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MILWAUKEE - The Wisconsin Avenue on-ramp to southbound I-43 is closed until further notice because crews discovered cracks in one of the columns supporting the structure.

The 'design flaw' problem was first discovered Monday and confirmed late Thursday. The state says the ramp in question is not going to fall down but it wanted it shut down.

"We are not going to take any chances with any of this stuff, said Frank Busalacchi, Wisconsin's Secretary of Transportation   

Nearly two years to the day when the new and improved $810 million dollar Marquette Interchange officially opened, state inspectors found a design flaw in one of the support structures for the ramp. A stunned Secretary Busalacchi ordered the ramp shut down.

"The department's concern here was get the public off the ramp," said Busalacchi.

D.O.T. pictures show cracks in a concrete cap that sits on top of the tall columns that support the girders and ramps. This one wasn't built strong enough to hold the weight or load of the ramp.

"The ramp is not in failure of falling or failing at this point in time," said Brian Swenson with H-N-T-B, the company that help design the columns in question.

There  are more than 100 columns  under the Marquette Interchange. The state checked them all and only one had a design flaw.

H-N-T-B will pay for the entire cost of fixing the problem.

"The work will be at no cost to state taxpayers," said Busalacchi. He did not know how long it will take to fix the problem.