Kinnickinnic River Parkway - Jackson Park Drive

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A resolution authorizing and directing the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture to proceed with developing constructions plans for a compromise design referred to as “Alternative C” for Capital Project WP071401 (Kinnickinnic River Parkway-Jackson Park Drive) and present the design with estimated construction costs to the board prior to submitting the department's 2025 capital project requests was PASSED at the Parks Committee meeting on March 12th, 2024.

Milwaukee County - File #: 24-350 (legistar.com)

Project Update - February 9th, 2024

Following a year of extensive community engagement, which included two open house events, a town hall, community canvassing, and online interaction, Milwaukee County Parks has chosen to proceed with preparing construction documents for Alternative B.

This option will see the reconstruction of 400’ of City of Milwaukee-owned street on the west and the conversion of Jackson Park Drive into ten-foot trail between approximately the 5600 block and 51st street, with a reconstruction of the road with reduced capacity from 51st to Cleveland.

Parks received feedback from residents of Jackson Park Drive, members of the larger Jackson Park neighborhood and Park users across the county. That input was considered and balanced with the project goals of reducing impermeable surfaces and the accompanying pollutants, improving recreational opportunities, and fiscal sustainability.

The Parks Department anticipates document completion in time to submit for construction funding in the 2025 budget. Departmental capital budget requests are due in early to mid summer (June/July) of this 2024. Those requests are then heard by the County’s Capital Improvements Committee in August, which provides recommendations to the County Executive for inclusion in his recommended budget. If included in the County Executive’s budget, the County Board of Supervisors will debate the project’s inclusion in the adopted budget in November.






Recognizing that the pavement and curbing of Jackson Park Drive, from West Cleveland Avenue at 47th Street to West Cleveland Avenue at 58th Street, is in poor condition, Milwaukee County Parks proposed some updates. Parks received funding to complete design work, where staff has focused on potentially narrowing the segments of roadway that have driveway access and potentially replacing the portion of the road, where there is no residential driveway access, with a 10’ wide asphalted bike/pedestrian trail. If the final design includes the replacement of the road with a trail, cul-de-sacs at the east end of the City of Milwaukee roadway (at approximately the 5600 block), and the northern end of 53rd Street would provide a turn-around for vehicles.

The road sections would include new asphalt, new curb and gutter, and replacement of other infrastructure such as storm sewers, where necessary. Stormwater best management practices, green infrastructure, and natural areas restoration and management may also be incorporated into the design.

As mentioned above, there is funding for design work. The funding for construction will be requested in the County’s 2025 budget. If the project is funded, the earliest that construction would begin is in 2025.



The project is part of a multi-phase project to reconstruct seven segments of the Kinnickinnic River Parkway.




Summary of Community Engagement

On November 16, 2022, and October 5, 2023, Milwaukee County Parks hosted an Open House to share project information with the public. In the weeks leading up to the 2022 meeting, Parks staff visited neighbors adjacent to Jackson Park Drive and dropped off Open House invitations at every home north of Cleveland Ave. up to Kinnickinnic River Parkway and from 47th St. West to 60th St. Staff gathered input from approximately 60 residents at the first public input meeting.

The following info boards were displayed at both Open Houses:

The 2023 Open House was promoted through social media and elected officials' notices and emails to registrants from previous meetings. Based on input collected at the previous meeting, the project team developed four alternatives shown below. Public comments were accepted through Friday, November 3, 2023.

The following info boards were displayed at the 2023 Open House:


KK River Parkway Trails


The public input period for this project concluded on Friday, November 3, 2023.


If you have any questions or comments, please email parksplanning@milwaukeecountywi.gov.

A resolution authorizing and directing the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture to proceed with developing constructions plans for a compromise design referred to as “Alternative C” for Capital Project WP071401 (Kinnickinnic River Parkway-Jackson Park Drive) and present the design with estimated construction costs to the board prior to submitting the department's 2025 capital project requests was PASSED at the Parks Committee meeting on March 12th, 2024.

Milwaukee County - File #: 24-350 (legistar.com)

Project Update - February 9th, 2024

Following a year of extensive community engagement, which included two open house events, a town hall, community canvassing, and online interaction, Milwaukee County Parks has chosen to proceed with preparing construction documents for Alternative B.

