Guest editorial: bike and pedestrian path on Hoan
August 1, 2011
By Patricia Jursik
~photo/rendering Michael Timm
Bold vision of bike and pedestrian access for Hoan Bridge
The Hoan Bridge already offers visitors driving over the iconic span dramatic, panoramic views of the city skyline and the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Santiago Calatrava-designed Brise Soleil. We now have the opportunity to extend the privilege of that view to bicyclists and pedestrians, while creating a unique destination that will garner national attention.
Why not suspend a bridge cantilevered off the side of the arch of the Hoan? This span would allow both bikers and walkers to ascend 120 feet to take in the unrivaled view of the lake and city. I recently appeared at a meeting of Milwaukee County’s Long Range Strategic Plan Steering Committee and gave this vision for a “millennium project”—something so fantastic and breathtaking that it will put Milwaukee’s new lakefront planning before the entire country.
I have talked with two engineers now and am told this is a possible project; with the right engineering it could be done, and it is not impossible. In both cases, I told the engineers to ignore cost and picture the vision.
The Hoan Bridge cannot afford to lose a lane for a dedicated bike path. The Hoan itself carries over 55,000 cars per day. Anyone driving the Hoan during rush hour with the current two-lane configuration knows that it requires three lanes for traffic. While constituents continue to contact me asking for a bike lane, I refer them to the 2002 Wisconsin Department of Transportation report that basically concluded a dedicated bike lane would not be possible for the reasons just stated.
As we plan to redeck the Hoan in 2013, however, there will be federal requirements for accompanying bicycle lane development. Also, in wake of last summer’s tragic structural collapse of the O’Donnell Park parking structure, the county and city of Milwaukee are currently engaged in a long-range plan to redevelop the lakefront. In addition to replacing O’Donnell Park and possible new hotels and office buildings downtown, this plan needs a bold centerpiece.
I have put two and two together to encourage this exciting vision for a cantilevered bike/pedestrian bridge adjoining the Hoan.
Here is my own long-range vision and dream for Milwaukee’s harbor area:
Starting from the south shore, develop the fill area north of the Lake Express ferry terminal lot (the Confined Disposal Facility) as park space with bike rentals, ice cream stands, and other amenities. From here, a bike lane will run through Jones Island (connecting to the Oak Leaf Trail currently ending in Cupertino Park at Russell Avenue and Lincoln Memorial Drive) to the area near the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District facility. A beautifully constructed and artistically pleasing bike ramp or spiral form will convey both pedestrians and bicyclists up to the cantilevered bridge that hangs from the arch, roughly parallel to Interstate 794. Beautiful vistas of the lake and Milwaukee skyline award the ascent with a breathtaking view of the Calatrava, Discovery World, and the Lakeshore State Park island. Cyclists and pedestrians would then pass through a fully encased trail, quite safe, and arrive on the other side of the cantilevered span at a second ramp/spiral bikecase that leads them back down to ground level on the north side of the Milwaukee River. Here, a freshly paved path skirts behind the Marcus Amphitheater and connects to the current Lakeshore State Park trail.
With the proper vision and investment, our Hoan Bridge could become the rival of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, which allows tethered pedestrians to climb on top of the bridge for a fee.
Patricia Jursik is Milwaukee County’s Eighth District supervisor, representing St. Francis, Cudahy, South Milwaukee, and Oak Creek. She is also chair of the county’s Long Range Strategic Plan Steering Committee. The Long-Range Lakefront Planning Committee, composed of city, county, and private stakeholders, will submit recommendations on the future of O’Donnell Park and the Downtown Transit Center to the Milwaukee County Board by December 2012.
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Dave Reid on Tue, 2nd Aug 2011 5:36 am
Ummm a couple things… I think the Hoan carries closer to 40,000 cars a day than 55,000 but I’d have to check that. And on both ends of the Hoan it is two lanes so going to three over it actually just creates choke down points. Finally, there is excellent video on Over the Bars showing what traffic is like wit the third lane closed. No problem at all.
Chris Krochalk on Tue, 2nd Aug 2011 9:11 am
Dave is right – the last time I asked the City for traffic volumes on the Hoan, it was around 42,000 to 45,000 – which is very close to the traffic volumes on Lincoln Memorial Drive (hmmm).
While the Supervisor has an interesting “vision” – too bad she wasn’t so bold when considering other alternatives for the Hoan.
