February 17, 2025

Milwaukee County Leaders Celebrate New Highway Maintenance Facility

New Building Will Improve Operations, Increase Efficiency of Highway Maintenance in the Northern Region of Milwaukee County 

 Milwaukee — On Monday, February 17, 2025, Milwaukee County leaders celebrated the completion of a new highway maintenance facility that will significantly improve services in the northern region of the county.  

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Supervisor Willie Johnson, Jr., and Milwaukee County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) Director Donna Brown-Martin led a ribbon-cutting ceremony to highlight the grand opening of the new building. County staff, community partners and the design and construction team were also present. 

“This new facility represents an investment in equitable, quality services for our entire community,” said County Executive Crowley. “Improving the efficiency of highway maintenance operations throughout the northern region of Milwaukee County will significantly enhance the safety of our transportation system and the quality of our roadways. I want to thank everyone who worked together to make this project a reality for residents and travelers.”

The new 50,578 square-foot building replaces an obsolete facility that is more than a century old. Modern equipment and facilities will improve highway maintenance, save utilities costs, and reduce the county’s carbon footprint. 

“Everyone who travels in the northern part of the county will receive more efficient services, and all Milwaukee County taxpayers benefit from investments in high-efficiency systems,” said MCDOT Director Brown-Martin. “Modern facilities mean savings through lower utilities costs and prolonged equipment use.”    

Features of the new building include:  

• High-capacity brine production: The addition of new salt brine equipment will make the North Region Highway Maintenance Facility one of the largest brine production operations in southeastern Wisconsin. Onsite brine production reduces the cost of winter road maintenance labor and materials. Pre-treating roads with brine is a more environmentally-friendly option compared to rock salt.  

• Vehicle wash bay system: A vehicle wash bay system in the new facility will maximize taxpayer dollars by prolonging the life of equipment. A comprehensive cleaning program reduces the need for maintenance and allows equipment to function longer before requiring replacement.  

• High-efficiency mechanical systems: Modern mechanical systems will improve the efficiency of highway maintenance functions while supporting the health and safety of staff. Updated electrical and HVAC systems will lower utilities costs and lower the carbon footprint of the building.  

• Additional Mechanic Maintenance Areas: The new facility contains additional mechanic maintenance areas. This will allow crews to work on more than one piece of equipment at a time, reducing the time to return vehicles to roadway service.   

• Right-sized garage and storage facilities: The larger building meets modern storage needs and will increase staff’s ability to pre-plan and respond to highway maintenance events.  

• Modern staff facilities: The new building has the capacity to support modern staffing needs. The building now has locker rooms and bathrooms for both male and female employees. It also includes a staff training area and offices to support administrative efficiency. 

• Upgraded parking and lighting for area parks: As a part of this project, MCDOT constructed a new parking lot and installed upgraded lighting for Havenwoods State Forest and Schoenecker Park visitors.   

The project was led by the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation and made possible by support from the City of Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Havenwoods State Forest, Milwaukee County Parks, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.   

VJS Construction Services and Oxeland Group provided construction services, and Barrientos Design and Consulting led architectural services. 

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