This option will see the reconstruction of 400’ of City of Milwaukee-owned street on the west and the conversion of Jackson Park Drive into ten-foot trail between approximately the 5600 block and 51st street, with a reconstruction of the road with reduced capacity from 51st to Cleveland.

Parks received feedback from residents of Jackson Park Drive, members of the larger Jackson Park neighborhood and Park users across the county. That input was considered and balanced with the project goals of reducing impermeable surfaces and the accompanying pollutants, improving recreational opportunities, and fiscal sustainability.

The Parks Department anticipates document completion in time to submit for construction funding in the 2025 budget. Departmental capital budget requests are due in early to mid summer (June/July) of this 2024. Those requests are then heard by the County’s Capital Improvements Committee in August, which provides recommendations to the County Executive for inclusion in his recommended budget. If included in the County Executive’s budget, the County Board of Supervisors will debate the project’s inclusion in the adopted budget in November.






Recognizing that the pavement and curbing of Jackson Park Drive, from West Cleveland Avenue at 47th Street to West Cleveland Avenue at 58th Street, is in poor condition, Milwaukee County Parks proposed some updates. Parks received funding to complete design work, where staff has focused on potentially narrowing the segments of roadway that have driveway access and potentially replacing the portion of the road, where there is no residential driveway access, with a 10’ wide asphalted bike/pedestrian trail. If the final design includes the replacement of the road with a trail, cul-de-sacs at the east end of the City of Milwaukee roadway (at approximately the 5600 block), and the northern end of 53rd Street would provide a turn-around for vehicles.

The road sections would include new asphalt, new curb and gutter, and replacement of other infrastructure such as storm sewers, where necessary. Stormwater best management practices, green infrastructure, and natural areas restoration and management may also be incorporated into the design.

As mentioned above, there is funding for design work. The funding for construction will be requested in the County’s 2025 budget. If the project is funded, the earliest that construction would begin is in 2025.



The project is part of a multi-phase project to reconstruct seven segments of the Kinnickinnic River Parkway.




Summary of Community Engagement

On November 16, 2022, and October 5, 2023, Milwaukee County Parks hosted an Open House to share project information with the public. In the weeks leading up to the 2022 meeting, Parks staff visited neighbors adjacent to Jackson Park Drive and dropped off Open House invitations at every home north of Cleveland Ave. up to Kinnickinnic River Parkway and from 47th St. West to 60th St. Staff gathered input from approximately 60 residents at the first public input meeting.

The following info boards were displayed at both Open Houses:

The 2023 Open House was promoted through social media and elected officials' notices and emails to registrants from previous meetings. Based on input collected at the previous meeting, the project team developed four alternatives shown below. Public comments were accepted through Friday, November 3, 2023.

The following info boards were displayed at the 2023 Open House:


KK River Parkway Trails


The public input period for this project concluded on Friday, November 3, 2023.


If you have any questions or comments, please email parksplanning@milwaukeecountywi.gov.

Let us know your thoughts on this project.

Your comments can help shape the future of your parks. 

The public input period for this project has concluded.

I do not support the closing of 1/2 mile of Jackson Park Drive to make a bike path and grass. I would rather the county take the green space along the river side of both Jackson Park Drive and KK River Parkway and turned it into an expansive prairie with natural grasses. Then don't wait for MMSD to remove the concrete channel for the KK River and do it yourself and then put in prairie grasses where the channel was as well. This will have a huge ecological benefit as well as beautifying the area.

Jeremy

schujj07 over 1 year ago

I do not support the closure of Jackson Park Drive for a bike path.

Crime happens when there is opportunity. Closing the parkway will offer opportunity for crime with seclusion, darkness, wooded areas for hiding, inaccessibility to patrol vehicles and no through traffic. I’m fearful for what dangers this would create – robbery, assault, b&e. I’m scared to have our home right up against a secluded area and a bike path to nowhere. There are already miles of paths three short blocks to the east throughout Jackson Park.

This is the City of Milwaukee where crime is skyrocketing, it’s not like we’re in Fox Point or living on a golf course! Even the sheriff implores the public not to walk alone on bike paths!! I’d be so scared to have a dark, deserted, desolate, dangerous path running behind my house that no one uses because of fear of being attacked with homeless encampments and criminals lurking in the shadows.

