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Work begins to extend the Hank Aaron State Trail

Posted by Tom Held of the Journal Sentinel on Sept. 27, 2011

trails

 

Work has started on the extension that will connect the Hank Aaron State Trail to Underwood Parkway, a $328,000 project scheduled to be completed in mid-November.

Crews have been digging out the old rail corridor between S. 94th Place and the Parkway, just south of W. Blue Mound Road. That section of the Hank Aaron had been left untouched during the expansion work from the Menomonee Valley in 2010.

This view shows the work area from S. 121st St. to the east.  Photo by Tom Held.

Managers in the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Department of Transportation joined forces to finish the link, which will serve cyclists and pedestrians and provide an off-road commuter route from the western suburbs to downtown Milwaukee. Close to 400,000 people live within 15 minutes of the route.

When the extension is finished with crushed gravel, the path will link Lakeshore State Park to the Milwaukee County Oak Leaf Trail, the New Berlin Recreational Trail and the Glacial Drumlin Trail. It will provide a route, largely off-road, from the lakefront to Cottage Grove.

The crushed gravel will be replaced with asphalt following reconstruction of the Zoo Interchange.

The section in blue shows the latest addtion to the Hank Aaron State Trail.

 

21 Comments for "Work begins to extend the Hank Aaron State Trail"

  1. Sweet

    Hugh Jarmis Sep 27, 2011 2:40 PM

  2. As a railfan it's sad to see more local railroad history disappear forever. However, if trains can't run on these corridors anymore, I absolutely endorse the whole "rails to trails" concept. It's a great adaptive re-use. The thought occurred to me that if anyone wants to preserve some interurban history, they should probably get their pictures of the concrete bridge abutments and piling foundations that are on either side of this corridor (just south of Adler St. and just east of the 894 bridge) before the Zoo interchange reconstruction. My guess is that all that stuff will be wiped out.

    Raddmann Sep 27, 2011 3:15 PM

  3. Too bad this will not be done until November, just before winter hits. I am looking forward to riding it as much as possible before the snow falls.

    Does anyone know if it is okay to ride a road bike on crushed limestone? I assume this is different than gravel, which I would not ride a road bike on.

    One other question I have is why there is a stretch of gravel on the Hank Aaron trail, going East just past the VA grounds and before the bridge over the river just east of Miller Park. It makes it difficult for road bikes to go that way and is dangerous even for hybrid and mountain bikes, especially when there is a downhill right before it.

    MU82 Sep 27, 2011 5:55 PM

  4. I agree. My son fell on that stretch this year. It would be better to have hard dirt path than the loose stones that are there now.

    spike88 Sep 27, 2011 6:37 PM

  5. I love the paved portion of the Hank Aaron trail. Crushed gravel/limestone though is not easy to bike on and dangerous for kids if they fall on it. Can they find an alternative substance until they can pave it?

    spike88 Sep 27, 2011 6:38 PM

  6. The crushed limestone was placed east of the VA because that stretch of trail will be used for equipment during the build-out of the park area in the "Airline Yards" http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/lifestyle/106321393.html

    T. Held Sep 27, 2011 6:47 PM

  7. I am not sure what your problem is hunter1970, but you might want to try and show some maturity in your posts. I think most of the people that use the bike and running trails would be willing to help make the bike path the way we want it, but if you did any research you would realize there are reasons that the path will be crushed limestone for now, as well as Tom explaining below why it is gravel near the bridge east of Miller Park. As far as the Hoan Bridge, not sure what your point is with that comment or how I am a hypocrite, but you keep trying. Many people ride their bikes year round, myself included. I do not ride my bike where it is not plowed however, although some people still would. I am assuming that the crushed limestone trail would not be able to be plowed, whereas a bike path on the Hoan Bridge would most likely be plowed. It would be interesting to sit down with someone like you hunter1970 to try and have a rational conversation; someone that is very angry about things, but doesn't really have a clue about what they are arguing about. Kind of sad.

    MU82 Sep 27, 2011 7:08 PM

  8. I did a google search asking about riding on crushed limestone and from a few message boards that I read, it isn't that bad. I believe it is quite a bit different than gravel.

    MU82 Sep 27, 2011 7:11 PM

  9. Thanks Tom. I could be wrong on this, but I think the area east of the VA is gravel, not crushed limestone. From what I understand gravel is looser and easier to fall on and harder on your bike, especially a road bike. How long will it be this way? Right now my brother and sister-in-law will not ride their road bikes that way because of the gravel, which limits their options. Even if the gravel wasn't so loose it would be much better.

    MU82 Sep 27, 2011 7:15 PM

  10. Hey hunter, next time the main roads you use have a few too many potholes or are in need of a fresh coat of asphalt, why don't you and your buddies get out their and make it just the way you want it...

    scottjk02 Sep 27, 2011 7:19 PM

  11. I didn't know it was still loose gravel there. We were surprised to find that on our road bikes this summer as well. I hope they intend to pave that section very soon. It is disappointing.

    JulesFied Sep 27, 2011 8:10 PM

  12. Btw - I wouldn't recommend riding a road bike on the loose gravel sections, unless you have really really good balance! :)

    JulesFied Sep 27, 2011 8:11 PM

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