Highway 41 is now officially an Interstate – and that could provide a boost to the regional economy. I-41 runs from the I-43 interchange near Green Bay to just south of the Illinois border. Larry Burkhardt of the Fox Cities Regional Partnership said that designation could lead some businesses to move to eastern Wisconsin.
“Companies when they’re looking for a locaiton will often specify that they need to be within a certain distance of an interstate highway. Up to this point, if that requirement were part of the examination of a community, we wouldn’t be in play,” Burkhardt said.
Burkhardt said that’s beside the fact that Highway 41 essentially served as an Interstate for years. He says site selectors noted that when they’ve been in the area but the I-41 designation is important. “It’s simply the designation that has stood in our way.”
WHBY