Here are links to crimes on bike paths. Scary stuff!:
https://www.cbs58.com/news/milwaukee-co-sheriff-issues-safety-alert-after-four-incidents-in-parks
https://www.fox6now.com/news/oak-leaf-trail-assault-milwaukee-county-sheriffs-office-alerts-public
https://www.fox6now.com/news/were-terrified-after-sexual-assault-on-hank-aaron-trail-one-runner-says-harassment-is-common
https://www.wisn.com/article/police-seeking-youth-after-sexual-assault-on-hank-aaron-trail/6328799
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAEdEkOae7s
https://patch.com/wisconsin/milwaukee/teens-injured-hank-aaron-trail-high-powered-pellet-gun

Neighbors are very upset. The neighbors at the open house were overwhelmingly opposed to this project. We were told this project “meets our goals.” Who’s goals?? What goals?? We were told the County’s goals of eliminating hard surfaces. Neighbors don’t want this and didn’t ask for this. Just repave the road! This is a concept being imposed on the neighborhood by the county to meet “their goals” of eliminating roads without consideration of the neighborhood and people who live here.

Fliers were haphazardly distributed to only some neighbors, stuck in doors, not mailed, and only in English. Several residents directly impacted, who live on the parkway and in areas where the cul sacs are proposed, did not receive information and had NO IDEA about this proposal. Of the $250,000 already spent, apparently there wasn’t a few hundred bucks for postage to properly inform residents of the proposed impact to their neighborhood! Many neighbors believe the lack of information distribution was intentional in order to keep residents uninformed.

Questions were asked at the open house that were not answered such as next steps in the process, if there will be another meeting, what is needed to go forward and what is needed to suspend the project?

A detailed cost analysis was not provided. There is no way removing the road and curbs and putting in cul de sacs, signage, a path and landscaping would cost less than repaving the roadway. Again, no numbers have been provided, no transparency. Only the pavement itself is in poor condition, mainly due to decades of deferred maintenance that was budgeted and should’ve been completed years ago. Where’s that cost savings realized?? There are 217 sections of cement curb from 51st to 53rd that are in good condition and would not need to be removed or replaced. Just repave the roadway!

It was suggested that a “poll” be included on this website in addition to a guestbook to gauge support. However, no poll has been created.

Cost savings in snow plowing JPD have been put forward as a reason for the proposal. Snow plowing a few block straightaway when plows are already out would not cost more than the intricate plowing of several cul de sacs and dead ends. Or will those areas be ignored? Ridiculous reasoning. Cul de sacs often do not get properly plowed in winter, invite parked cars, trash, unsightly bright reflective signage, opportunities for drug use, prostitution = yuck!! Don’t want this in our beautiful neighborhood.

People who bought homes on Jackson Park Drive would be required to change their addresses. Hours of time, fees, forms, DMV, new drivers licenses, social security, medical records, employers, insurance, etc. There was someone at the open house who already had a clip board with new addresses listed for all the residents effected! What an insult!

JPD is already used for recreational use. Many people walk and bike on both sides of the roadway, which allows enough space to pass comfortably with dogs on leash. A 10’ path would not allow a comfortable passing distance. Where are the 15-20 vehicles going to park that currently enjoy the parkway for the RC Club? In the cul de sacs? Along 53rd, Jerelyn and Andover in front of homes? Or will they find another place to enjoy?

The Jackson Park Drive neighborhood is the "first in area" for Engine 10 on 56/Oklahoma. The Captain of the firehouse and crew had no idea of the proposed plan. They were not provided any of the information or asked for their input. A huge oversight!! Emergency vehicles unable to access area; illegal to drive on bike/walking paths with several ton heavy equipment, damage, ticketed and fined.

Many residents believe eliminating the roadway and putting in a bike path will increase crime, assaults, litter, cars parked in cul de sacs and overcrowd neighboring streets. If this awful, inconsiderate plan somehow goes through, we will move, but not before putting up the tallest privacy fence available on our property. The only way this will go through is if the county doesn’t care and decides to disregard the opinions of the neighbors directly impacted.

