Next week, the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee will consider a $33 million funding plan to improve safety on streets and boost riverfront access in the Third Ward, Walker's Point and Downtown.
On Thursday, Dec. 19, RACM will take up amendments to Tax Incremental Finance Districts (TIDs) 56 and 84,. These would raise money to fund a series of projects that include bike lanes and other changes to support all modes of transportation as part of its Vision Zero plan that also aims to curb reckless driving.
The TID 84 (West McKinley and West Juneau) amendment includes $8 million to underwrite:
- A new public plaza on West Highland Avenue between North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and the Milwaukee River
- Reconstruction of West Vliet Street to improve public safety in the area, including traffic calming measures and a narrowing of the road
The proposed plaza is located on the stub of Highland Avenue west of the Milwaukee River that has a few parking spots but mostly offers access to the pedestrian bridge over the Milwaukee River.
The rendering, by architectural firm RINKA+, shows seating, lighting, plantings, pavers and a steel structure that conjures a bridge.
The small section of street seems like a natural place for a plaza, though it appears the area wouldn't be entirely without vehicle access. Based on a site rendering, the plan seems to allow for trucks to access a loading dock for the Riverfront Plaza building which runs along the north side of the street.
The TID 56 (Erie/Jefferson Riverwalk) amendment includes $25 million for:
- Reconstruction of portions of North Water Street, East Menomonee Street, and North Lincoln Memorial Drive
- New protected bikeways on Jefferson and Erie streets, and Corcoran Avenue
- Enhancements to the KK River Trail Connections along South Water, Pittsburgh, Young and Menomonee streets
- Raised crosswalks on Erie Street
- Improvements to Erie Street Plaza and Catalano Square
“There is no priority higher than making Milwaukee as safe as possible,” said Mayor Cavalier Johnson in a statement Friday. “These improvements reinforce our commitment to combating reckless driving, increasing pedestrian accessibility, and improving our city’s vibrancy.
"Residents and visitors alike will feel and experience the positive impact of these enhancements.”
These amendments would ultimately require approval from the full Common Council. If they are approved, work on the plaza is expected to begin in spring.
“I am very pleased to see these public improvements moving forward throughout my district,” added District 4 Ald. Robert Bauman. “These investments will improve public safety and enhance the built environment.”
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
