It's officially Interstate 41 now in Wisconsin

Travelers in and out of Northeastern Wisconsin won't be using U.S. 41 anymore.

It's now officially Interstate 41.

Gov. Scott Walker announced today U.S. 41 has officially been added to the Interstate System as I-41.

Installation of about 3,000 new signs will take place beginning this summer and into November.

The Federal Highway Administration officially approved the interstate designation, a final step in a process begun nearly 10 years ago, according to Walker's office.

Technically, U.S. 41 will still exist but run concurrently with I-41 for its entire route. It begins at the I-94/U.S. 41 interchange about a mile south of the Wisconsin-Illinois border, follows I-94 north to the Mitchell Interchange, I-894 and U.S. 45 around Milwaukee and then joins U.S. 41 north to Green Bay, where it ends at the I-43 interchange.

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Existing U.S. 41 in the Milwaukee area will be re-routed to follow I-41 along I-894 and US. 45. U.S. 41 along Lisbon and Appleton avenues from I-94 at teh Stadium Interchange to the interchange with U.S. 45 will be re-numbered as Wisconsin 175.

According to Walker's office, benefits of the change include providing corridor identity, which encourages growth, improved design standards providing greater safety, and elevating 41 from a regionally-known to nationally-recognized corridor.

Among major distribution centers in the state, 73 percent are within five miles of an interstate, and the new designation should attract large corporations looking for market expansion locations, according to Walker's office.

The route from Milwaukee to Green Bay was identified federally for inclusion in the interstate system in 2005. Planning for the conversion began in 2007.