Better Streets MKE, Vol. 2

Winter Reflections

It’s officially winter here, and it has arrived with a vengeance. I am assured by reputable source that No One Bikes In Winter, and yet we continue to see folks (and their bikes) out and about, even on days the high barely exceeds 0° Fahrenheit.

In my second season of regular winter riding, I’ve added a merino balaclava and ski goggles, an investment that has paid dividends in the recent cold snap. Unfortunately, I have to warn any readers thinking of making a similar leap that I have grown accustomed to being comfortable and now sport this look whenever I need to be outside in severe cold, on bike or off. My kids are still too young to be embarrassed by how I dress, but that may be a problem for others.

Outdoor bike racks continue to fill up, especially when they only really fit two bikes per rack and half the space is taken up by a lift.

For 2023, let’s all resolve to demand better bike parking. In the city of Milwaukee, you can request a city-installed bike rack in the terrace via an online form.

I’ve started requesting them whenever I see a bike locked to a tree— both the bike and the tree deserve better.

It was a joy to see so many familiar faces at December public meetings. I hope for a lot more of that in 2023.

— AB

I biked more often when I lived in Madison. I could take off-street paths and mostly-safe streets from my Atwood home to nearly every destination I wanted. While not perfect, it was the kind of connectivity that doesn’t exist in Milwaukee, at least not for hesitant riders. So in winter, I mostly stay in my indoor hammock, walk, and take the bus. It is amazing to pass by street parking: steel and glass bearing witness, all to carry a few hundred pounds of human. Today at the bus stop, several others held bags of groceries. We were whisked away; the corner emptied, and we each moved through the city toward our own lives. I suppose I find it freeing in the cold for my mind to be able to drift and shake without property left exposed, a world of possibility that cannot be interrupted by “oh, wait, I have to get my…”

— MM

Upcoming Events

Book exchange & Safe Streets meet up

An informal meet up and social gathering to exchange books, interact offline, and scheme for 2023. Bring a book, make a <60 sec pitch for it, leave with a different book. The book does not need to be transportation or urbanism related; this will be much more fun if it’s not just 50 copies of Confessions of a Recovering Transportation Engineer. Fiction, poetry, zines, non-urbanism non-fiction, etc. are all welcome.

Children are welcome to attend; we’ll have a table with crayons and coloring sheets. If there’s interest, we can do a kids’ book exchange as well.

Sunday, January 8, 2023
2pm to 3pm
Vennture Brewing Company
5519 W North Avenue
Transit:  21
Bublr station at 56th and North

Zoning, Neighborhoods, and Development Committee meeting

This meeting has just one item on the agenda— a zoning change to allow the development of a new juvenile correctional facility on the city’s northwest side. This previously passed the City Plan Committee on a 5-1 vote in December.

Tuesday, January 10, 2023
9:00am
Virtual and Room 301-B City Hall
Transit: 15, 18, 57, GRE
3 blocks or less from the 14, 19, 30, 33, and GOL.
Bublr station on Van Buren St. near Water St.

Virtual Tenant Training

This tenant training hosted by the city includes a number of important topics, including how to understand a rental agreement, advocate for yourself as a tenant, and respond to housing violations.

Thursday, January 12, 2023
4:15pm-5:35 pm
Virtual

Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee

In October, the members of the City’s new Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee were appointed, including two of the authors of this newsletter. The meetings are open to the public and held on the third Friday of the month. You can sign up for updates on meetings and agendas via e-Notify.

Friday, January 20, 2023
8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Hybrid
Zeidler Municipal Building, 5th floor
Virtual Meeting link
Transit: 15, 18, 57, GRE
3 blocks or less from the 14, 19, 30, 33, and GOL.
Bublr station on Van Buren St. near Water St.

Eyes on Projects

National Avenue

Marybeth and Jake Newborn (via the Wisconsin Bike Fed) wrote a summary of the National Avenue project and its importance. This project is a key opportunity to totally re-imagine a substantial stretch of state highway in the heart of the city and make it much more hospitable for everyone, however they get around. The article includes a form to contact elected officials in the project area to urge them to push for a full reconstruction on National Avenue that prioritizes safety, transportation outside of private vehicles, and the vitality of the surrounding neighborhood. WisDOT downgraded this project from a reconstruction to a pavement replacement, and it’s hard not to feel like Milwaukee is getting the short straw twice between the potential I-94 expansion and the reduced investment in National Ave.

Tax Incremental District in Third District

Some very good news: Common Council has passed a tax incremental district (TID) around East North Avenue. The funding from this TID will lead to substantial traffic calming, biking, and walking improvements. An enormous thank you to Alderman Brostoff for being a champion for this effort and for safe streets. As many of us know, the devil is in the details with these projects. East North Avenue should be a safe, activated area of our city, but the current design holds it back. Let’s support making these changes to be as ambitious as possible.

Surveys

• Due Jan 15th: Supervisor Wasserman is surveying Milwaukee County District 3 residents about the future of Lake Park Ravine Bridge Road, including the possibility of pedestrianizing it— note that this survey is limited to District 3 residents. District 3 includes Milwaukee’s East Side, Downtown, the Deer District, much of the lakefront, and part of Walker’s Point.
• Coalition for Safe Driving - Vision Zero Survey. The Coalition is seeking to learn about your experiences with reckless driving. Tentatively, the Coalition should be planning Vision Zero-related events this winter to educate and organize the community.

In Memoriam

At time of publishing, 80 people have lost their lives on City of Milwaukee roads in 2022. An additional 495 people suffered serious, potentially life-altering injuries. Our roads are a crisis, tearing apart families and causing unimaginable suffering. May we all fight in 2023 to honor those taken from us, and for our own dignity and lives.