Collection Highlights Infrastructure that Helps Tell the American Success Story

Full Collection Available: www.artba.org/250projects

(Washington, D.C.)—As the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) today unveiled a sweeping list of 250 transportation improvements that have fueled U.S. economic growth and enhanced quality of life during the past two and a half centuries.

From colonial roads and canals to railroads, bridges, ports and waterways, airports, rail and transit systems, and Interstate highways, the featured projects transformed a nascent nation of 13 colonies into a world superpower.

Connecting a Nation: 250 Transportation Projects That Helped Build America covers all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Projects in Wisconsin:

• Hoan Bridge Rehabilitation (Milwaukee) – I‑794 bridge rehabilitation improving safety and reliability across a heavily traveled Milwaukee River crossing.

• Port of Milwaukee (Milwaukee) – 2.3M metric tons yearly, $156M economic impact, long-running port supporting regional commerce for nearly 200 years.

• Marquette Interchange Reconstruction (Stands at the junction of I-94/I-43/I-794 in downtown Milwaukee and carries nearly half of the state’s commerce and tourism traffic. Replacing the aging 1960s-era structures, the 4-year full reconstruction of the central highway junction was completed in August 2008.) – 300,000 daily users, $810M reconstruction improving safety and efficiency at Wisconsin’s busiest interchange, completed under budget.

• Zoo Interchange Reconstruction (Junction of I-41, I-94, I-894, US 41, and US 45 and the busiest interchange in Wisconsin. Rebuilt and modernized the state's busiest highway junction and became the largest public works project in state history. – 20,000+ trucks daily, $20B freight, 108,000 jobs supported, modernized busiest Wisconsin interchange completed under budget.

• Hiawatha Corridor (Milwaukee to Chicago) – Early high-speed rail reaching 100 mph, connecting Milwaukee and Chicago and continuing service today via Amtrak.

The multi-modal compilation includes 79 bridges and tunnels, 68 highways and streets, 35 ports and waterways, 36 rail and public transit systems, 24 airports, four trails, three pedestrian bridges, and one energy pipeline.

“America’s success story in its first 250 years is inextricably tied to how we move,” said ARTBA President Dave Bauer. “While thousands of transportation projects from coast to coast have contributed to the tapestry of the American experience, the projects we are highlighting teach a timeless lesson that strategic infrastructure investment pays dividends for many decades.”

The list was developed based on responses to a national survey sent to transportation design and construction firms, state transportation departments, state construction associations, university professors, and construction industry journalists. The projects, systems and facilities were selected based on their significant impacts on overall quality of life, including mobility, safety, and economic growth.

While the anniversary offers an opportunity to celebrate past achievements, ARTBA emphasized that it is also a reminder that America’s transportation story is far from complete.

"The roads, bridges, ports and waterways, airports and rail systems that Americans depend on today exist because previous generations had the vision and commitment to invest in the future," Bauer said. “At the dawn of the next 250 years, we must continue investing in the infrastructure systems that will connect communities, strengthen our competitiveness, and improve quality of life for the next chapter of the American story."

The full list is available at www.artba.org/250projects

Established in 1902, ARTBA brings together all facets of the transportation construction industry to advocate for infrastructure investment and policies that support the safe and efficient movement of people and goods.