The Hank Aaron Trail will be partially closed for the State Fair, concerning cyclists

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced Thursday that Milwaukee's highly-trafficked Hank Aaron State Trail will close between South 76th Street and South 89th Street for two weeks during the Wisconsin State Fair.

The State Fair closure will begin on Aug. 1 and conclude on Aug. 11.

The decision in recent years to close the popular trail during the State Fair has annoyed some bike commuters, who say the precaution seems unnecessary.

An average of 200,000 cyclists and hikers use the trail every year to commute to work, get their exercise or bypass busy Milwaukee traffic areas.

Jay Pawlak, a Wauwatosa resident, said the closure last year caused a major inconvenience for anyone who relies on the 14-mile trail to travel across the city. The closure included the placement of barricades across an elevated segment of the trail and the establishment of a security team that redirected riders to turn around and take alternative routes.

"They take the people using that path on bikes and they put them on the main streets of Milwaukee. That's real safe for us cyclists who use the same streets where there is so much reckless driving," he told the Journal Sentinel in May.

Pawlak contacted the Mayor of West Allis, the Wisconsin State Fair's corporate office and several other local officials for an explanation of why they decided to block a trail that, for decades, had remained open during the statewide event.

He also wanted to verify rumors last year that the trail was being monitored not by police, but by what he described as "groups of high schoolers and college kids" sitting in lawn chairs who told oncoming pedestrians to turn around.

After he did not get a satisfactory response, Pawlak contacted Public Investigator for help.

In an email to Public Investigator, Tess Kerksen, a spokesperson Wisconsin State Fair Park, said the closure is necessary because the pedestrian bridge that crosses over State Fair Park has been the subject of "serious threats."

However, the State Fair Park Police Department does not discuss or disclose details about such threats to the public, she said.

"The safety of our guests is our number one priority at State Fair Park. This priority affects every decision we make," Kerksen said.

In an email Thursday, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation also said allowing the elevated trail to remain open during the fair would "severely compromise" the secure perimeter of the State Fair.

Hank Aaron Trail will also be closed during the RNC

The trail will also be closed July 15-July 20 to accommodate security operations associated with the Republican National Convention, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

Bike Federation says it has received dozens of complaints over Hank Aaron Trail closure

According to Kirsten Finn, executive director of The Wisconsin Bike Federation, the closure of the trail during the fair has brought dozens of complaints from cyclists.

"A lot of people, particularly people from the Medical College, use it to get to work every day," Finn said. "The consideration is not given that it is an acceptable mode of getting to work. I think if someone closed (I-94) for 10 days to make it safer for an event, people would be up in arms."

In January, the Wisconsin Bike Federation was able to meet with the State Fair Board, City of West Allis, Friends of the Hank Aaron Trail and other local groups to raise concerns and offer input on a plan that would accommodate cyclists' needs.

However, after the meeting, Finn said State Fair representatives were "completely not receptive to any alternative solution."

In an ideal scenario, Finn said the State Fair Board would host a public listening session and hear directly from community members who rely on the trail and the state would make more investments in bike infrastructure to keep cyclists out of the street.

Alternative routes on Main Street and Schlinger Avenue

Last year, the Milwaukee Department of Natural Resources helped state officials identify an alternate route through the north side of State Fair Park on West Adler Street. Officials adapted the alternate trail with wider bike lanes, new lane striping and signage to assist bike riders in identifying and using the route.

This year, travel detours have been established on the east and west side of the trail on Main Street and Schlinger Avenue.

Before the trail's closure in August, State Fair Park staff will post signage about closure dates and alternate routes. Staff will add additional striping for bike lanes in both directions on North Street and Adler Street, which run between the State Fair Park north parking lot and the UScellular Main Entrance.

"While we understand this presents challenges for the many loyal users of the trail, we appreciate the DNR’s support and the public’s understanding of why we have requested the trail closure the past two years during the 11 days of the Wisconsin State Fair," Kerksen said.

When asked about rumors that the trail was being guarded last year by "teenagers," Kerksen said the trail is monitored by State Fair Park police and public safety officers.

"In recent years, State Fair Park management and police have worked tirelessly to secure the entire perimeter of State Fair Park by adding metal detectors at all admission entrances, installing secure fencing, instituting bag size restrictions, and reconfiguring the gates and entrances," Kerksen said.

Tamia Fowlkes is a Public Investigator reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at [email protected].

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