GRAFTON — It's the calming water, sounds of nature and beautiful scenery that draw walkers and bikers to the Ozaukee County Interurban Trail.
For Joe Mahel, walking on the trail means getting exercise and having a good conversation with a friend.
"It's just a nice place. We have a lot of bikers that come down here, and no cars," said Mahel.
However; if you look closely at the pavement, you'll notice cracks and bumps. According to park officials, some pavement parts are more than 20 years old and in need of repair.
"All kinds of craters on it. I'm glad you're fixing it," said bike rider Randy Schreiner.
He said riding the trail is safer than biking on the road, but it can get bumpy.
"It's terrible north of Belgium. It's awful, but the section right here is terrible just on the other side," said Schreiner.
Recently, the state awarded nearly a million dollars to the Ozaukee County Planning and Parks Department to repave and re-shoulder 13 miles of the Ozaukee Interurban Trail. The repaving work is planned from County Highway O north to County Road K. It's a project five years in the making.
"It's very important because there's a lot — since I've been biking — there's a lot more bikers on the trails," said Schreiner.
According to officials, fixing and maintaining the trail is critical, mainly for safety reasons, but also for the county's tourism economy. Last year, about 318,000 people visited the trail, up from about 302,000 in 2022.
"People use it every day," said visitor Jay VanLangen.
Although work is not expected to start until this fall, those who use the trail say they are happy improvements are coming.
"This is a way to get more people out and healthy on the trails,"
"We need to have recreational opportunities. You need to be able to walk and bike. It's just so much healthier lifestyle," said Shelby Kortenhof-Struck.
County leaders are still in the planning phase of the project, so construction will kick off in the fall.
To view the project, click here.
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