Should Milwaukee’s Hoan Bridge be remodeled to include a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists?
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) will conduct a public hearing to discuss that question on Monday, Nov. 14, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the agency’s downtown Milwaukee office building, 1001 W. St. Paul Ave.
The DOT is seeking public comment on its recent report about the feasibility of adding a shared-use path to Milwaukee’s iconic bridge.
In its current form, the bridge is 108 feet wide and consists of three 12-foot wide travel lanes in both the northbound and southbound directions.
DOT engineers initially looked at 11 options for adding a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists. They deemed six of the options infeasible.
In the report, engineers outlined five feasible options for safely accommodating bicyclists and pedestrians on the bridge or alongside it:
- Adding a shared-use path to the east side of the bridge without increasing the width of the bridge. The northbound lanes would be reduced from three to two. (Estimated cost of $9.4 million.)
- Adding a shared-use path to the center of the bridge without increasing the width of the bridge. The northbound lanes would be reduced from three to two. (Estimated cost of $27.5 million.)
- Adding a shared-use path on the east side of an expanded girder of the bridge, without reducing the number of travel lanes on Interstate 794. (Estimated cost of $76.4 million.)
- Constructing an elevated shared-use structure above the existing roadway of the Hoan Bridge. (Estimated cost $95.5 million.)
- Constructing a separate shared-use structure adjacent to I-794. (Estimated cost of $84.4 million.)
State Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee), Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee) and Christine Sinicki (D-Milwaukee) are leading the charge to put feet and bicycle wheels on the Hoan Bridge.
“The proposed project would be the last major piece to complete a trail network, which runs from Downtown Chicago through Milwaukee and up to Sheboygan,” Larson said. “Growing support from the business community illustrates that this final link is an economic tool that could assist our local and state economy by increasing access to businesses, helping employees get to work and bringing in additional tourism dollars.”
The drive for a shared-use path also is endorsed by the Milwaukee County Long-Range Lakefront Planning Committee, which includes the likes of Brian Taffora, director of economic development for the county; Daniel Keegan, director of the Milwaukee Art Museum; Michael Cudahy, board chairman at Discovery World; Richard “Rocky” Marcoux, commissioner of the Milwaukee Department of City Development; Milwaukee County Supervisor Gerry Broderick; and Sue Black, director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture, among others.
“The installment of a bicycle/pedestrian lane would create an economic driver, as well as a notable and recognizable landmark for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the Great Lakes area. With the installment of this lane, the bridge could become a tourist destination. This would draw residents and visitors to the lakefront, benefiting all stakeholders in the area,” the committee stated in its final report. “Heavily used bike and pedestrian pathways, such as the county’s Oak Leaf Trail and the Hank Aaron State Trail, already exist on either end of the Hoan Bridge. Connecting them would only enhance this usage.”
Meanwhile, the DOT’s ongoing $7.4 million Hoan Bridge deck and pier surface repair project is due to be completed in November, featuring about 41,252 square yards of preparation decks, 22,000 square feet of concrete surface repair, 3,840 cubic yards of concrete masonry deck patching and 3,840 cubic yards of concrete masonry deck patching steel fibers, as well as debris containment and pavement marking.
