Hoan Bridge

For years, Milwaukee’s Hoan Bridge stood in solitude, unused and disconnected from…anything. Its construction began prematurely in 1972, before the battle had been resolved among bridge backers, the federal government, and a significant number of Wisconsin residents who opposed the inevitable concrete freeway that would feed into the Hoan (named for socialist mayor Daniel Hoan).

Work was nearing completion in 1973 when the decision was made to shut down the downtown loop project that would have made the bridge necessary. Left with nothing at either end to connect with, it earned the nickname of the “Bridge to Nowhere.” But by the end of the decade, thanks to a sizable contribution from the feds, Hoan Bridge was opened to traffic.

Mind-numbing deliberations drove on for decades, and it wasn’t until the end of the twentieth century that the yellow and blue bridge was finally connected to the highway. That bond lasted only a few years before a chilly December morning when several commuters felt the northbound span start to buckle.

The bridge was closed to prevent serious injuries, and the curious, seemingly adolescent decision was made to remove the faulty areas by way of explosive demolition. A full audience attended the show in late 2000. Further renovations took place before the bridge was finally reopened. Today, the bridge spans Lake Michigan, offering convenient access to and from Milwaukee. It continues to operate safely, has not seen any major changes since its fireworks display, and is finally appreciated as an iconic, definitive Bridge to Somewhere.

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