Bikers go over the Hoan and directly to jail
For two bikers, a critical mass ride over the Hoan Bridge last week ended in the booking room of the Milwaukee County Jail.
Based on the sheriff's reports, anywhere from 50 to 150 bikers participated in the ride over the two-mile bridge, which is off limits to pedestrians and nonmotorized traffic. The outing was billed as a ride to protest "Gov. Scott Walker's Anti-Bicycling Agenda," and blocked traffic in both southbound lanes of I-794 about 6 p.m. on May 5.
Responding to a host of 9-1-1 calls, deputies caught and ticketed four of the participants. They booked one of them in the jail for resisting, and another to confirm his identity.
That was Juan Serrano, 23, from Covina Calif., who reportedly told the deputy: "I was supporting my friends who were protesting Luke Skywalker or something."
The others who were ticketed include: Samarah Hagagi, 19, of Kansas City, Mo., Caitlin Hamer, 21, of Milwaukee, and Donald Sanborn, 22, of Wauwatosa.
Their tickets carry fines of $178.
Hagagi also picked up the citation for resisting because she wouldn't stop for the deputy, according to the sheriff's report.
The ride was organized through the Milwaukee Bicycle Community, an informal advocacy group that shares information about group rides on the website www.mkebke.com.
Steve Roche helps run the site, and joined the group on the Hoan.
Their purpose was to generate attention and a spark a discussion about the merits of installing a lane for bicycles and pedestrians on the Hoan, he said.
In the decades since it opened, a number of cycling advocates and public officials have argued that the Hoan should be opened to non-motorists as a connection between Downtown Milwaukee and the south side neighborhoods and suburbs. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation rejected the idea, and proposed an alternate route using surface streets.
132 Comments for "Bikers go over the Hoan and directly to jail"
According to the Milwaukee County Transit System, drivers recorded 47,995 instances of bikes being placed on the racks in 2010. Through April, the number for 2011 was 12,695, double the number from the first four months of 2010.
As to the billions for bike lanes: Federal Transportation Enhancement grants total $8.73 Billion from 1991. http://www.enhancements.org/FAQ.asp#fed%20spending About half of that goes to bike and pedestrian projects. Some states also receive CMAQ dollars for similar projects.
JimtheRepublican - I interpreted your comment to assert billions spent for one bike lane. My apologies.
T. Held May 12, 2011 3:52 PM
It's simply more efficient to transport these commodities by ship and have trucks pick them up as needed. It would add to the cost of salt, sand, oil, etc. to have them trucked on already congested streets to the west side of the city.
Even if these commodities and the industrial land were moved, the MMSD Jones Island wastewater treatment facility would remain. There would still be ship movements in/out of the harbor necessitating frequent draw bridge openings. A draw bridge opening can delay traffic for up to five to 10 minutes for a pleasure boat. Imagine how long such a opening would take for a Great Lakes freighter.
Sure, a multi-lane surface street/boulevard with bike lanes could replace the Hoan. But I'm not convinced development would follow.
JRWOakCreek May 12, 2011 4:18 PM
the fact that that particular road fell into disrepair because of the lower
volume of traffic.
Yes, the route is along 2nd street, but the last time I took that route it just
wasn't safe- In fact I broke an axle on a pothole... switching back to 1st
street was the only option, and I haven't switched back.
Pants May 12, 2011 4:25 PM
tamatha May 12, 2011 4:28 PM
more cars off the street and out of your way?
I pay taxes on my car, I pay for roads I've never used... roads to places
I'll never bother to go to... like Brookfield, ugh... if I decide to bike in to
work how can that possibly ignite white hot passions?
Pants May 12, 2011 4:33 PM
CowTipper May 12, 2011 4:38 PM
ljastroch May 12, 2011 4:42 PM
ljastroch May 12, 2011 4:44 PM
Cattlecall May 12, 2011 4:52 PM
bridges in NYC have ped and bike paths. Not having them here is
"boondoggle" mentality.
QueLio May 12, 2011 4:57 PM
"GregJennings85 -- The reason the salt piles, sand piles, oil tanks, shipping containers, etc. are located under and near the Hoan Bridge is because this area is the Milwaukee harbor and the harbor has been in use since about the time Milwaukee was founded by Misters Juneau, Walker, and Kilbourn.
It's simply more efficient to transport these commodities by ship and have trucks pick them up as needed. It would add to the cost of salt, sand, oil, etc. to have them trucked on already congested streets to the west side of the city.
Even if these commodities and the industrial land were moved, the MMSD Jones Island wastewater treatment facility would remain. There would still be ship movements in/out of the harbor necessitating frequent draw bridge openings. A draw bridge opening can delay traffic for up to five to 10 minutes for a pleasure boat. Imagine how long such a opening would take for a Great Lakes freighter.
Sure, a multi-lane surface street/boulevard with bike lanes could replace the Hoan. But I'm not convinced development would follow."
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1.) Exactly, the system in-place was designed, with effificiency in-mind, around the late 1800's.
2.) Not only do we not need to transport our materials by boat, we are probably paying a premium to do so. Using rail to transport said materials has to be infinitely cheaper, faster, and less impactful on our greatest natural resource, Lake Michigan.
3.) You're not convinced that a boulevard along the lake would attract business? Got it.
GregJennings85 May 12, 2011 4:57 PM
Hey, Dem or Repub:
Packers = World Champs.
(Got to get that in as much as possible, all)
GregJennings85 May 12, 2011 5:01 PM
Why is that automobile sales taxes count as a highway "user fee" (as they do under Walker's proposed budget) but when people buy bicycles (and pay the same sale tax) it is not credited as a "user fee" used to pay for bicycle trails???
TransitRider May 12, 2011 5:27 PM