Milwaukee bike lanes, North Avenue barriers coming soon
MILWAUKEE - On Milwaukee's east side, concrete barriers will be added to North Avenue's bike lanes. But will they fix the problem?
The barriers are meant to stop drivers from getting too close to cyclists. They're just one piece of a larger project.
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"This street can get really hectic," said scooter rider Michael Craig. "I feel like people don’t really respect the bike lane, almost."
Last August, the city installed protected bike lanes along the busy stretch of North Avenue from Prospect to Humboldt. However, the temporary plastic posts and planters did not keep drivers out.
North Avenue bike lane on Milwaukee's East Side
"For the traffic and the cars, there’s confusion over what they’re supposed to do," said Joel Lotspeich, who lives in the area.
More changes are now on the way. Bike lanes will get new barriers, bus islands will be installed, and sidewalks will be ADA-compliant.
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"We’re taking something that was really dangerous and making something that’s much more people oriented," said Ald. Jonathan Brostoff.
Cyclists said the current plastic posts don't offer much protection. The new barriers will be concrete and about the height of the curb.
North Avenue bike lane on Milwaukee's East Side
"The concrete and more permanent fixes help because you don’t have the cars that can kind of weave in and out and do other dangerous maneuvers," Brostoff said.
The project will start on Monday with a goal of being finished by November. It's the first phase of the $1.6 million North Avenue Project that will be completed over the next few years.
"That would honestly be really cool to have that kind of added safety," said Craig.