Save JPD over 1 year ago

This proposed changes to the neighborhood is due to the improper handling of the County budget for many years, will increase crime in the area, the park will have less usage than before and will negatively affect property values. The county is putting it bests efforts into spinning this decision in order to cover up the reality that they didn’t budget well enough to be able to maintain a street near a beautiful park.
Streets offer a definitive border and buffer between the park and homes. How will a visitor to the park know for sure if they are in the park or someone’s front lawn? Do homeowners need to put up ugly “No Trespassing” signs so they don’t have unwanted guests? Will residents wake up in the morning to people sunbathing or having a picnic on their property? Home owners will be forced to put up long fences so they can define their property lines
This change will make it more difficult for the police to patrol the park. As we all know, MPD is very busy which means that they rarely patrol on foot in the parks. Just the possibility of any traffic is a deterrence to burglars, home invaders and rapists. If you were a criminal, would you feel safer breaking into a home that has a bike path in front of the property or a street with vehicle traffic including police? Of course, it would be former and never the later.
Where are these bikers going to be coming from? Nearby Jackson Park has plenty of paths that interconnect allowing bikers to take different routes all over the park. Are bikers really go to leave Jackson Park, cross 43rd St, cross Cleveland Ave and then go the 8 blocks in a residential area just to ride on a very short path? Of course they would not do this. Visitors who drive to the park will now have to park in a cul de sac, walk to the park and will be out of eyesight of their car. The truth is that this proposed small stretch of bike path will not promote the use of the park rather hinder it.
This proposal does not serve the needs of the park nor the residents of the neighborhood. The only reason for this proposal is financial mismanagement by the County. In the long run, home values will go down and the County will get less in property tax since the homes will not be a valuable. As with most short sighted attempts to save money, this will eventually cost the County must more than just fixing the street. In the future, if this proposal goes thru, I would hope that the County looks back and evaluates how this change affected the crime rate, home value and actual use of the park. Of course, government tends not to spend money on evaluating their own projects so I doubt this will happen.

hammesqa over 1 year ago

The concerned neighbors of the affected areas of Jackson Park Drive have already gathered over 100 signatures and growing, in opposition to this proposed project. Nearly every home within the completely closed portion of the road signed in protest to destroying the nature of our neighborhood and they ask simply that the road be repaved as would any other road after decades of loving travels. This petition will be presented to County Executive David Crowley as well as other elected officials and involved parties in government, law enforcement, police and emergency services and the private sector. The hardworking, tax paying residents of the neighborhood should not need to defend the street in front of their home and the essence of their neighborhood instead of enjoying life, the holidays, and spending time with those they love. I’m confident when ALL the people that should have been brought into this “plan,” from the beginning take a closer look at this project they will agree that it should be scrapped and the road simply repaved.

The proposed project significantly impacts SAFETY by decreasing and eliminating ACCESS for emergency vehicles, fire trucks, paramedics/ambulances and law enforcement. In addition our Jackson Park Neighborhood Patrol would be unable to monitor our homes.

As parents of 3 young girls, we are horrified that Jackson Park Drive would no longer be monitored and patrolled by our wonderful dedicated law enforcement officers and that should there be a fire in our home, the fire department would need to take extra steps and time to access our children and bring them to safety. Closure would also make monitoring the woods along the river extremely difficult to impossible and encourage homeless camps, loitering, home break ins and drug and sexual activity.

This plan will decrease the EQUITY of ACCESS for residents and visitors, as the road has provided a wide range of uses beyond cars over the half century of its existence. Cars, contractors, emergency vehicles, pedestrians, dog walkers, strollers, joggers, bikers, those with ADA accessibility needs have all coexisted. A 10 foot wide path would no longer provide this same access and would have limited use during the winter months.

Increased traffic, and parking in the surrounding areas is also a major concern as well as complete resident access to their own homes and the disposal of yard waste and leaves.

It is also unreasonable, unnecessary and a huge expense and burden for those on JPD to change their address. It is not equitable that those on Jackson Park Drive where the road will be closed, bear incredible losses and expense for something that is not necessary.

We VALUE, love and care for the unique nature of our neighborhood. Jackson Park Drive has served many generations with ACCESS to all. Why fix what’s not broken? There is not a problem that is solved by forcing this project on its residents, but instead problems are made!

Our homes and our neighborhood are not only our sanctuaries, but also a good chunk of our life savings. It is likely that this sudden and unnecessary change to the neighborhood would affect the value of our homes as increased crime, and decreased safety, and access are not big selling points to any buyer.

The residents of the Jackson Park Drive neighborhood have been led along on a leash on this proposed project, with haphazard notifications with fliers in some doors and not others, as well as no direct mailing. We were not brought into the project with any information or dialogue until AFTER plans were already drawn up.

