Oak Leaf Trail Extension - Kohl Park

Oak Leaf Trail in Kohl Park

Exciting news! Milwaukee County Parks is working on a fantastic project that involves creating a 2.36-mile-long, 10-foot-wide paved asphalt trail in Kohl Park. Picture this: a smooth pathway winding through the park, starting from the awesome Zip Line area in AC Hansen Park and stretching all the way to W. Fairy Chasm Drive.

But wait, there's more! To make your journey even better, we're planning to include benches at special spots with great views and social vibes. Plus, we're adding a signaled crossing at the intersection of County Line Road and 76th Street to keep things safe. This signal crossing design will be approved by WisDOT and installed when 76th Street is reconstructed.

And here's the best part – this trail won't just be a trail. It's going to connect our community at 69th, 70th, and 85th Streets, as well as the Mequon Nature Center. We're fixing gaps in the Oak Leaf Trail (OLT) between the Zip Line and the Menomonee River Line, and even creating a cross-county connection via the Granville side path and Interurban Trail.

The cherry on top? We've got the funds we need! In 2020, we snagged a sweet $1,972,800 in CMAQ funding, and the 2023 appropriation is providing the match for this project. Get ready because construction is set to kick off in 2024. Can't wait to see you on the trail!

Summary of Community Engagement

The County Parks hosted a public input meeting on November 30, 2023, at Mequon Nature Preserve. During the meeting, informational signs were displayed around the meeting area for attendees to learn more about the project, as well as to write down any comments or feedback on. There were approximately nine people in attendance, comprised entirely of staff from Milwaukee County, Milwaukee County Parks, and WisDOT - the contracting firm assisting with this project. Prior to the public input meeting, Parks staff promoted the meeting on the both the Nextdoor and X applications three separate times. The Mequon Nature Preserve also assisted with promotion efforts leading up to the event.