The 30th Street Industrial Corridor Corporation recently announced the development of a seven acre freight line into a shared use trail, connecting Milwaukee through equitable pathways that are estimated to save the community millions of dollars in healthcare costs.
“We are working with Rails to Trails Conservancy, it’s a national organization that has operated all over the country,” said Cheryl Blue, executive director of the 30th Street Corridor Corporation. “There have been hundreds of miles of railroads that have been converted into shared use trails already.”
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The trail will be built along a low traffic freight line that serves the area, connecting underserved communities in Milwaukee’s West Side with the rest of the city. Creating the trail could save the city and residents $22.4 million in direct healthcare costs, according to a Rails to Trails 2017 BikeAble study.
The non-profit is currently working on the Route of the Badger, which would connect trails all over the seven southeastern counties of Wisconsin, including the 30th Street Corridor.
“The 30th Street Corridor is critically important to this effort,” said Willie Karidis, project director of Route of the Badger. “We recognized that even though there is a dense population of people living on the northwest side of Milwaukee, there is no dedicated trail in the community for people to walk or bike.”
The trail will cross through many neighborhoods in the Northwest and West Side of the city, with the goal of linking the trail to other existing trails and institutions in Milwaukee.
“The leadership in both Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee value the economic and social benefits that trails bring,” said Karidis. “By making strategic decisions to expand the Beerline Trail and the 30th Street Corridor Trail, the end result will be a 17.5 mile continuous loop connecting the Hank Aaron, Oak Leaf, Beerline and 30th Street Corridor trails.”
The 30th Street Corridor Corporation completed a preliminary feasibility study which looked at the project and decided if it was even possible. This study provided important insights into what it will take to connect the city’s trails and create the Milwaukee loop.
“We just received an $800,000 grant to do the engineering study, which will get into the nuts and bolts of what needs to be done to build the trail,” said Blue.
The new trail represents a huge investment in the city’s community. People will be able to exercise and interact in a safe manner. Residents will have an easier time travelling throughout the city without the need of using clustered Milwaukee roads.
“The Oak Leaf and Hank Aaron trails are huge amenities; this project will be a benefit to people in this side of the city,” said Blue. “Being able to go a few blocks and just get on a trail will be a great benefit to people.”