We are told the road closing is for cost savings. Is the Milwaukee County government here to serve the residents or to serve itself? We deserve to have our road repaired, not eliminated! Our elected officials should have done a better job managing our money. Why should our neighborhood alone pay the price for this abuse?

SAVE Jackson Park Drive! SAFETY, ACCESS, VALUE and EQUITY are all in danger.

We deserve it, our children deserve it, and future generations deserve it. We are simply temporary stewards of our home and the neighborhood. The county should also do its part to take care of our neighborhood, so ALL can continue to ACCESS its beauty.

Our county supervisor has assured us that if the residents of JPD did not support the project he would not move forward. Please consider our petition and all the calls and emails from the Jackson Park neighborhood, official notice of our opposition. We encourage residents to continue contacting their elected officials in writing and by phone to ask for the end to this endeavor. We will continue to collect signatures until the project is canceled.

Jackson Park Drive is more than concrete, it’s the road to our homes and it's the road to our future. Please simply SAVE and repave the road, so our future may continue to move along it in safety and harmony for all.

Thanks- John, Susan, Hope, Joy and Grace Saller. 5573 W. Jackson Park Drive.
Savejpd@gmail.com

savejpd over 1 year ago

Jackson Park Drive is enjoyed by so many people for so many things!

The Milwaukee County Parks Staff is totally closed minded to neighbors who know the area since the 50's as to how important it is to keep JPD basically as is. The Parks staff do not want to listen to the people who live here in the JPD neighborhood, especially those of us whose front yards will meet up with the Parks plan of taking the road out and replacing it with grass and a 1/2 mile bike and walking path. They already have the Oak Leaf Trail right across the creek between JPD and KK River Parkway at 51st running all the way thru to McCarthy Park, which runs for miles. Also narrowing 2 sections of the road on either side of JPD where they plan to install 2 cul de sacs (56th and 53rd), and 1 other configuration (51st) all impacting JPD. The impact on so many for their 1/2 mile addition to the Oak Leaf Trail shows the inconsideration of the planning staff. 

Our guesstimate is the path will not regularily be used by current neighbors since we are used to the road being our walking path for walkers, runners, dog walking, bicycle path, driving road and also utilizing the current grass areas for our use as well. NOT a 10 ft wide path that would not at all serve anyone's needs and runs right up to our properties. NOT a 10 ft wide path which puts everyone in very close proximity to other walkers, dogs, bicycles, etc. Know that alot of people let their dogs off leash and run freely. We have had at least 3 incidents (that we know of) this past Summer of these off leash dogs approaching other dogs on leash with injuries occurring. Plus unleashed dogs will have more room to run right on our properties and make it unsafe for our adults, children and dogs in our yards. Plus the unleashed dogs waste left behind by their owners.

The inconsideration of taking out JPD and burdening the inside streets to this neighborhood with more parking, traffic, Fall cleanup debris, people parking from outside the neighborhood, riding their bikes thru the neighborhood to get to their parked cars, etc., etc. is appalling. And not to forget all homeowners with addresses on JPD will have to get new addresses and the aesthetics of their lovely homes stripped away by facing a bike path! And that this 10 ft. path with grass on either side is basically right in our front yards!!!! The path is not along a open field with power lines (like at 92nd between Howard and Coldspring) where a path is installed down the middle, and which is not adjoined to homeowners front yards! 

How would you like it if this was your home and your neighborhood since the 1950's and this is what Milwaukee County Parks is proposing for their "more green plan". 

We stand by our fellow neighbors regarding all the other points made by them to Milwaukee County Parks Staff and Milwaukee Officials regarding JPD!!!

THE CHARM OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS ...
Jackson Park Drive !!!

NOT JPD / Oak Leaf Trail (1/2 mile).

JoeJodi



Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone




Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

Machi over 1 year ago

Milwaukee Magazine has, in the past, listed our Jackson Park neighborhood in one of their real estate “Sweet Spots” articles noting its “winding roads and spacious lots”. The woods along the Kinnickinnic Parkway, between 43rd and 60th, has what the park system boasts as “surprising beauty”, which we would wholeheartedly agree with having seen all manner of birds and wildlife amazing for such an urban locale. It’s no wonder that it’s residents, of which we are proud to be a part of, love living here, love the parkway, and seek to protect its character and charm by keeping the paved parkway as it is. We agree with that position and reject the current proposal.

