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.

Page last updated: 14 Mar 2024, 12:39 PM