ST. FRANCIS, Wis. — Lakefront location and plenty of outdoor activities are major selling points for south shore suburbs like St. Francis.

As St. Francis Mayor Ken Tutaj walks the Oak Leaf Trail along Lake Michigan, he’ll tell you it serves as a way of encouraging people to move to the city of 9,400.

However, Tutaj said perhaps the biggest selling point is easy access to downtown Milwaukee. Being able to travel over a usually congestion-free Hoan Bridge into downtown means a quicker commute than many other inner-ring suburbs. 

“On a scale of 1 to 10, it is a 12,” Tutaj said on the importance of proximity. “We are seven to eight minutes from downtown. We can go to Bucks games, Brewers games, Admirals games, venues to music.” 

Now, Tutaj along with others in the south suburbs, are concerned about the impact of removing part of I-794 near downtown Milwaukee. Tutaj said he worries it could mean more traffic and safety concerns, slowing down commute times for those headed north. 

Removing part of the highway portion and converting it to a boulevard style roadway is just one of several options being considered by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in order to address the future of the aging roadway. 

Many supporters of the project believe it would improve access in the downtown area and provide more green space. 

Tutaj said he has had an opportunity to look at several of the options being proposed. He is concerned that taking cars off the highway would have a bigger time impact than many plan supporters realize. 

“I think that adds up quickly and believe it will be more than just a couple of minutes,” said Tutaj. 

Not everyone agrees that travel times would increase significantly. Carl Glasemeyer is a transportation policy analyst with 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, a transportation and environmental advocacy group behind the Rethink 794 campaign. 

Glasemeyer said if changes were made to I-794, some drivers would utilize the new boulevard through downtown, while others may seek alternate routes. 

“Traffic finds a way, it disperses. For south shore communities there are still a lot of good priority east-west corridors that get you from the lake to 94. We are talking about College, Layton, so as far as accessibility it still exists, it is not going away,” said Glasemeyer. 

While it will likely be some time before the Wisconsin DOT makes a final determination about the future of I-794, Tutaj just hopes the needs of those living along the south shore are considered. 

“We just need to have a seat at the table, and let them please listen to our voices. I believe if that happens, everyone can come to a common [ground] and get together and make this thing work,” said Tutaj.