self-published |url = http://www.wisconsinhighways.org/listings/WiscHwys40-49.html#I-043 |access-date = January 17, 2008 }}{{self-published source|date=March 2013}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=March 2013}} Even though exit number tabs were labeled according to the new mileposts, the mileposts themselves were not renumbered to coincide with the current length until 1991.<ref name="JS1">{{cite news |first = Amy Rabideau |last = Silvers |title = Sorry Milwaukee, but Beloit is the Starting Point for Measuring I-43 Mile markers and Exit Numbers Will Show the Mileage from Beloit |work = [[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]] |date = August 15, 1990 |page = B3 }}</ref>

The Marquette Interchange, which connects I-43 with I-94, and [[Interstate 794|I-794]], was completely reconstructed over a four-year span, beginning in October&nbsp;2004 and ending in September&nbsp;2008. This project eliminated lefthand exits and widened connecting ramps between I-94 and I-43.<ref name="mchange">{{cite web |title = Marquette Interchange Project: Project Guide |author = Wisconsin Department of Transportation |publisher = Wisconsin Department of Transportation |url = http://mchange.org/page.jsp?&key=pjgg |access-date = March 7, 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090205055139/http://mchange.org/page.jsp |archive-date = February 5, 2009 |url-status = dead }}</ref>