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Sheriff Clarke makes it clear: no bike lane on the Hoan Bridge

Posted by Tom Held of the Journal Sentinel on Oct. 5, 2011

cycling, Hoan Bridge

In talking about the death of a man on the Hoan Bridge Tuesday, Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. staked out his position on the proposal to add a bike lane on the elevated roadway: an emphatic no.

Clarke called it the "dumbest thing I ever heard" during a news conference.

"Bikes in heavy traffic is not a good mix," he said. "I don't care what kind of safety barrier you're going to put up."

State Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) said the sheriff is wrong.

"He should probably get that foot-in-mouth disease checked out soon," Larson said. "He's commenting on something he doesn't know about."

Larson said there are numerous examples of safe routes, separated by barriers, on similar bridges. The Wonders Way Bike Path on the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in South Carolina is one of them.

Neither Clarke nor a sheriff's representative spoke in August at the town hall meeting organized by elected officials and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to gather input on the prospects of a bike and pedestrian route on the bridge. The DOT is studying the cost and feasibility as part of its planning for a reconstruction of the bridge deck, expected to cost $275 million to $350 million.

A consultant's report on the bike lane is expected to be completed this fall.

Larson said he expects the report will say a bike and pedestrian path could be added to the Hoan safely and affordably.

Clarke made his comments about the bike lane proposal while discussing the death of Bobby E. Jiles, 39, who was hit by a car while tending to his disabled vehicle in a southbound traffic lane. The collision knocked Jiles off the bridge.

The roadway on the Hoan has been severely restricted during work to repair crumbling concrete on the roadway. With the emergency lane closed and the traffic tightened, motorists have little room to maneuver or check their vehicles if necessary.

48 Comments for "Sheriff Clarke makes it clear: no bike lane on the Hoan Bridge"

  1. Okay, as usual there are many uninformed replies to this blog. I think this link that Tom provided in a previous blog about the bike path should be required reading for anyone commenting on this blog. It refutes every single uninformed negative comment that gets posted on the Hoan Bridge blogs: http://overthebarsinmilwaukee.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/why-bike-the-hoan.

    As for your comment about it won't be used, here are some facts for you to look at taken from the above link: "according to the last trail counts done in 2003, the two segments of Oak Leaf Trail that dead end at either end of the Hoan Bridge attract nearly 80,000 people in one month alone".

    80,000 people in one month, and that was in October. How many more people are using the trails in the summer. This was also done in 2003 and I see many more people exercising now than in 2003. Not everyone using the bike paths on either side of the Hoan bridge will actually use the bike path over the Hoan, but even if 25% used it, this would be 20,000 people using the Hoan Bridge bike path in October. In addition, more people would come to the lakefront to bike, knowing they can easily get from the east side to the south side. Right now if you are biking 20 or 30 miles or more, the east side or south side bike paths aren't long enough to get a good ride in.

    MU82 Oct 05, 2011 12:19 PM

  2. Good...........Bikes do not belong on highways, if I had my way, they would not be allowed on roads at all until they want to pay a road tax and obey road signs just like cars do.

    LuvTheUSA Oct 05, 2011 12:50 PM

  3. "...obey road signs just like cars do."
    Except when they don't. Then what?

    djk Oct 05, 2011 12:53 PM

  4. The people we have put in charge of our protection, will, of course, advise we err on the side of extreme caution. If you asked the Sheriff if we should try to decrease the number of cars on the road, he would probably say it's a good idea because there would be fewer accidents. If you asked him if we should do so by encouraging bicycling he would probably advise against it due to the likelihood of increased accidents involving cyclists. If the potential danger involved with doing a thing was a good enough reason to not do it, we wouldn't drive cars, fly in planes, or let trains roll through our neighborhoods; Not to mention drinking alcohol, smoking, sledding, lighting fireworks, listening to loud music, eating fastfood, watching TV for hours a day, paying for war, owning guns, or allowing the practice of religion (the leading reason for murder since the beginning of time.)

    rekmke Oct 05, 2011 1:12 PM

  5. Avid runner and have participated in triathlons in the past.. how much use would that even get? You'd be using 6 months of the year in Wisconsin! We can find other places to ride our bikes and run.

    packersbucksbrewers Oct 05, 2011 1:29 PM

  6. Guaranteed deaths??????? I drive the Hoan bridge every day, and as far as deadly winds????????

    MikeAAA Oct 05, 2011 1:48 PM

  7. A man died on the Hoan Bridge on Tueday morning.

    MU / Panther Oct 05, 2011 1:51 PM

  8. Ya, after another motorist hit him. Had nothing to do with bikes or winds

    Frylock Oct 05, 2011 1:53 PM

  9. If useage 12 months a year is required to justify recreational access, I suggest we close down all snowmoblie trails, boat launches, and outdoor swimming pools. There are always "other" places for recreation, why not SAFELY blend recreation and transportation.

    MikeAAA Oct 05, 2011 1:53 PM

  10. So, someone doesn't think what you think, we our the ones uninformed.

    MU / Panther Oct 05, 2011 1:53 PM

  11. So if a car can hit another car that is stopped on the bridge, one with intelligence would conclude that a car could hit a bicycle, too. The death resulted because the man was not in his car (receiving a level of protection). Ain't no helmet in the world that will protect a biker that much.

    Izzatso Oct 05, 2011 2:07 PM

  12. There will be a BARRIER between the bike path and traffic. Once again people, if you aren't informed about what the proposals are, don't post. Anyone with intelligence would conclude that a man on a highway and a bike on the other side of a barrier are not the same thing. Get a clue.

    MU82 Oct 05, 2011 2:15 PM

  13. And would the same intelligent person also deduce that a bicycle could be hit on any city street? Don't need a bridge involved to realise that cars are always bigger than bicycles. We should all pay more attention to other cars and bicycles and pedestrians.

    MikeAAA Oct 05, 2011 2:23 PM

  14. It has nothing to do with thinking the way I do. I fully understand that people will have different opinions and many people will be opposed to the bike path. No problem with that. The problem is people like your- self that are uninformed and post comments like it will not be used, the hill is too big, the winds are too strong, it won't be safe, etc., etc. It gets kind of old. Read up on this and then post. I see many blog posts where I don't agree with something, but unless I know more about what is being talked about, I don't post. You said it won't get used, but obviously can't comprehend that 80,000 users on the paths on either side of the proposed bike path show that it will get used. If you do research, you will see that many bridges similar to the Hoan Bridge get an incredible amount of use and they are safe and add to the quality of life and perception of those cities.

    If you don't want the bike path because you don't like tax payer money paying for something you won't benefit from, then say so. Don't however make comments that are not true.

    MU82 Oct 05, 2011 2:24 PM

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