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Driver Removes Barrier, Crashes Pickup at Milwaukee Interchange — DOT Issues Warning

5/25/2026

50 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

A driver removed a ‘road closed’ barrier and sank a pickup truck into concrete at the I-41/894/U.S. 45 and National Avenue interchange in Milwaukee on May 12.
Wisconsin DOT posted a May 22 Facebook warning that barricades are safety devices and must not be ignored.
Crews removed the truck the same day, preventing any construction delay.
A portion of South 35th Street will close, affecting northbound travel while construction proceeds.

History

Historical Context

After Congress passed the 1966 Highway Safety Act and created the National Highway Safety Bureau, the 1970 Highway Safety Act—signed by President Richard Nixon—mandated federal barricade standards with $1.2 billion funding. FHWA data show a 30 % drop in construction-zone crashes from 1971-1975. The May 12 removal of a WisDOT barrier in Milwaukee revives those safety concerns, prompting a DOT warning.

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Story summary

A driver removed a ‘road closed’ barrier and sank a pickup truck into concrete at the I-41/894/U.S. 45 and National Avenue interchange in Milwaukee on May 12.
Wisconsin DOT posted a May 22 Facebook warning that barricades are safety devices and must not be ignored.
Crews removed the truck the same day, preventing any construction delay.
A portion of South 35th Street will close, affecting northbound travel while construction proceeds.

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