Politics & Government

Bike/Pedestrian Plan Ready for Review

A final draft of the City of Wauwatosa Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities Plan is available for review and the approval process begins Oct. 7, 2013.

Editor's Note: The following information was provided to Patch via a news release from the City of Wauwatosa.

A final draft of the City of Wauwatosa Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities Plan is available for review and the approval process begins Oct. 7, 2013.

The City of Wauwatosa wants to be a great place to walk and ride a bike. Existing paths and trails, like the Oak Leaf Trail, provide connections to parks, the pool, schools and neighborhood businesses. Yet, because we are a busy city, we face some key challenges like major highways and very busy arterial streets.

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In late 2012, the City of Wauwatosa hired Toole Design Group and the Wisconsin Bike Federation to develop a plan based on a strategic vision, goals and specific projects for the City to do to improve bike and pedestrian connections throughout Wauwatosa and into neighboring communities. Residents were invited to attend two public hearings to provide comments. Based on public input from more than 100 attendees and the steering committee’s recommendations, this final draft was prepared.

The plan’s vision is:

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Wauwatosa will be attractive as a healthy, safe, and livable community because it establishes bicycling and walking as viable travel and recreation options for residents, visitors, and businesses. Bicycling and walking will be integral components of quality of life, economic development, and accessibility features of the city.

The plan provides extensive recommendations for building on existing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, in addition to providing Education, Encouragement, Evaluation, and Enforcement efforts that will make Wauwatosa a better place to walk and ride a bike. 

Recommendations include providing extensive bicycle facilities throughout the City and installing approximately 22 miles of high‐priority sidewalks primarily surrounding schools and along major streets. The plan recognizes that many streets in Wauwatosa that do not currently have sidewalks likely do not need them - these streets are listed as “low‐priority” and are not currently recommended for sidewalk installation. The plan recommends the installation of seven grade‐separated bicycle and pedestrian facilities to aid in the crossing of major barriers (rivers, rail, and freeways) that make it difficult to travel in parts of the City.

The draft document is currently available on the city website (http://www.wauwatosa.net/index.aspx?NID=1161 ). The plan adoption process begins at the Plan Commission meeting on Monday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m.   A Public Hearing before the Common Council is planned for Tuesday, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m.    


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