Port of Milwaukee

The Port of Milwaukee Interchange Is an Overbuilt Mess

Simplified traffic connections could yield new land while better connecting to city.

Port Traffic Down 24% Versus 2024

But cruise traffic is right on target, and there are other indicators.

Trump Tariffs Hurting Wisconsin Foreign Trade, Business Relationships

Tonnage through the Port of Milwaukee down 30% through early 2025.

New Bars and Restaurants That Opened in March

New cocktail lounge, Mexican restaurant, Middle Eastern-inspired cafe and more.

Will Trump Kill Milwaukee Street Upgrades and EV Projects?

At stake are at least 5 federal grants to city worth $99 million; will Trump claw back money?

Evers, Packers Welcome NFL Draft to Wisconsin

2025 NFL Draft will be held in Green Bay. At least 250,000 fans expected to attend.

Wisconsin Uses Millions of Tons of Salt

Polluting our land and water and increasing Lake Michigan's salinity. First story in a series.

Port Celebrates Biggest Investment In 60 Years

New facility is a partnership of city and state, like 'peanut butter and jelly.'

New Oil Pipeline Planned Through Milwaukee’s South Side

Pipeline ultimately designed to move oil to Green Bay - by barge.

Tugboat Sinks in Port Milwaukee

The tug Michigan took on water Monday, raising concerns of possible pollution from its cargo.

It’s the ‘World’s Smallest Beer Festival’

Torzala Brewing Co. presents Jones Island festival, inspired by area's 'fascinating history.'

World’s Tallest Timber Tower Opens

Downtown mass-timber high-rise mixes exposed wood aesthetic with loads of amenities.

Inside Komatsu Mining’s Massive New Harbor District Campus

P&H parent company swaps a ribbon cutting for a tree planting in opening new factory.

Port Plays Key Role In Construction of World’s Tallest Timber Tower

But not a single piece arrived in Milwaukee by ship.

Construction Starts on Biggest Port Project In More Than 60 Years

Milwaukee project intended to make Wisconsin export hub for ethanol byproduct.

Port Evicting Sea Scouts for New Tenant

Free-rent deal being canceled for undisclosed, job-creating tenant.

Strikers Call for a Climate Emergency

As part of nationwide strike students leave school to demand leaders take action to fight climate change.

Port Milwaukee to Partner With Quebec?

Milwaukee and Quebec provincial government leaders exploring agreement to grow international trade.

All About Downtown

MOWA’s new space at Saint Kate Hotel celebrates downtown. And why not?

Cheeseheads Maker Adding Event Space

Hidden in Walker's Point, manufacturing facility does tours, now plans space for events

Tariffs Affecting Great Lakes Ports

Port Milwaukee’s traffic was down in 2018, but other ports in state see an increase.

Trump Tariffs Hurt Milwaukee Port

Corn exports decimated, steel imports a concern.

Port Supported 1,309 Jobs, $106 Million in Trade in 2017

New port director introduces report trumpeting harbor's value to Milwaukee, but is there a salt shortage looming?

Adam Schlicht Confirmed as Port Director

New director envisions growing the port through international marketing, diversification.

Council Moves to Confirm New Port Director

Adam Schlicht has dreams of growing the port through international marketing.

Harbor District Plans Unveiled

Plan would redevelop 888 acres, create $864 million in property development and 5,663 new jobs.

Lisa Braun

"I’m proud to be born and raised in Milwaukee."

U.S Oil Won’t Ship Oil From Port

Signs written agreement and city gives it additional land at no charge.

Bay View Wetland Will Be Restored

One of city’s last wetlands, near Barnacle Bud’s, will be naturalized, may allow public access.

Ethanol Shipping Fuels Worries

U.S. Oil could also ship crude oil across local waters.

Bay View Land Gets Protection

Council approves purchasing, protecting Bay View land near Lake Parkway.

City To Buy Bay View Land

Port of Milwaukee would buy 3-acres from state, open to public in perpetuity.

Trump Tariffs Will Hurt State Workers

Manufacturers like Harley will suffer, as when a steel tariff was imposed in 2002.

Urban Bay View Is Unique

Very urban, newly remodeled, with great views and interesting history.

85 Acres On Waterfront Could Be Reclaimed

Harbor District Inc. soliciting ideas for old industrial land along the lake, KK River.

