Milwaukee County park-and-ride lots closing; safety, security issues
Milwaukee County park-and-ride lots closing
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), with support from Milwaukee city and county officials announced on Monday, Oct. 14 the indefinite closure of two park-and-ride lots and partial closure of another park and ride lot in Milwaukee County due to declining safety conditions.
MILWAUKEE - The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), with support from Milwaukee city and county officials announced on Monday, Oct. 14 the indefinite closure of two park-and-ride lots and partial closure of another park and ride lot in Milwaukee County due to declining safety conditions.
A news release says effective Monday, Oct. 21, WisDOT will close the Holt Avenue lot. The northeast College Avenue lot and portions of the southwest College Avenue lot will close soon after. A small area of the southwest College Avenue lot will remain open to serve transit riders.
Concrete barrier walls and fencing will be placed around the lots. Individuals will have the ability to leave but will not be able to enter the lots, the release says.
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Safety and security in lots
To date, Milwaukee County Housing Services have found safer and more suitable housing for more than 80 individuals. Officials say despite those efforts, more individuals continue to enter the lots. The environments continue to degrade and become less safe every day. First responders including law enforcement, fire service personnel and paramedics are responding to a heightened number of emergency calls regarding dangerous and unsafe activity in and around the lots.
Between July 1 and September 30, 2024, Milwaukee city and county law enforcement responded to a combined 275 calls for service, a nearly 42% increase over the same time period in 2023. Officers are responding to increased reports of assault, theft and subjects with weapons. Other recently reported incidents causing law enforcement response include robbery, shots fired and drug overdoses.
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In recent months, WisDOT and partners have worked with individuals in the lots to inform them of the need to vacate per Wisconsin State Statute 86.025. It’s illegal in Wisconsin to camp on public highways or adjacent rights-of-way. WisDOT leadership understands homelessness is a nationwide concern that requires care and compassion to solve. That’s why the agency and partners have expended resources to respectfully rehouse individuals living in the park and rides. As conditions continue to deteriorate, WisDOT has made the difficult decision to close the Holt Avenue lot, the northeast College Avenue lot and portions of the southwest College Avenue lot.
They call him "Goose"
For one person in the park-and-ride lot at Holt Avenue, the people there are his community. They call him "Goose." Goose owns a couple RVs.
"Some people travel the world to experience things. it's right here, this is it. I love it. I’ve been everywhere, this is awesome," Goose said. "This is my favorite neighborhood. this is an experience you're not going to find. this was actually pretty cool. all summer, we bar-b-qued, we fished. everybody pretty much gets along. we might have a couple fights, but that's healthy."
On Monday morning, someone knocked on Goose's door and gave him a notice.
"You have until October 21st to gather and remove your property," Goose read out loud.
"Do you feel safe here?," asked FOX6's Jason Calvi.
"Yes, absolutely," Goose replied. "I don’t' like the way they're doing it. It's kind of like they're bullying us. These are people."
The camps have been growing for more than a year. The state had already warned those at the lots they were breaking the law.
What now for transit users?
WisDOT continues to work with the Milwaukee County Transit System to assist transit users who park in the Holt Avenue lot and ride buses to their destination. Signage will be placed at the lot and rider outreach will take place to inform them of the service changes. More information about Milwaukee County transit options can be found at: ridemcts.com.
Milwaukee park-and-ride fight; homeless encampments persist
A large fight broke out at a Milwaukee County park-and-ride lot on Saturday, and the people involved weren't supposed to be there at all.
Milwaukee County Housing Services will continue to work with individuals to discuss safer and more suitable living environments. More information can be found on their services.
WisDOT staff and partners are evaluating actions that will allow other park and ride locations to remain open for their intended use. Plans for reconfiguration at other park and ride lots and increased monitoring are underway.