See Design Concepts for 30th Street Corridor Trail

Conceptual artwork for one of the 30th Street Corridor trail idea called “Greenway Link.”

The Milwaukee County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) recently released general concepts for a proposed multi-use trail running through Milwaukee’s 30th Street Industrial Corridor alongside an existing rail line.

MCDOT and consultants from SmithGroup are in the middle of a feasibility study considering ways to develop a trail running from Havenwoods State Park south to the Hank Aaron State Trail. The approximately seven-mile corridor would create trail connections between north side neighborhoods and the wider trail network in Milwaukee County, including the parks system’s more than 135-mile Oak Leaf Trail.

The new trail, depending on the final design, could include new safety infrastructure, elevated trails and new trail boardwalks along water features and through natural areas.

“Bicycle and pedestrian trails are an important part of our transportation network, especially in Milwaukee County where we are working toward transportation solutions for a large non-driving population,” said Joe Lamers, MCDOT director, in a statement. “Expanding transportation options that work for all of our residents can help create a safer, healthier, more connected community.”

The three trail concepts consider potential routes as well as the infrastructure that might be included. County and city officials have long eyed the grade-separated Wisconsin and Southern Railroad (WSOR) rail corridor for a trail, and two concepts envision running the trail alongside the railroad at various points.

A concept called “Corridor Direct” would largely follow the rail line running through McGovern Park south to the Hank Aaron Trail entrance east of American Family Field. Portions of the route would run on elevated trails next to or over the railroad.

“Most of the 30th Street Corridor railroad right-of-way is private property, and the owners have not granted permission for public use, including the proposed trail,” according to MCDOT. “If permission were granted in the future, this route would provide the most continuous, uninterrupted trail option.”

The City of Milwaukee has attempted to purchase the railroad corridor and lease it back to WSOR to continue operating, but has been rebuffed.

Another idea called “Greenway Link” strays further from the rail line through Custer Playfield and cuts a wider berth through a planned naturalized stormwater basin and through Century City. The goal is to maximize exposure to green areas along the trail. It would use city rights of way to build out on-street trail.

The third concept, called “Explore the Neighborhoods,” zig-zags through Old North Milwaukee, Garden Homes, Amani and Midtown primarily using city streets. It would be the most accessible route, and it would include new road safety infrastructure to make the route safer for biking. “However, this route includes the most at-grade street crossings, and the addition of a separated trail along existing streets may cause conflicts with neighboring homes and businesses,” according to MCDOT.

MCDOT is looking for public feedback on the trail concepts, which will be used to select a preferred plan. A survey is available on the project webpage.

The feasibility study will be finished in 2027. It was funded through a $700,000 Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant from the federal government. Future detailed design and construction will depend on additional funding and cooperation of the railroad.

The 30th Street Corridor was identified in Milwaukee County Parks‘ Northwest Side Trail Plan as a priority trail corridor. The north side of the county and the city of Milwaukee is a trail desert, with many areas lacking a direct connection to the county’s extensive trail network.

“Creating safe, accessible, bicycle and pedestrian access along the 30th Street Corridor would be one of the most impactful trail projects in the Milwaukee County region,” said Willie Karidis, Rails to Trails Conservancy’s Route of the Badger Project Director, in a statement from MCDOT. “Completing this study is another step toward significantly increasing equitable trail access to grocery stores, schools, employment, and nature.”

Railroad Company Statement

After publishing, Ken Lucht, Vice President of Watco, which owns a majority of the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad, told Urban Milwaukee, “The county has reached out to us, informing us of their planning process but we are not a stakeholder in their process and we are not participating. The city has a myriad of existing public roadways, trails and other public ways they can use for a future trail.  The rail corridor is not for sale, lease or permit to the public.”

Conceptual Renderings

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2020 Study Images

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