The parkway, last paved in 1984 with what is said to be by the park system a 20 year surface, is way overdue for resurfacing. Ripping it out and replacing it with a 10 foot wide “bike/pedestrian path” is a surprising proposal when the actual biking Oak Leaf Trail Kinnickinnic Line is on the other side of the river along W. Rita Dr. and W. KK River Pkwy and will be receiving an as yet undefined upgrade as a part of the Jackson Park redesign project. The proposed solution doesn’t bring any new functionality already found on this half-mile stretch of parkway as it is, it actually removes functionality.

Had the County Park System done it’s homework by actually talking to the neighborhood prior to this premature proposal it would have learned that the only issue it’s residents and users of the parkway have is to slow down cars that speed along its winding route. Low level speed bumps like those found on the Menomonee River Parkway in Wauwatosa east of North Avenue would be ideal.

Security concerns along the parkway are very real with homeless encampments seen as recently as April 2021 and an arrest in 2020. A un-patrolled bike/pedestrian path would only increase the off-the-beaten-path appeal for the homeless and nefarious alcohol and drug users burdening our local law enforcement officers further.

In addition to the many neighborhood walkers, dog walkers, and cyclists, the parkway welcomes many non-neighborhood users who drive up and park close to the Forked Aster Hiking Trail access points. The last three years in particular has seen an increase in the use of the river banks by groups of remote-control car hobbyists with their vehicles parked and extending east and west of the 53rd street access point many days during the warmer months of the year, and occasionally mid-winter as well.

This neighborhood, one without city or county maintained street lights, sidewalks, or alleys, is already saving the city and county money. What would appear to some as a forgotten decaying through-fare is a well used and appreciated parkway, and should be maintained as is for current users, residents and the future.

Bob S. over 1 year ago

My address is Cleveland Avenue,although my driveway is on Jackson Park Drive. At first I was open to the idea of partially blocking the road in favor of a trail. I utilize Jackson Park Drive on a regular basis to walk, jog, and bike. I also drive down the road often because of the very fact that I find it beautiful and peaceful. I moved into my home and this neighborhood two and a half years ago and can honestly say that one of my favorite aspects is having my house abut Jackson Park Drive. Not only do I enjoy the road myself, but it is inspiring and motivating to see others use it as well. I find it a unique and lovely road that is a special part of this area. My vote is to keep it intact for all to enjoy.

Tracy Bernson over 1 year ago

Removed by moderator.

davidweyer79 over 1 year ago

After further consideration of this project while walking my dogs down JPD, I would like to amend my suggestion for reducing the size of the road by half. Instead I think the road should be reduced by 1/3, and a bike-walking path should be added next to it. The speed limit should be lowered, and there should only be parking allowed on the parkway side of the street. This layout allows for emergency vehicles and police patrols to still have full access to JPD, reduces the cost of maintaining a wide road that is barely used, creates additional green-space and will be much safer for pedestrians/bikers and drivers.

Mandover over 1 year ago

Not a fan of this project. Many visitors to the parks don’t live within walking distance. We drive and park on the side across from homes and driveways. This appears to be a vanity project. If closing this off to traffic means no
Plowing, you’ve also closed it off to walkers and bicyclists. Just no.

