Biden Promotes ‘Life-Changing Improvements’ in Milwaukee Visit

President Joe Biden rolled into Milwaukee Wednesday afternoon to announce a federal grant that will pay to rebuild a key north-south artery through the middle of the city.

“Here in Milwaukee, there will be $36 million in federal funding to rebuild 6th Street,” said Biden. He ticked off a list of improvements including protected bike lanes, improved bus access, an expanded tree canopy, wider sidewalks and reduced stormwater runoff. “These are life changing improvements. They’re also going to make it easier for historic Black communities in the north and Latino communities in the south to access jobs, school, and entertainment, opportunities in the city and central hub, from watching the Milwaukee Bucks play to attending Milwaukee Area Technical College.”

The event, held on a stage decorated with “Rebuilding Our Communities” banners, recognized the White House’s $3.3 billion allocation to cities across the country through the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhood Access and Equity programs.

Biden was introduced by Ray Hill, executive director of the King Drive Business Improvement District. She said her grandfather, Lawrence Hill, saw his restaurant, Larry’s Chicken Shack at 619 W. Walnut St., demolished when 6th Street was widened in the 1960s. The widening was accompanied with even greater demolition to construct Interstate 43 as a parallel roadway just a few blocks west.

“The story of Bronzeville here in Milwaukee is one we see all across the country,” said Biden. “Instead of connecting communities, [freeways] divided them. These highways actually tore them apart.” He noted that the loss of homes blocked the ability of families, primarily Black families, from being able to pass down wealth through generations.

Biden, citing city data, said 6th Street today has five times the city’s average crash rate. Backed by the federal grant originating in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the city now hopes to begin construction work on the redesigned street in 2027. It will connect with several other street reconstruction projects, including W. National Avenue at its southern end and traffic calming efforts on W. North Avenue, the project’s northern terminus.

“Everything we are doing is connecting people with opportunity, not disconnecting people from opportunity,” said the president.

Beyond the grant, the president’s wide ranging speech touched on his administration’s legislative packages, including the Inflation Reduction Act, frustration with Senator Ron Johnson and criticism of his opponent Donald Trump.

In an event that blurred the line between a campaign stop and official White House visit, Biden was introduced by four prominent Wisconsin Democrats.

“We will make Milwaukee County the healthiest place in the state of Wisconsin,” said County Executive David Crowley.

“This is about much more than what has already transpired, I am focused on the future,” said Mayor Cavalier Johnson in praising the Biden administration. “I look forward with confidence. Because good things are ahead for this city, good things are ahead for this state, good things are ahead for this country.” Biden later praised Johnson as “one of the most impressive young mayors I have met, and I think I’ve met all of them.”

Governor Tony Evers praised Biden’s support for all of Wisconsin.

Congresswoman Gwen Moore touched on her personal history of walking from a house on N. 11th to a church on N. 5th street, a route she said that Interstate 43 and the Park West Freeway demolition blocked. “All of that’s going to change with this announcement today,” said Moore.

But at the same time the president is proposing to reconnect a key north-south corridor, the Biden administration is proposing to provide more than $1 billion in federal funding to expand Interstate 94 through the city’s west side. He didn’t highlight that project, approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation Friday, during his remarks.

The event was held at the Pieper Hillside Boys & Girls Club, located just north of Downtown at 611 W. Cherry St. The location is directly adjacent to 6th Street.

“We do whatever it takes to build great futures for Milwaukee’s youth,” said Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee CEO Kathy Thornton-Bias in welcoming the audience. She proudly announced to the crowd that the club is now the largest in the country.

Spotted in the crowd were philanthropist Thelma Sias, Pieper Power founder and club funder Richard R. Pieper, Sr., club board president and Medical College of Wisconsin vice president Greg Wesley, area Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee executive secretary Willie Hines, Jr., Milwaukee County board chair Marcelia Nicholson, former county executive Chris Abele, entrepreneur Tonda Thompson, Forward Latino leader Darryl Morin, leadership consultant Samantha Maldonado, Urban Underground head and aldermanic candidate Sharlen Moore, mayoral chief of staff Nick DeSiato, City Engineer Kevin Muhs, Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy CEO Abby Andrietsch, American Family Insurance‘s Ranell Washington, AFL-CIO leader Stephanie Bloomingdale, MobiliSE executive director Dave Steele, Evers’ Milwaukee office director Kyle Ashley, 30th Street Corridor head Cheryl Blue, state representatives Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, Christine Sinicki, Supreme Moore Omokunde and Kalan Haywood II, state senator LaTonya Johnson, PR maven Tammy Belton-Davis, Police Chief Jeffrey Norman, pastor Walter Lanier, African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin President and CEO Nikki Purvis and Souls to the Polls head Gregory Lewis.

After his speech, Biden was scheduled to attend a “political event” and spend the night at the Pfister Hotel. The “political event” was held at the Blatz office building, 252 E. Highland Ave. The Biden reelection campaign is opening a campaign office in the building. In a statement, the campaign said it will be the Wisconsin headquarters for the reelection campaign and is the first time the headquarters has been in Milwaukee in at least two decades.

The visit marks his third to Milwaukee since August and the fourth to Wisconsin.

Sixth Street will be reconstructed and redesigned in the Walker’s Point, Westown, Hillside, Haymarket, Halyard Park, Bronzeville and Harambee neighborhoods. The redesign of the central portion of the street was also singled out as a catalytic project in the recently-approved 2040 Downtown Plan.

The proposal was strongly endorsed by the three council members in whose districts it will run. “The Complete Streets program integrates people and places by making it safe, enjoyable, and convenient to walk, bike, take transit, or simply experience our streets and public spaces – no matter one’s age or ability. The 6^th Street project will include a variety of amenities such as enhanced pedestrian crossings, narrowed streets, physically separated bike lanes where feasible, tree-lined medians, an enhanced tree canopy, and more. Perhaps most importantly, this project will work to undo the decades of negative impacts from previous highway construction that prioritized car traffic over the experiences of people who live, walk, work, and shop along the corridor,” said Coggs, Robert Bauman and Council President José G. Pérez in a statement.

The national Republican Party was critical of the president in a statement. “Joe Biden just proposed $7.3 trillion in wasteful spending and $4.9 trillion in tax hikes on the backs of Wisconsin families, so his attempt to save face for Bidenomics’ failures is laughable. President Trump built a strong economy that delivered relief for families across the country, and he’ll do it again,” said party chairman Michael Whatley.

For more on the 6th Street project, see our coverage from Tuesday.

Opening

Biden’s Address

Airport Arrival

Protests and Event Security