And this myopia extends even further: “I told engineers to ignore cost….” Really?! Ignore cost in our current fiscal environment? Maybe the thought is, what’s a couple million more on top of the $300 million plus it’s going to take to overhaul this structure…but then again, the County doesn’t have to foot this bill, do they?
It would seem a more fiscally conservative route is to put the bike/ped path on the deck in a lane that is not needed. As Dave pointed out, from South to North, 2 lanes in the Lake Parkway, 3 lanes on the Hoan to 2 lanes on 794 – why do we need to keep 3 on the Hoan??
Bill Sell on Tue, 2nd Aug 2011 9:52 am
With all due respects to Supervisor Jursik, the WisDOT conclusion in 2002 was not that a bike lane would cause congestion. I was in attendance at those meetings. In fact, WisDOT purchased some rather sophisticated software to make visual the congestion. Projecting to 20 years, as they did, showed no significant congestion till past a point in time where planning could reasonably predict. I saw the visuals, traffic did NOT bunch up with a two-lane 20 year projection. In fact it looked much like what it appeared to be in 2002. And only for a few minutes of the 7 a.m. traffic. not for the whole day, and not for the evening hours.
Now, WisDOT did say in rejecting the plan, that “Congestion raised concerns.” What they failed to say then was that the concerns were resolved.
Bill Sell
A Vision For The Hoan Bridge: Bike And Pedestrian Path … And Why Not Lights? | South Milwaukee Blog on Tue, 2nd Aug 2011 11:42 am
[...] it here. From it (including her thoughts on the broader harbor [...]
Dave Schlabowske on Tue, 2nd Aug 2011 1:03 pm
With respect to Supervisor Jursik, The WisDOT traffic counts show 40,100 vehicles per day, far below the threshold that would require three lanes. I video taped the morning rush hour three times during the current construction, which has a lane and a shoulder closed. You clearly can see by the videos that traffic moves smoothly, with plenty of gaps and at the posted speed limit. Those videos are here: http://overthebarsinmilwaukee.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/put-a-bike-path-on-the-hoan-and-the-world-wont-stop-turning/
Federal law requires that bicycles be allowed on the bridge unless it costs more than 20% of the project. Since the project is estimated to be $350 million, that means we have up to $70 million to build a bike route. Now we might be able to build a signature, suspended bridge with spiral ramps, but why spend that much if we don’t have to?
I think
Barry Stuart on Wed, 3rd Aug 2011 2:49 pm
I know Supervisor Jursik’s idea has merit, but I’m also aware that she chose no to consider cost in its construction. At a time when bike advocates are more hard-pressed to get projects funded, the most expensive project is most apt to be killed. I rode over the Hoan both ways this past June and found that it would need little modification to be bikeable. A walled-off area on one side of the Hoan with plates covering the expansion joints is probably the most doable and least costly alternative. I’d rather have the route that’s most acceptable to those who have to pass on the spending and will still gain acceptance by bicyclists.
Martin Palicki on Sun, 7th Aug 2011 10:11 pm
Aren’t there a lot of “ifs” in Jursik’s equation, namely the access rights from between Cupertino park and the sewage treatment “circular ramp” she proposes? I also suspect most people would rather bike on the bridge ABOVE the sewage plant rather than right through it too, for obvious reasons.
Really, a bike path on the Hoan is such a no-brainer for anyone who bothers to look at a satellite map of the area and takes the time to see what a great asset the North and South portions of the Oak Leaf Trail are for our city.
Isral DeBruin on Fri, 12th Aug 2011 9:55 am
These proposed circular ramps don’t look/sound very bikeable to me… It would be incredibly tedious and tiring to make it up to the top and then dangerous to bike down the other side (both for the bikers and for anyone else trying to head the opposite direction).
As previous posters have noted, having a regular bike lane on the bridge makes WAY more sense. I know the speed and traffic amounts cause safety concerns, but (assuming it was properly designed) would it really be any less safe than biking from Bay View to Downtown through the streets?
When I first clicked on this article, I was hoping Supervisor Jursik was proposing something similar to the Marsupial Bridge beneath the Holton Bridge that connects Brady Street to Riverwest. (Though it should be noticed that cyclists are also allowed to bike atop the Holton Bridge.) I’d love to hear arguments for and against something similar to that beneath the Hoan.