CMAnderson over 1 year ago

Collective concerns from all Jackson Park Dr residents

Who paid for the future maintenance of the planned project? How much would that be costing in the future versus the cost of ignoring the maintenance for another 20 years versus rebuilding a new one that residents don’t want?
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We have recently been told by County project leader Tony Giron that the County could take away up to 20 feet of our properties along Jackson Park Drive for this project. This is an area that property owners have maintained and landscaped for decades. How much does the county will compensate the homeowner for the land value to avoid future lawsuit.
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What about storm sewer/water issues in connection with our basements? Who is going to be responsible and pay for that? Will this impact water backup and impact the resident. Has the planning committee looked into this to avoid future lawsuits?
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Impact of decreasing property value and property compensation, homeowner who has front house facing jackson park, now the front of the house became the backdoor. Who is going to repay the homeowner for their investment and years of paying high property tax.
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Americans with Disabilities Act - ADA accessibility — It is not always possible to install wheelchair ramps/lifts at the “backyards” of our homes. The County would be removing homeowners’ ability to make ADA accommodations to the front and back of their homes. Where else in Milwaukee are homeowners unable to fully access the front of their homes? For many of us, Andover Road is our backyard, serving more like an alley. It would likely become a new thoroughfare. Will the county pay to compensate the homeowner for this modification?
No throughout traffic impact study has been conducted and shared.
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Police officers who have patrolled JPD tell us that the closed/un-patrollable area would become a homeless camp in the woods along the river. This has been true in other parts of the city. What are the actional plans for police patrol cars to access when incidents of women and young girls in particular are fearful of the walking trail due to being chased or followed in the past by various individuals loitering or living there. Police officers familiar with the project stated that foot patrols are highly unlikely. What are other safety approaches for residents who only have access from Jackson Park Drive due to street closure.
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What are the costs to homeowners regarding property value, property tax, property line? Residents have spent tens of thousands of dollars on landscaping, including long walkways to the road. How will they be reimbursed for changes that would again have to be made to their yards. Projects of this magnitude require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This is a study that encompasses all issues “significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.” Such a study should be made available to residents for their comments and concerns, as per the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act., and given weight in any design process. Is there an EIS for this project, and if so, were any residents, law enforcement, emergency services, public entities, businesses and schools consulted? If not, will there be one? Will neighbors be required to give up easements?
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It is unfair that our neighborhood has been singled out for this supposed money-saving solution for not paving the street, which had been budgeted years ago.
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The printed information that has been circulated by the County has not been available in languages other than English, and this is unfair to other residents with impairment and other disabilities.
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Neighbors have not been asked to provide input. This should have occurred in advance of the design work phase funds being approved in the County budget over a year ago.
So-called “letters” (fliers) in our doors (not mailed) to attend an “open house” is a haphazard way to communicate. Case in fact: some JPD residents have received NO notification.
Residents should have been notified with a valid official mailed letter via post office otherwise this looks like a scam flier.
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When trails run through neighborhoods, these are some of the issues that must be addressed, and yet, have not been. Overall safety, especially for our children, Public drinking. Crime, Illegal drug use/overdoses, Sexual assault/activity, Loitering. Homeless camps, Littering,
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Residents have no visibility to the planning committee. Who made the decision? When (date and time)? What other option has been discussed? The information from the project planning committee has been vague and incomplete overall.
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andyng over 1 year ago

My wife and I live on Andover rd, the street right next to Jackson Park Drive. Currently JPD is rarely used by vehicles, and is mostly utilized by walkers and bikers. This is a windy road with many "blind" curves, and since there's hardly any vehicle traffic on this street (including police patrols), the cars that do drive on this street are always speeding way too fast, and are putting themselves and others that are walking or biking in danger. There are no sidewalks or street lights on JPD, so everyone uses the road. There is already illegal drug and alcohol use in parked cars along this secluded stretch of road, and issues with homeless folks camping by the river, so I don't believe that having a bike path instead of a road will lead to more criminal/dangerous activity. There is a safety issue to consider on Andover and Jerelyn roads however. Unlike JPD which is a very wide road that includes room for parking lanes on each side of the street, Andover and Jerelyn are very narrow roads that also do not have sidewalks or street lights. I'm concerned that adding more car traffic, parked cars and even more leaves onto these narrow roads will create a significant safety hazard. The neighborhood is in a parkway so we have to contend with an incredible amount of leaves every fall, from the very mature and abundant amount of trees in our area. If you move all the leaves that normally get put onto JPD to Andover and Jerelyn roads, it's going to create an unsafe situation for residents as the current leaf piles on these roads already get pretty huge. Instead, I think there is a compromise that can be reached here. Why not reduce the width of JPD in half? This solution would significantly reduce the costs of maintaining the road long term, take advantage of the infrastructure already in-place (1 of the curbs and sewer pipes) and force the drivers on the road to slow down. It would also allow continued emergency vehicle access and police patrols on JPD, without creating new safety issues on Andover & Jerelyn roads.

