The reconstruction and expansion of I-43 in the North Shore is moving forward, with construction slated to begin as early as 2021.

The state Department of Transportation will share project plans and answer questions during two open-house-style meetings.

The first meeting will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, at Mequon City Hall. The second meeting will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, at Nicolet High School.

The reconstruction plans were approved by the Federal Highway Administration in November 2014, but the project funding was not authorized by the State Legislature until July 2019.

The DOT is preparing an environmental re-evaluation to address any changes that might have occurred in the past five years. After the re-evaluation is finished, the DOT will begin final engineering and plan preparations.

Construction may start as early as 2021 and is expected to be completed by 2025.

The project would expand I-43 to three lanes in each direction between Silver Spring Drive in Glendale and Highway 60 in Grafton.

A new interchange would be constructed at Highland Road in Mequon. Existing interchanges would be reconstructed at Good Hope Road, Brown Deer Road, County Line Road, Mequon Road and Highway C.

The Union Pacific Railroad bridge that passes over I-43 between Bender and Green Tree road would be replaced.

The plan would also expand a section of Port Washington Road in Glendale from two lanes to four lanes.

DOT officials say the reconstruction project is needed to increase safety and reduce congestion in the North Shore suburbs.

Current traffic volume reaches up to 84,000 vehicles daily, and is expected to increase to up to 101,000 vehicles in 20 years. About 40 percent of the corridor has crash rates exceeding the statewide average for similar roadways, according to a Transporation Planning Commission report from 2014.

Contact Jeff Rumage at (262) 446-6616 or jeff.rumage@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffRumage or Facebook at www.facebook.com/northshorenow.