Federal Grant Will Upgrade Bike-Pedestrian Crossings and Bridges

One of the Oak Leaf Trail bridges Milwaukee County Parks plans to replace. Photo by Graham Kilmer.

Milwaukee County has $3 million to invest in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure thanks to a recent federal grant award.

“This funding will allow us to make strategic, multifaceted investments that improve the safety, efficiency, and accessibility of our transportation system by improving the bicycle and pedestrian networks that connect communities,” Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said after the award was announced. “These investments help make our streets safer, our economy more vibrant, and our community more mobile.”

Funding arrives via the Federal Highway Administration‘s (FHWA) Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant. The federal money is awarded by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and is intended for small-scale pedestrian and bicycle projects, historic preservation or stormwater management.

The county will use $2 million to improve pedestrian and bicycle crossings along county-owned roads in Greendale, Greenfield, Bayside, Fox Point and Glendale. The county will use a mix of bump-outs, curb ramps, signage, pavement markings and, in some areas, flashing beacons to create safer areas for pedestrians to cross.

Oak Leaf Trail Bridge Replacements

Milwaukee County Parks will receive $1 million to help fund the replacement of two critical bridges along the Oak Leaf Trail.

The aging bridges span I-43 and N. Port Washington Road in Glendale. They were originally part of the Union Pacific railway corridor. A rails-to-trails project in 2015 added them to the network as part of The Zip Line.

They were originally built in 1936 and full replacement will bring them within modern standards for clearance and materials. Parks estimated the project would cost approximately $2.7 million in 2023.

Intersections Receiving Pedestrian Improvements

Locations were chosen from among 20 intersections identified in the 2025 Milwaukee County Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossing Assessment.

• N. Port Washington Rd. & W. Fairy Chasm Rd.
• N. Port Washington Rd. & N. Indian Creek Pkwy.
• 6900 block of N. Port Washington Rd.
• S. 76th St. & W. Parkview Dr. 
• S. 76th St. & W. Root River Pkwy
• W. College Ave. & College Park Elementary School
• S. 76th St. & W. Wilbur Ave./W. Wedgewood Ave
• W. Layton Ave. & S. 72nd St.
• W. Layton Ave. 600 feet west of S. 51st St.

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