MILWAUKEE — Residents on the East Side are on the fence when it comes to the concrete planters in the bike lanes. These were added over the summer by the East Side Business Improvement District. Since then, many were moved or damaged.
“They need bigger barriers, they need bigger barriers,” East Side resident, Ruben Williams explained.
Williams lives on the East Side. He said the sight of broken planters in the bike lane is a sign that something more needs to be done.
“It kind of just shows the speeds at which people go into the bike lane. Kind of just general disrespect for the bike lane in general,” Williams explained.
He said the dirt and pieces of cement laying on North Avenue remind him of why he doesn’t ride his bike in the city.
“In Milwaukee, I’m too afraid to ride my bike,” Williams said.
Residents are hoping for a permanent solution to the reckless driving issues in the neighborhood.
“Maybe permanent barriers, those actual long ones that go along the whole road,” East Side resident Cullen Meurer explained.
He suggested something more stable. “Obviously these kind of move ya know so something that wouldn’t move at all would be perfect.”
The planters were put in place last summer by the East Side Business Improvement District.
“These planters were never intended to be a permanent solution. It was only a temporary solution based on what was available,” Executive Director of the East Side Business Improvement District, David Smulyan explained.
Smulyan said the broken planters are serving as a learning lesson. “People are concerned that if they hit a planter, since they’re not permanent, maybe a piece might fly and hurt somebody. That’s not something we thought about.”
He said the mess should be cleaned up by Thursday.
“My goal is to have that cleaned up no later than tomorrow,” Smulyan said.
Smulyan suggests contacting Alderman Jonathan Brostoff if you have ideas for a solution for the bike lanes on the east side.
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