Large sandwich board signs peppered with store logos let passersby know that businesses are still open on West National Avenue, even with traffic snarling as the first phase of a major construction project gets underway.
The City of Milwaukee, which provided the Support for Business signs, is partnering with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to rebuild 2.6 miles of West National Avenue, or state Highway 59, between South 39th and South 1st streets over the next three years.
In 2026, the project team will construct the eastbound lanes from South 39th Street to South 27th Street/Layton Boulevard, before switching to working on the westbound lanes around late August, according to information shared during a public project meeting in March. The block from South 40th to South 39th streets is also closed due to construction…