Capital Improvements Committee Revives Bender Park Dredging Project

MILWAUKEE – Today, the Milwaukee County Capital Improvements Committee (CIC) voted unanimously to recommend that $241,418 in cash funding be incorporated into the 2026 Capital Improvement Plan to cover emergency sediment abatement at the Bender Park boat launch. The committee action revives a project that will restore public and emergency access to the harbor.

The Capital Improvements Committee is the County Board’s standing committee that evaluates, prioritizes, and recommends investments in Milwaukee County’s long-lived physical assets such as parks, pools, boat launches, bridges, buildings, transit vehicles, and major IT systems. Its work shapes the County’s multi-year Capital Improvement Plan, which guides which capital projects are funded.

“Today’s unanimous CIC action moves this important safety project forward,” said Supervisor Steve F. Taylor. “Restoring the launch protects residents and gives our first responders the access they need. I appreciate the committee’s recognition that this work is essential public-safety infrastructure.”

Sediment accumulation at the Bender Park launch has blocked safe boat access for two summers, preventing use of a designated harbor of refuge and limiting first-responder access to Lake Michigan.

The recommended funding would support dredging to restore approximately five feet of depth at the launch and return this critical access point to service for recreational boaters and emergency personnel.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.