Governor Argues Milwaukee Zoo Interchange Project Affects The Whole State’s Economy

Gov. Scott Walker says he still supports funding to continue work on the Zoo Interchange in western Milwaukee County.

Most GOP members of the state Assembly have told Walker, a fellow Republican, that

they don’t want their local road projects trimmed from the pending state budget in order to allow work to go ahead on the Zoo Interchange.

But Walker said Wednesday that the huge interchange where I-94, I-894 and U.S. Highway 45 come together affects much of the state.

“It affects places like De Pere and Green Bay, where Schneider International is at, and others that go through this interchange and depend on it for commerce all across the state of Wisconsin,” Walker said. “So it affects manufacturers, it affects farmers and obviously it would set us up for a very difficult balancing act.”

Walker said he hopes for a budget agreement with lawmakers soon, but admits things could still take a while.