'It's inconvenient': 27th St. viaduct closure in effect long-term, drivers feel commute increase

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — On Monday, some drivers woke up to more barricades and orange cones slowing down their commute.

Residents who rely on the 27th St. viaduct had to navigate new detours to get to work or school.

Now that the bridge is closed, some drivers are frustrated with the long detours.

"I've had to add like 20 minutes onto the morning commute just to make sure I have enough time to get through all the detours and everything," said Jordan Trunk, commuter.

The 27th St. bridge between St. Paul Avenue and Evergreen Lane is closed until late 2026.

The I-94 eastbound exit to 26th St. and St. Paul Avenue is closed through this summer.

"It's a lot harder to get downtown now. It's kind of a pain," said commuter Adam Eide.

CBS 58 drove from 27th and St. Paul Avenue to the Mitchell Park Domes. A drive that should take around five minutes over the bridge, ended up taking 12 minutes and 30 seconds. A new reality for drivers trying to get to their destination.

"Definitely makes it more inconvenient. You gotta go down 94 every day, which is not super optimal at eight in the morning," said Trunk.

The construction has also temporarily shut down bus stops at Evergreen and Layton and St. Paul Avenue at 27th.

This closure is happening at the same time as the city's emergency closure of the 16th Street viaduct, leaving the most direct ways to get north and south in the city to 6th St. and 35th St.

"They're going to fix the potholes and reduce my vehicle getting more wear and tear on it, so that's the good part about it," said Victor Hines.

Every Tuesday, we'll have a representative from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in studio to talk about the latest road work and closures.