Jones Island Fishing Village, 1898

The settlement by Polish "Kashubes" even had a main street and a small beach.

Drink Wisconsinbly Is Very Very Local

Wisconsin beer, Wisconsin Culture, Wisconsin jokes -- only Badgers here, buddy.

Port Of Milwaukee Has Flurry of Final Traffic

Great Lakes traffic up as ships rush to finish before St. Lawrence Seaway closes for winter.

Loading Coal, 1885

These appear to be dock workers along the river. Coal was vital to the city's commerce and lifestyle.

Port Director Paul Vornholt’s Surprising Success

Criticized as "unqualified" and a "patronage appointment," Vornholt has pleased even his critics.

14 Fun Facts About the Port of Milwaukee

Everything you wanted to know about the city’s most entrepreneurial department.

Regional Transportation System Needed

Southeast Wisconsin will attract more business with one district overseeing all transportation.

Jobs Program Struggles to Find Eligible Workers

City transitional jobs program for hard-core unemployed still has half of its positions unfilled.

Does Milwaukee Need an Aerotropolis?

Many cities have embraced concept of airport centered growth. Is Milwaukee falling behind?

The Greening of Milwaukee

Year by year, city Sustainability Director Matt Howard is helping transform Milwaukee.

Wild Space Dance’s ‘Map of Memories’ sheds light on a disbanded Milwaukee community

Map of Memories is not only an enthralling 90-minute kinetic display of beautiful sinewy human motion but also a local history lesson. A performance event features a fascinating pre-show talk by Milwaukee Historian John Gurda about the origins of Jones Island, its inhabitants, and its eventual change into its support for modern industry.

Committee Approves Two-way State St.

Clearly this meeting of the Public Works Committee was not as colorful as recent meetings but there were a couple of items of interest. The first item was a proposed lease agreement between Waters’ New Biotech Company and the Port of Milwaukee.  This proposal would be the second large alternative fuel facility in recent years to open at the Port of Milwaukee.  Waters’ New Biotech Company intends to develop a facility that will convert wood waste into a solid fuel which will be used as an alternative fuel to coal.  This file was approved and will now go before the full Common Council. The second item was the culmination of three years of efforts by Alderman Robert Bauman.  In an effort to improve the walkability and vibrancy of East Town, he has been working to convert E. State St. between N. Edison St. and N. Prospect Ave. to two-way traffic.  His efforts resulted in the necessary changes to file number 081667 which will provide the funding to reconfigure E. State St., rebuild and repave the street, reconfigure the signals, construct a median at Water St., and potentially add a new signal.  This file was approved and will now go before the full Common Council.

Lake Express Ferry Back In Action

The Lake Express ferry has returned to Lake Michigan in preparation for the first voyage of the season on May 1st. When the ferry was put in its winter berth, the folks at Lake Express created an excellent video of the boat's journey from the port up to the berth in the Menomonee Valley. Well it's not quite as amazing as the original video, they produced another one of the recent reverse trip. Enjoy.

Status of Kinnickinnic River Dredging

Abandoned Wreck Originally uploaded by Retinal Fetish Previously, I had mentioned that a Kinnickinnic River Trail is in the works that would link up areas south and west of the Port of Milwaukee that don’t have good non-car access to downtown and the rest of urban Milwaukee. A key part of making that trail more attractive is the dredging of the Kinnickinnic River which would make it cleaner and more appealing for fish and trail-users alike. The dredging will ultimately help encourage development along the river corridor and hopefully a Riverwalk extension to the area. The deal currently is contingent on the EPA chipping in roughly $2 million from its Great Lakes Legacy Act program to cover the costs of expanding the Army Corps of Engineers’ disposal facility next to the ferry terminal. The Port of Milwaukee is set to pick up the remaining 35 percent of the costs to expand the facility. If the EPA doesn’t pick up the expansion costs, the deal is supposedly dead in the water. My bets are on it happening, one way or another. I’m looking forward to a cleaner Kinnickinnic already.

New Home for Lord?

Lord has been looking at the old Lou Fritzel building with owner Peter J. Kondos.

Dem Challenge for Panzer Seat

The disarray of the Republican 20th Senate District has convinced the Democratic Party to field a write-in candidate for primary.

Changes at the Election Commission