| State: | WI |
| Hale Interchange | |
| Location: | Greenfield, Wisconsin |
| Coord: | 42.9634°N -88.0381°W |
| Roads: | |
| Type: | Directional T interchange |
| Maint: | Wisconsin Department of Transportation |
The Hale Interchange is the major interchange between Interstate 41 (I-41), I-43, I-894, US Highway 41 (US 41), and US 45 in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, southwest suburb of Greenfield, though it takes it name from the nearby community of Hales Corners.[1]
The Hale Interchange is designed as a directional T interchange that serves I-41, I-43, I-894, US 41, and US 45. I-41 south/I-43 north/I-894 east/US 41 south (Airport Freeway) first heads eastward toward Downtown Milwaukee and Chicago. The freeway is also the direct route to get to Mitchell International Airport. I-43 south (Rock Freeway) heads west from the Hale to Beloit. I-41 north/I-894 west/US 41 north/US 45 north (Zoo Freeway) heads toward Madison and Fond du Lac although those control cities are not signed in the interchange on I-894 itself. US 45 south runs for a mile with I-43 south before exiting at exit 60 onto Wisconsin Highway 100 (108th Street) heading to Hales Corners. The interchange is I-894 exit number 4.
The interchange was built in 1966.[2] At first, it served I-894 and US 45.[3] [4] In 1969, the interchange then served the WIS 15 freeway (now part of I-43 since 1988[5] [6]).[7] [8] As of 1994, the interchange handled 151,800 cars per day, and two of the bridges within the interchange were expected to be redecked and widened in 1995 and 1998.[2]
In 1996 the seven towers supporting the interchange were evaluated, by ultrasonic nondestructive testing, and found to be in acceptable condition.[9] [10]
The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC)'s 30-year plan, of 2005, anticipated replacement of the interchange in the 2016-2020 period, as part of a "Phase 2" in which the Zoo Interchange would also be replaced; a 2011 study recommended postponing the Hale interchange reconstruction to a "Phase 3" instead to avoid unacceptable congestion during construction periods.[11]
In 2015, US 41 was rerouted onto I-894 and US 45 freeway. This was done in response to the establishment of Interstate 41 which travels along the new US 41 alignment.[12]