Hank Aaron State Trail Sinkhole Fixed

Hank Aaron State Trail and S. 76th St. Photo by Graham Kilmer.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced Wednesday that the recently discovered sinkhole along the Hank Aaron State Trail has been repaired and the trail reopened.

The state agency closed the trail Friday, July 14 after discovering a sinkhole that, despite a small hole in the top of the pavement, was found to extend “multiple feet below the paved surface, creating an unsupported void beneath the asphalt layer and posing a safety concern for both trail integrity and trail users,” the department said.

The east-west trail, which runs approximately 14 miles, was closed between S. 76th Street and S. 89th Street. “The DNR understands the importance of the trail for recreational and commuter users and will be making emergency repairs as soon as possible to limit disruption to trail use,” the agency said.

As soon as possible indeed, the department managed to have the sinkhole fixed within a week.

The trail runs roughly between the Milwaukee Harbor and the western Milwaukee County line, connecting with westward trails. It also connects to trails running north and south in Milwaukee County Parks‘ Oak Leaf Trail network. An estimated 200,000 people use the trail annually, according to the DNR.

The sinkhole isn’t, and won’t be, the only closure impeding regular users of the trail this summer. A section between  S. 68th Street and S. 72nd Street has been regularly closed on weekdays for the reconstruction of the 70th Street bridge that spans the trail. It was last closed on July 18.

The stretch between S. 76th and S. 84th streets will be closed for 10 days in August Wisconsin State Fair. This is the second year in a row the trail has been closed for security purposes during the fair.