Mandover over 1 year ago

I am 100% against this project. I live on 53rd and Jackson Park Drive where it is planned to build a cul-de-sac. There are a number of reasons I am against this proposal. My address being changed from a Jackson Park Drive address to a 53rd Street address will bring my property value down. There are several safety concerns. The MPD would not have a way to patrol by vehicle down the parkway which will increase crime, increase homeless activity in the park, and will not leave residents feeling safe while walking/riding. The fact that traffic can go down the parkway makes walkers/riders feel safer as they are more visible to the public. A bike path is just a crime scene waiting to happen as evidenced in the news on many occasions. Another good point made by my neighbor (retired Milwaukee Fire Dept), was that Andover and Jerelyn are very narrow, winding roads making it nearly impossible for a firetruck to access these homes. Jackson Park Drive gives firetrucks easy access to those homes, and without our road, how safe will these residents be if a fire were to occur? We moved to this neighborhood because we love the area, we love the parkway, we love our winding road and the feeling of being safe in an urban area. I feel that this proposal will decrease our property values and will also bring on a number of safety concerns that should not be overlooked. I will be going to the news media, our mayor, and congressmen. Leave Jackson Park Drive alone.

mullinscr11 over 1 year ago

I live just south of Cleveland and enjoy riding my bike on the parkway. This is a unique street in the sense that it does not need to have any through traffic on it. Most people use it as a recreational trail anyways, walking, jogging, riding bikes etc. I think this is a good project and would make the homes that back up to it even more unique. Concerns about safety may be excessive. Sheriffs patrol county parks by driving on the path and I don't see how this would be any different. The path that will be installed is 10' wide and could carry a patrol vehicle if necessary. I think there are more random activities that occur by having this secluded street to begin with vs taking it out and dealing with what activities could occur without a car. I questioned why they did not conduct closing this stretch of road down when covid happened for the "open streets" experiment vs doing it on the road thru Jackson Park, a road that actually carries traffic.

Jacob S over 1 year ago

The way to save the most money is to take the road out. Why do those people need a road in their backyards? Less pavement would be better for water quality also.

KevininMilwaukeee over 1 year ago

Yes, in favor of converting to bike path.

KevininMilwaukeee over 1 year ago

The core issue is the county's mismanagement of taxpayer money. We paid the higher tax, and we deserved a better road, just like any other neighborhood. This is corruption. Milwaukee county is in deep debt of $82 million. This is how they spend their money on these meaningless projects that absolutely have no benefit to the community or city, the future park maintenance also using taxpayer money.
Resident attenteded the open house on November 16 were agaisnt the project. Not one person suppor the project. The planning team were lying to attendee and cant answer any of the question, kept going back "we haven't thought about that". There is no transparency, no public meeting prior to the meeting to discuss about the project. They made people think that the plan was approved. THE PLAN HAS NOT YET APPROVE BY THE COUNTY.

andyng over 1 year ago

The core issue is the county's mismanagement of taxpayer money. We paid the higher tax, and we deserved a better road, just like any other neighborhood. This is corruption. Milwaukee county is in deep debt of $82 million. This is how they spend their money on these meaningless projects that absolutely have no benefit to the community or city, the future park maintenance also using taxpayer money.

andyng over 1 year ago

All the money spent on the "design" could have been saved had the county surveyed residents and consulted them before wasting almost a quarter of a million dollars on a plan that the vast majority of residents do not want (proven by those in attendance at the ill-conceived and chaotic "Open House" on Nov. 16th). Instead, our tax money could have been put toward replacement of Jackson Park Drive.
In the last few years, Milwaukee County replaced KK River Parkway west of S. 68th Street with a 36' wide beautiful concrete parkway after the residents in Milwaukee and West Allis protested the county's similar plan to convert the road area to park land, although they have frontage road access to their properties.
It's time the county planners stop trying to manipulate residents (at our expense on many different levels) and treat us equitably and respectfully. It is clear that most stakeholders want the beautiful parkway replaced so that it is similar to when they purchased their properties. I know my neighbors and I have some ideas that could be compromises (cost savings), but have been so disrespected by county officials and employees that we are unwilling to suggest those ideas. We deserve equity and should not have to defend our properties or rights.

Betty over 1 year ago

I do not agree with construction of a bike path in the designated one half mile section of Jackson Park Drive.

I feel that Jackson Park Drive should continue as a roadway, however I suggest that the 2 driving lanes be made as narrow as they could be legally, and that there be one parking lane instead of the current two.

This would decrease the amount of pavement and eliminate the inconveniences and safety concerns that property owners who live on the parkway have expressed.

Mike over 1 year ago
Page last updated: 14 Mar 2024, 12:39 PM