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Latest news! The Root River Parkway road east of S 92nd Street was reopened to traffic on November 18th. Work on various parking lot elements, lighting, and electrical service will continue as weather allows. Finish grading, tree planting and remaining landscape and restoration work will be completed in spring of 2023.
In Progress
Finished Product
Work on the Root River Parkway - between College Avenue (at 92nd Street) east to the Root River bridge - began Tuesday, August 23rd. This includes setup for the Parkway road closure and detour signage for the Oak Leaf Trail. Updated detour information is also posted to the interactive Parks Explorer App. To view the trail map zoomed to this location, select this link.
Upgrades to the Root River Parkway between College Avenue (beginning at S. 92nd Street) east to the Root River bridge, will include reconstruction of the Whitnall Beer Garden parking lot. Parking bays will be added to the north side of the road to accommodate additional parking, and a new off road path will be constructed on the south side of the road to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians. The road and parking lot reconstruction will include new pavement and replaced utilities as needed. Storm water best management practices, green infrastructure, landscaping and site restoration will also be included.
Design Objectives
Replace highly degraded pavement on the existing parkway road
Provide additional parking options to serve the pavilion, beer garden area, and nearby recreational amenities
Provide an off-road pathway to make pedestrian and bicycle use safer in the area
Include green infrastructure to provide "bio-infiltration" of storm water runoff
Preserve mature trees around the site
Design Challenges
The project site is partially in a floodplain which limits some design options
Balancing the aesthetic characteristics of the historic parkway while providing site updates to improve circulation, safety, and access
Lighting
Milwaukee County Parks is also undertaking a lighting assessment to determine lighting needs along this 2,100-foot segment of parkway. Currently, this segment of parkway does not have lighting.
Lighting is being considered for both the parkway and the parking lot for safety purposes due to increased parking and traffic in the area and the addition of an off-road path.
Lighting along the parkway would only be on the new off-road pathway side of the road (the southern side of the road).
Lights would have wooden poles and bronze finish fixtures aligned with the traditional rural aesthetic of the parkway.
Lights would be spaced further apart than in most park locations, would utilize a decreased K value (and a warm color temperature, and would have shielding to reduce light spillover. These measures make lighting less intrusive and will lessen the impact of wildlife.
Lights would operate on a timer and would turn off after nightly beer garden closures.
Timeline
Update: Reconstruction of the section of Root River Parkway east of S. 92nd Street, including the Beer Garden parking lot will begin in late August 2022. This section of roadway will be closed for several weeks and should reopen in late fall.
Substantial completion of the parkway road, parking lot and new bike-pedestrian path estimated for late November 2022.
Final site restoration and landscaping to be completed by the end of May 2023.
Latest news! The Root River Parkway road east of S 92nd Street was reopened to traffic on November 18th. Work on various parking lot elements, lighting, and electrical service will continue as weather allows. Finish grading, tree planting and remaining landscape and restoration work will be completed in spring of 2023.
In Progress
Finished Product
Work on the Root River Parkway - between College Avenue (at 92nd Street) east to the Root River bridge - began Tuesday, August 23rd. This includes setup for the Parkway road closure and detour signage for the Oak Leaf Trail. Updated detour information is also posted to the interactive Parks Explorer App. To view the trail map zoomed to this location, select this link.
Upgrades to the Root River Parkway between College Avenue (beginning at S. 92nd Street) east to the Root River bridge, will include reconstruction of the Whitnall Beer Garden parking lot. Parking bays will be added to the north side of the road to accommodate additional parking, and a new off road path will be constructed on the south side of the road to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians. The road and parking lot reconstruction will include new pavement and replaced utilities as needed. Storm water best management practices, green infrastructure, landscaping and site restoration will also be included.
Design Objectives
Replace highly degraded pavement on the existing parkway road
Provide additional parking options to serve the pavilion, beer garden area, and nearby recreational amenities
Provide an off-road pathway to make pedestrian and bicycle use safer in the area
Include green infrastructure to provide "bio-infiltration" of storm water runoff
Preserve mature trees around the site
Design Challenges
The project site is partially in a floodplain which limits some design options
Balancing the aesthetic characteristics of the historic parkway while providing site updates to improve circulation, safety, and access
Lighting
Milwaukee County Parks is also undertaking a lighting assessment to determine lighting needs along this 2,100-foot segment of parkway. Currently, this segment of parkway does not have lighting.
Lighting is being considered for both the parkway and the parking lot for safety purposes due to increased parking and traffic in the area and the addition of an off-road path.
Lighting along the parkway would only be on the new off-road pathway side of the road (the southern side of the road).
Lights would have wooden poles and bronze finish fixtures aligned with the traditional rural aesthetic of the parkway.
Lights would be spaced further apart than in most park locations, would utilize a decreased K value (and a warm color temperature, and would have shielding to reduce light spillover. These measures make lighting less intrusive and will lessen the impact of wildlife.
Lights would operate on a timer and would turn off after nightly beer garden closures.
Timeline
Update: Reconstruction of the section of Root River Parkway east of S. 92nd Street, including the Beer Garden parking lot will begin in late August 2022. This section of roadway will be closed for several weeks and should reopen in late fall.
Substantial completion of the parkway road, parking lot and new bike-pedestrian path estimated for late November 2022.
Final site restoration and landscaping to be completed by the end of May 2023.
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